Akira Ishiyama (1918-2011), a Japanese researcher of Western fashion, dedicated nearly 70 years of his life to fashion history, accumulating a wealth of valuable books and 18th- to 19th-century fashion plates and illustrations portraying the popular styles of their times. This extensive collection of images showing men, women, boys and girls in fashionable and coordinating outfits is now being exhibited alongside the Kobe Fashion Museum's dresses from the same era.
The third-floor library of the museum, housing more than 30,000 historical fashion books, as well as back issues of fashion magazines such as Vogue and Elle, will also be open to the public; Oct. 18-Jan. 6.
Kobe Fashion Museum; 2-9-1 Koyocho-naka, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo. Island Center Stn. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. ¥500. Closed Wed. 078-858-0050; www.fashionmuseum.or.jp/museum
