The costumes used in noh are called noh shōzoku. A good example is the karaori, an exquisitely embroidered, traditional woman’s kimono. Certainly one of the most beautiful theatrical costumes in the world. During the early stages of noh, around the time of Kannami and Zeami, the costumes were more modest, as they were using the their everyday clothes to perform in. However, as noh became favorable in the eyes of the aristocracy and military ruling classes, they began to receive more finely crafted kimono to perform and this gradually became the norm. Furthermore during the Azuchi Momoyama period (approx. 1558-1600), the flourishing of Japanese culture coupled with great advances in fine arts led to even higher standards for costumes. In this way, these costumes were truly works of art and quite separated from reality of the character. For example, historically, a poor fisherman or a woman who gathers sea-salt would not be adorned in such finery, but by using such stylized and symbolic costumes, noh is better able to express a characters feelings. Noh Costume Categories Shōzoku (noh costumes) can be divided into 7 different categories: Kahatsu (things for head, concerning hair) : kazura (wig), Kaburi-mono (things worn on the head): eboshi (hat), tengan (headdress), etc. Uwagi (various outer garments worn over kimono): nōshi (imperial robe), kariginu (hunting cloak), happi (festival coat), chōken (outer shawl), maiginu (dancing shawl), etc. Kitsuke (short sleeved kimono worn under outer kimono): surihaku, nuihaku, noshime, etc. Uwagi / Kitsuke (outer kimono): karaori (exquisite women’s kimono), atsuita (exquisite male kimono), etc. Hakama (Japanese pleated loose-fitting trousers): ōkuchi (large warrior hakama), hangiri (lit. half-cut hakama), sashinuki, nagabakama (lit. long hakama), etc. Other small items like sashes used for tying things on: kazura-obi, koshi-obi, koshi-himo, etc.