The court dress and protocols of the Japanese imperial court were largely established during the Heian period (9–12C) and were maintained for centuries, even as they underwent significant transformation; some elements can still be observed in imperial ceremonies today. The knowledge associated with court dress, customs, and etiquette (kojitsu) constituted an important intellectual asset for medieval and early modern courtiers, carrying political, social, and economic significance. Examining how this body of knowledge was formed and developed therefore offers valuable insight into broader historical processes.

With this perspective in mind, I have focused in particular on books and records related to court dress produced from the late Heian to the early Kamakura periods (12–13C). This was a time when such knowledge began to be systematically and self-consciously collected, recorded, and shared among middle- and upper-ranking courtiers. With the support of this research grant, I have made progress in identifying and collecting manuscript sources on court dress and in analyzing their contents and contexts. In addition, in connection with a KAKENHI-funded research project, I have examined how these texts were copied and studied by early modern scholars, and how they came to be disseminated and shared as part of a broader cultural tradition.