Overview

The material is a beautiful silk which looks as if it is actually shining. The subjects of the design are painted shells (symbolizing felicity) and shell boxes for the shell game. The objects are arranged carefully over the cloth; every shell has a well-conceived design, using the natural lines of a clam. Boxes for the shells are hexagonal with holders. On the sides of the boxes are various designs - clouds and orchids, rosetta woods and bush clovers, and houseboats and willow trees. The combine geometrical patterns to make the design elaborate as a whole.
Coloring and designs were mainly done using Yazen dyeing. The shells and the strings of the shell boxes are made by embroidery. It is interesting to note that embroidery played a very important role in this gown, while earlier it had only played a minor role in Yazen dyeing in the mid-Edo Period.