Tokyo's Button Museum showcases the importance of buttons

Button designs have shifted along with the culture of the times in the hopes of playing a supporting role in the world of fashion. There is no better place to see this than at the Button Museum in Chuo Ward, Tokyo. The red-carpeted facility displays buttons from around the world, showcasing the distinctive style of each accessory.

The museum is run by clothing material maker Iris Co. and has a collection of around 7,000 items, with roughly 1,600 out for display. Many of them are highly decorative buttons from Europe that were made in the 18th and 19th centuries. They often have no holes in the front, because they were made to be sewn to the fabric in the back, which allowed designs to be applied to the entire surface of the button.

Among the exhibits are 18th-century buttons that are particularly eye-catching. In the past, buttons were status symbols for aristocrats, and some of them were not even meant to fasten clothing.

Many so-called picture buttons, adorned with detailed depictions of landscapes and people, were made in sets of several pieces and are believed to have been passed down through generations as a collection.

Visitors can view Italian micro mosaic buttons that are about 2 centimeters in diameter. One is decorated with the image of a pigeon and flower created by using about 500 colored glass pieces, all of which is set on a foundation of 18 karat gold. The use of delicate colors is a demonstration of the artistic quality, as well as the gradation of the leaves.

A black glass button from around the 19th century is also on display. At the time, black clothing became extremely popular around the world when Britain s Queen Victoria went into a long period of mourning after the death of her husband Prince Albert. Black glass buttons became popular among the general public. During this period, technology to make buttons using molds made it possible to mass-produce them.

Around the same time, Satsuma ware buttons were very popular among collectors overseas. Satsuma is a historical domain that corresponds roughly to today s western part of the Kagoshima Prefecture. The Satsuma clan has used the foreign currency they earned through button exports to finance their campaign to overthrow the Edo shogunate.

Some people may get rid of their clothes and buttons in this time of fast fashion after a short period of time.

Iris President Yo Osumi, who is also director of the museum, said thattons are something still familiar to us, but I want people to know that there was a heyday of buttons that attracted much attention. I hope people will continue to value buttons. His remarks made me wonder if wearing our favorite buttons might make everyday life more colorful.

The museum is open by appointment only and displays buttons and other items collected by Osumi's father, the former Iris Co. president.

Hours: 1 hour visits are available, starting at 10 a.m. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. from Monday to Friday. Saturdays have irregular hours. Admission: 800 on weekdays. Free for junior-high school students and younger.