Art & Expression

Music

Instruments

Shamisen

Biwa

Koto

Tsuzumi

Taiko

Kagura Suzu

Theater

Kabuki -dramatic plays with exaggerated costumes and acting, and easily recognizable visual queues. All actors are male

Noh -A more ominous form of theater where masked actors engage in song and dance to create dramatic narratives about the supernatural. Similar to kabuki, all actors are male.

Rakugo - A simple form of theater where single person will sit down act out all the characters in a narrative.

Bunraku -dramatic plays carried out by puppeteers and accompanying music

Geisha - While not a form of theater so much as a performative profession, geisha are female entertainers who dress up and perform dance, song, and instrumentation.

Painting

Ukiyo-E -Created using woodblock prints that allow for many copies of the same work to be made

Suibokuga -Suibokuga is generally more comfortable with splashes of color

Ceramics

Kyo Ware -Fine, colorful and ornate pottery

Raku Ware - hand thrown pottery, often for tea are, made in an intentionally rough way that gives it an asymmetric character

Kintsugi - When pottery is broken, the user may choose to repair is with a gold cement that creates shimmering veins. It adds an additional layer of beauty and character to the cup. There is also a philosophical layer of an item or person who is shattered but remade being better than they were prior

Architecture

Featuring more simple colors, typically white with black or red highlights, or natural colors. Often taller, and more nature conforming and asymmetrical

Fashion

Clothing Kimono (male) - Much more subdued and standardized, with nearly universally dark colors. Men will often wear a hakama over their kimono. A hakama are long skirt like pants that add to the formality. Male kimonos will often also have an outer layer called a haori which also adds to formality. Motsuke koromo (priest) -A priests robes. Often accompanied with prayer beads and maybe a white head wrap

Kimono (female) - Typically more colorful than their male counterparts. There are several types of female Kimonos:

Furisode - a type of formal kimono usually worn by young women, often for Coming of Age Day, and is considered the most formal kimono for young women

Uchikake - A very formal kimono often used as bridal wear

Shiromuku - A white kimono with a large white headdress intended for the bride in a wedding

Kurotomesode - A formal kimono. They are typically black with a design on the bottom half

Houmongi/Tsukesage - A semi-formal women's kimono featuring a design on part of the sleeves and hem

Iromuji - A low-formality solid-colour kimono worn for tea ceremony and other mildly-formal events

Komon - An informal kimono with a repeating pattern all over the kimono

Mofuku - a simple plain black kimono used for mourning

Yukata - A kimono without the hanging sleeves

Miko Attire - A white kimono with a red Hakama worn by shrine maidens

Headwear Hachimaki - A generic term for headband, though wearing these is believed to give you strength of spirit. Commonly worn by festival goers, martial artists, soldiers, and anyone else seeking that "strength of spirit". These will often come in the form of patterned cloth or rope, or may be inscribed with inspiring and bold words.

Kasa -

Ajirogasa - rounded straw hat, worn by farmers and priests

Toriogasa - Commonly worn by women at festivals

Roningasa - used by ronin (masterless samurai) to obscure their identity

Sandogasa - common for travelers

Sugegasa - conical straw hat, worn by farmers

Tengai - Worn my komuso monks to obscure their identities and take away the impression of person-hood

Kanmuri -worn by @shint priests

Eboshi Hat - A hat worn by the civil officials and nobles of old

Kanzashi (female) - A formal female headdress composed of ornate pins, flowers, combs, and other ornamentation

Uchikatsugi (female) - a veiled straw hat

Hairstyle Male -shorter hairstyles have become increasingly popular, especially in cities

Female - long hair is still very popular, though some slightly shorter styles are becoming popular as well

Makeup Heavy white makeup called oshiroi is used to enhance beauty. This is accompanied with red highlights by the eyes, on the lips, and sometimes the eyebrows