Also known as: 冠
A kanmuri (冠, lit. 'crown') is the traditional Japanese Hat worn by adult men at the Japanese imperial court, including courtiers, aristocrats, and the emperor, from the Heian period to the Meiji Restoration. It is said to have originated from the Futou, a type of Chinese headwear from the Tang Dynasty.
The kanmuri is divided into three main parts: the ko (甲) worn on the head, the koji (巾子), a protrusion which holds the Topknot, and the ei (纓), a thin, long piece of cloth that hangs down the back. A Hair Stick named kougai (笄) pierces the koji to fix the kanmuri onto the Topknot. In later periods, as the practice of wearing topknots fell out of use, cords tied under the chin were used to secure the kanmuri .
There are three main types of kanmuri: the sui'ei-kan (垂纓冠) is for civil officials, featuring ei that hang down; the ken'ei-kan (巻纓冠) is for military officials, featuring ei that are curled up; and the ryou'ei-kan (立纓冠) is exclusively for the emperor, featuring an ei that stands upright.
The kanmuri is still worn today by the Japanese imperial family and Shinto priests.
Commonly seen on Hina Ningyou displayed during the Hinamatsuri, where the doll figures representing the emperor, court aristocrats, and military ministers are historically decorated with their respective types of kanmuri.
Examples
- First from right is a ken'ei-kan, second from right is a sui'ei-kan
- Left is a ryou'ei-kan