The "Nippon Maekake Exhibition" was held at Itochu Aoyama Art Square, Itochu Corporation, in Aoyama, Tokyo. A total of 120 Maekake aprons were displayed, ranging from those 100 years old to those currently used overseas.

Itochu Corporation, founded in Omi in 1858 by Chubei Itoh I, has the corporate message: "One merchant, countless missions."
The maekake, symbolizing Japanese merchants, was deemed a perfect fit, leading to the exhibition's realization. Panels detailing the history of "Itochu Corporation and Maekake" were also displayed.

~Excerpt from the Panel~

The "Clothing Standard Regulations" stipulated in the "Itochu Gomei Kaisha Store Regulations Bylaws Collection" from 1915 (Taisho 4) state that all employees of "minor official" rank and above at Itochu were required to wear "maekake." This "maekake" was limited to "Aoshima," a plain cotton fabric woven with indigo-dyed threads. This indicates that it was used for highly practical purposes.
It is believed that "maekake" have been used since the company's founding, but it is unclear until when they were used. It is thought that they were worn until around 1918 (Taisho 7). (Researched by Itochu Corporation)

As such, it is clear that Maekake aprons were actually used during the Meiji period to protect the bodies, waists, and kimonos of workers, serving as formal work attire.

For the actual exhibition, a total of 120 maekake aprons were displayed in different sections, including Maekake from nationwide sauce manufacturers and sake breweries owned by Japan's top maekake collector, Masao Ota, as well as Maekake from overseas restaurants produced by Anything.

The talk show held during the exhibition period was fully booked with 50 attendees. There were also demonstrations of stencil carving by Hideyuki Sugie, a maekake craftsman from Toyohashi, allowing many people to learn about the charm of the maekake, a traditional Japanese culture.

"Nippon Maekake Exhibition"
●Organizer: Nippon Maekake Exhibition Executive Committee (Anything Co., Ltd., Toyohashi Ho-Maekake Promotion Association)
●Co-organizer: Itochu Corporation
●Support: Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, Toyohashi Chamber of Commerce and Industry
●Cooperation: Masao Ota
●Period: September 10 (Thursday) to September 27 (Sunday), 2015
●Venue: Itochu Aoyama Art Square
(CI Plaza B1F, 2-3-1 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo)