This silk dounuki displays a large repeated kanji character meaning 'horse' across the bodice. Measuring 49 inches from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and 58 inches in height (124 cm x 147 cm), it's possible that this inner kimono from a kimono set was created and worn during a Year of the Horse, given the influence of Chinese astrology on Japanese culture.

The horse holds significant roles in two prominent Japanese religions: in Shinto, horses are believed to influence rainfall and act as messengers between earthly and heavenly realms, while Buddhism regards the horse as a mount for deities such as Nichiten, the god of the sun.