西村志可子（滋賀）

About this photo

Her hair is gathered with the front puffed up full and high, and her dark kimono looks as if it has a fine woven pattern. Her obi has a large design. In the background, something like a tree trunk is painted. The name under the photo reads "Nishimura Shikako (Shiga)." From Nihon Bijincho (Album of Japanese Beauties), published in 1908 (Meiji 41).

Hair like this appears to be sokuhatsu, a way of putting up hair that was born in the Meiji era, based on Western hairstyles. In 1885, a doctor and an economics journalist founded the Fujin Sokuhatsukai (Women's Sokuhatsu Society) and promoted sokuhatsu, arguing that traditional Japanese hairstyles set with oil were inconvenient and unhygienic. Because women could put it up easily by themselves and it also suited kimono, it spread quickly.

Sokuhatsu gave rise to many named styles, such as yakaimaki (evening party roll) and "Margaret." At Kimuraya bakery in Ginza, a "sokuhatsu pan" (sokuhatsu bread), made by rolling dough to look like a sokuhatsu bun, is said to have once been sold.

Glossary