Tangerine Mountain Imports & Designs
Traveling Kimono Exhibition Educational Programming
This exhibition highlights antique and modern kimono fashions and items from the Edo Period to Present Day. All pieces come from the private collections of Tangerine Mountain Imports & Designs, the largest vintage kimono importer in the United States of America.
Through this exhibition, we hope to give viewers access to authentic and antique kimono materials that usually can only be found in museums. We hope that all viewers will gain a newfound appreciation for kimono throughout history, and will be inspired to try kimono fashion for themselves.
The Educational Panels listed below are some of the many programs that we are bringing to live events around the country in conjunction with our exhibition. To learn more about these programs, or book our Traveling Exhibition and Educational Programming for your event or organization, please contact [email protected].
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Educational Programming Schedule for:
NanDesuKan 2023
Please Note that all educational programming will take place within the Traveling Kimono Exhibition space, which will be located on the 1st level of the Gaylord Convention Center, Maple Room 1, which is near the escalators/staircase. The Tangerine Mountain Vending Booth will be located on the 2nd level in the Exhibitors Hall.
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Friday @ 5:00 – 6:30 pm:
Authentic Edo Era Samurai Armor: How It Was Made and Worn
Samurai warriors have long been celebrated as fearsome fighters and excellent strategists. Samurai armor is venerated among military historians, artists, game designers, and Japanese culture fans for generations. However, most people never get to see authentic armor up close, much less have the chance to look “under the hood” at its construction. Tangerine Mountain presents authentic Edo Period samurai armor from the Higuchi family, who served the venerated Sanada clan at Matsushiro Castle in present-day Nagano City. We will take you through the complete set, explaining each piece and how it was made and worn, comparing and contrasting Edo Period armor to that of earlier eras, giving attendees new insight and appreciation of iconic artifacts of samurai history.
Panel Rating: All Ages
Panel Length: 90 minutes
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Friday @ 7 – 8 pm:
How to Incorporate Kimono into Cosplay
Join Tangerine Mountain for an in-depth discussion about kimono and the role it can have in cosplay! We will cover topics such as how to cosplay responsibly while being culturally sensitive; cultural exchange vs. cultural appropriation as it pertains to representing popular characters utilizing kimono; and use exhibits in our Traveling Exhibition as examples of creative ways of bringing characters to life. Bring your cosplay ideas to further the discussion!
Panel Rating: All Ages
Panel Length: 60 minutes
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Friday @ 8:30 – 9:30 pm:
How Bootlegs Are Trying to Destroy the Anime Industry, and What You Can Do About It / Bring Your Merch for a Free Personal “Antiques Roadshow”-style Evaluation!
From Temu to Wish to Amazon, bootlegs of anime and pop culture goods are flooding the market, threatening to destroy the very stories, characters, and productions we know and love. Bootlegs prevent legitimate creators from profiting from their creations, and this harms everyone from the largest publishers like Nintendo to the artists of Artist Alleys in conventions all over the world. Not only that, but bootlegs are usually poorly and cheaply made using slave labor and with substances that can harm you, your family, and even your fur babies.
In this panel, you can learn how to identify bootlegs as well as what you can do to help protect all our favorite anime, manga, and pop culture series. The panel lasts about 30-40 minutes, after which attendees can bring any piece of merchandise and the experts at Fast Food Anime and Tangerine Mountain will evaluate it to tell you if it is legit. Collectible cards, plush, books, video games, DVDs, CDs, posters, wall scrolls, figures, clothing, and more are all able to be evaluated. (To ensure everyone has a turn, if you have a large collection, please talk to the presenters about setting up an appointment.) The co-presenters have over 20 years of experience each in identifying legitimate vs. bootleg merchandise and the legal, ethical, and safety issues raised whenever bootlegs are sold.
Panel Rating: All Ages
Panel Length: 60 minutes
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Saturday @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
History of Kimono
Join Tangerine Mountain as we take you through a fun, funny, and informative romp through Japanese fashion history. You will learn the reason so many anime characters are dressed the way they are, because so many character designs and costumes in anime are based on historical clothing. From kosode to kimono, we tell you the stories of nobles, samurai, kabuki actors, and merchants; and how the underdogs of the Japanese class structure eventually became the most well-dressed members of society by the end of the Edo period.
Panel Rating: All Ages
Panel Length: 60 minutes
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Saturday @ 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Authentic Edo Era Samurai Armor: How It Was Made and Worn
Samurai warriors have long been celebrated as fearsome fighters and excellent strategists. Samurai armor is venerated among military historians, artists, game designers, and Japanese culture fans for generations. However, most people never get to see authentic armor up close, much less have the chance to look “under the hood” at its construction. Tangerine Mountain presents authentic Edo Period samurai armor from the Higuchi family, who served the venerated Sanada clan at Matsushiro Castle in present-day Nagano City. We will take you through the complete set, explaining each piece and how it was made and worn, comparing and contrasting Edo Period armor to that of earlier eras, giving attendees new insight and appreciation of iconic artifacts of samurai history.
Panel Rating: All Ages
Panel Length: 90 minutes
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Saturday @ 8:30 – 9:30 pm:
How Bootlegs Are Trying to Destroy the Anime Industry, and What You Can Do About It / Bring Your Merch for a Free Personal “Antiques Roadshow”-style Evaluation!
From Temu to Wish to Amazon, bootlegs of anime and pop culture goods are flooding the market, threatening to destroy the very stories, characters, and productions we know and love. Bootlegs prevent legitimate creators from profiting from their creations, and this harms everyone from the largest publishers like Nintendo to the artists of Artist Alleys in conventions all over the world. Not only that, but bootlegs are usually poorly and cheaply made using slave labor and with substances that can harm you, your family, and even your fur babies.
In this panel, you can learn how to identify bootlegs as well as what you can do to help protect all our favorite anime, manga, and pop culture series. The panel lasts about 30-40 minutes, after which attendees can bring any piece of merchandise and the experts at Fast Food Anime and Tangerine Mountain will evaluate it to tell you if it is legit. Collectible cards, plush, books, video games, DVDs, CDs, posters, wall scrolls, figures, clothing, and more are all able to be evaluated. (To ensure everyone has a turn, if you have a large collection, please talk to the presenters about setting up an appointment.) The co-presenters have over 20 years of experience each in identifying legitimate vs. bootleg merchandise and the legal, ethical, and safety issues raised whenever bootlegs are sold.
Panel Rating: All Ages
Panel Length: 60 minutes
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Sunday @ 10 am – 12pm:
How Kimono are Made
Many costumers struggle to replicate the look of an authentic Japanese kimono because they don’t know authentic Japanese kimono construction. Tangerine Mountain is ready to show you that kimono are made utilizing methods and procedures no Westerner would ever conceive of. It’s not just straight lines! Attendees will get the chance to handle kimono bolts and materials the likes of which most Americans never get to even see in person, much less touch.
We start with the initial design process, using authentic materials from design houses, such as drafted designs on wax paper, katagami stencils, and design papers, all from our collection of thousands of artifacts. Then we will discuss the kimono bolt, including dyeing, painting, and embroidery techniques, and take attendees through to the finished product, drawing on our experience working with a high-end custom kimono salon in Japan. All materials are labeled in English and Japanese and photos and video are enthusiastically encouraged. This panel is perfect for anyone seeking to cosplay a kimono-wearing character, for fashion students or professionals interested in non-Western garment construction, or anyone who is interested in Japanese culture.
Panel Rating: All Ages
Panel Length: 90 minutes + 30 minutes at the end so attendees can lay out and photograph materials for their research
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Sunday @ 1:00 – 2:30 pm:
How to wear Kimono (bring your own kimono!)
Yes, you can wear kimono! Tangerine Mountain invites you to join us as we make wearing kimono approachable for everyone. Whether you’re new to kimono or a seasoned veteran, there’s plenty for you to learn and experience. We dress volunteers from the audience in a variety of kimono, explaining the differences in fabrics and formalities along the way. We also discuss foreigners wearing kimono in Japan, Japanese street fashion, and techniques that make wearing kimono and tying obi easier.
Panel Rating: All Ages
Panel Length: 90 minutes
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Exhibition Thesis:
Ever since Commodore Perry steamed into Tokyo Harbor in July of 1853, the West has been fascinated by kimono and Japanese culture. While modern kimono as we know them are a uniquely Japanese creation, hints of kimono and Japanese fashion can be found throughout Western history. From the obi-like sashes that Colonel Winchester and Civil War regiment soldiers incorporated as status-symbols into their uniforms, to American 1920’s flapper fashion which utilized straight seams without tailoring, to modern-day shawls and wraps that bear the “kimono” name; the West’s fascination with kimono as art and fashion has only continued to grow to new heights.
Through this exhibition, Tangerine Mountain Imports & Designs brings you a variety of modern, vintage, and antique garments and artifacts that will highlight specific aspects of kimono and provide context to their representation in modern and popular culture. The purpose of this exhibit is to ultimately engage the public in cultural exchange through kimono, while providing an educational opportunity to learn about kimono through direct access to authentic materials.
Tangerine Mountain Imports & Designs would like to give special thanks to all who have supported our mission and directly helped make this traveling exhibition a reality, including but not limited to: Naka Kon, Anime Boston, Nan Desu Kan, The Holiday Folk Fest International, The National Association of Japan-America Societies, The Chicago Wafu Club, The Consulate of Japan at Chicago, Anime Iowa, Japan House at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Shozo Sato-sensei, Kimiko Gunji-sensei, The Kujira Japanese Art & Craft Community, Rimma Doi and Helene Nishida of ACDC Rag, Lisa Truong, The Museum of the First Corps of Cadets in Boston, Massachusetts, and its curator, Michelle Abrams, and all of our loyal patrons and customers.
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