Eisen 5

'tis done at last!

Eisen is the most expensive cosplay I've done to date, the reason being that I used all natural materials (except in a few places).

I started out this project in summer 2011 after my pitiful first version of the costume (which debuted at Ikkicon V, but never again). Hours and hours of painstaking research about Buddhist monks in Japan went into this costume, for I wanted everything to be as accurate and traditional as possible. For the most part I think I was successful.

If you read the Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time manga or watched the anime, you will notice many differences between the clothing that Eisen wears and the version I made here. This was all for the better, I think, and made the costume truer to life.

The hakama, although you cannot tell from my photos, is traditional and made of cotton. Over it is worn a long monk's kimono, called a koromo, which has a pleated skirt and very large sleeves. It is made of rayon purchased from Japan and made specifically for sewing monk's garments. There is an under kimono of sorts, meant to give volume and support to the rest of the cosplay. It is made of synthetic and was actually part of the first version of this cosplay.

My kesa, the togalike garment, is my favourite part of the costume. It is quilted together in a traditional fashion out of purple/gold rayon and gold silk brocade with dragon patterns. I used chinese knotwork to decorate the cords that tie it together over the left shoulder.

The footwear is also traditional, although I purchased it online. The white tabi are cotton kimono socks and for this cosplay I wore them with paulownia geta made to go with men's kimono.

Debuted 30 December 2011 at Ikkicon VI.

Eisen and Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time are (c) Tohko Mizuno