Cranes, carp, cherry blossoms…Zero fighters? I guarantee you haven’t seen kimono motifs like these before!

Wolfgang Ruf of Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, collects rare wartime kimono from roughly 1894-1942 with soliders, weapons, and military vehicles.

Image va swissinfo

Today’s fun link, “Kimonos reveal Japanese wartime history,” takes a look at Ruf’s collection of 200 rare kimonos and offers insights into who may have worn them.

“The ancient clothes are beautiful but they also tell us about the social, cultural, economic and political contexts in which they were worn,” added Ruf. “It’s a real encyclopaedia of Japanese weaponry.”