Although many Americans are familiar with the kimono and similar fashions for men and women that are still worn in modern Japan, very few are familiar with one of the most elaborate of all styles, known as the twelve-layered robe (jūnihitoe, pronounced joo-nee-he-toe-eh) that often weigh in excess of 50 pounds, only seen today in museums, period films, or at certain annual festivals in Japan, as production of these robes has almost died out. These robes are priceless and are one of the most expensive items of Japanese clothing, with one of their only modern uses as the wedding dress of an empress of Japan. These robes are correctly known as karaginu mo, referencing their origins in ancient Chinese fashions. The Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh and the Japan America Society of Pennsylvania, in partnership with Handa City in Aichi, Japan, invite Pitt students and Pittsburgh residents to a demonstration with male and female models of these historic wardrobes, with accompanying talk on the history of these elaborate fashions. This is an incredibly rare opportunity, and so if you enjoy history, fashion, or Japanese culture, you may find this to be a fascinating chance to see something rarely shown outside of Japan!