Of interest in this closeup are the crown (modeled on shamanic crowns from the mainland), the 12-layered kimono worn by imperial princesses (most recently at the marriage of the crown prince and princess in 1993), and the white outer layer indicating purity.
The actual person playing the role of "saiyo" is twenty years old, comes from a leading family in Kyoto, and is affiliated with one of the tea ceremony schools. It is a demanding but very prestigious role to be assigned for one year.
All photos and text © Copyright John K. Nelson, 1999