Fashion is a very visible part of any culture. The clothing people wear can convey a great deal of information about how they live and their society’s values. Traditional fashion is also a great way to immerse oneself in a country’s culture. Here are 7 traditional Japanese fashions that you might encounter during your trip to Japan:
Kimono - The kimono is probably the best known and most symbolic of all Japanese clothes. The word literally means “something to wear.” They were introduced to Japan from China in the 7th and 8th centuries, became increasingly popular and “Japanified” during the Heian period (794-1185), and evolved into the kimonos we see today during the Edo period (1603-1868).
There are a variety of different kimono (especially for women), that vary in brightness, pattern, color, thickness and layering depending on the season, formality of the occasion and the age, sex and rank of the wearer. All kimono are T-shaped straight robes that hang down to the ankle. They have wide sleeves and collars and are wrapped around the body, with the left side wrapped over the right side (this is reversed when dressing a body for a funeral). A kimono is secured by a sash, known as an “obi,” that’s tied at the back. Kimonos are often worn to formal events like tea ceremonies, and weddings. Japan’s “Coming of Age Day” in January, the official holiday to celebrate Japan’s 20-year olds’ and soon to be 20-year olds’ coming of age is an event that sees many people, especially young women, donning kimonos to mark the occasion. Kimonos are often worn with split-toed “tabi” socks and traditional “geta” clogs.
Yukata - A yukata is an informal summer kimono made from cotton, silk or synthetic material. Like kimono they are T-shaped robes that are tied with an obi sash and they are worn by both men and women. The sleeves of mens’ yukata are not as wide as those of womens’ yukata (~10cm from armpit to seam for men vs. 20cm from armpit to seam for women). The word “yukata” actually means “bathing wear” and they were originally used as a quick way to cover oneself and absorb left over moisture after bathing at an onsen or public bath. They are still worn, and provided to patrons at many hot spring ryokans and other bathing facilities throughout the country, but their increasing popularity has made them a common site at summer festivals and events. Yukata are often worn with traditional geta clogs (without tabi or any other socks) and accompanied by “kinchaku” carrying bags for both men and women.
Hakama - Hakama are pleated skirts or trousers that are worn overtop of a kimono. A hakama is tied at the waist and hangs to the ankles. They were adopted from China around the 6th century. There are two types of Hakama: “umanori” or horse-riding hakama that have divided legs like pants, and “andon bakama” that are undivided like a skirt (think of it as a Japanese kilt). All hakama have 7 pleats, 5 in the front and 2 in the rear, indicative of the 7 rules or tenets of bushido or the way of the samurai.
The hakama used to be an essential part of a man’s wardrobe for both formal and informal occasions. Woman, on the other hand, rarely wore hakama, except for extremely formal occasions like graduation ceremonies or if their job required it as part of their uniform. “Miko” shrine maidens and university professors and teachers at strict traditional schools are two such examples. Both male and female practitioners of martial arts like kendo, aikido and kyudo (Japanese archery) wear hakama while engaging in the practice of their sport.
Shiromuku - Shiromuku are Japanese bridal kimonos worn during traditional Shinto-style wedding ceremonies. They flow past the ankles to trail on the ground in a train and, unlike other kimonos, the obi sash that secures a shiromuku is hidden inside the garment. Like their western counterparts shiromuku are all white, an indication of the bride’s purity and her willingness to be "dyed" with the colors of the groom and his family. A shiromuku is often worn with a "wataboshi," the Japanese equivalent of a wedding veil that obscures the bride's face from everyone but the groom before and during the wedding ceremony. After the ceremony the bride may don a “tsuno-kakushi” headdress that, unlike the wataboshi, allows her face to be seen by everyone. Tsuno-kakushi literally means “horn-cover” and is symbolic of the woman taming/hiding her anger [the horns] and becoming obedient to her husband and his family.
Irouchikake - An irouchikake (or just uchikake) is a formal women’s kimono similar in design to the shiromuku. It is the outermost layer of the wearer’s outfit, conceals the obi sash, hangs past the ankles and trails on the ground in a train. Unlike shiromuku however, irouchikake are bright, very colorful and embroidered with with motifs of happiness and congratulations such as flowers, cranes, flowing water and phoenixes. Irouchikake were worn exclusively by women of nobility up until the Edo period (1603-1868) when they became popular with wealthy merchant families. They also began to be used in wedding ceremonies at this time and and are still used for that role to this day.
Mofuku - Mofuku are the traditional wear worn to funerals and during periods of mourning. Because of the solemn and sensitive nature surrounding death, the rules surrounding the use of mofuku are quite strict. All elements of mofuku kimono, obi sashes and a number of different and symbolic accessories, are a solid black or specific black on black patterns. The amount of black mofuku items worn by funeral attendees varies with their relation to the deceased. The closer someone was to deceased the more black mofuku items they will wear. Getting this balance wrong could cause insult or communicate that one had a different (and possibly undesirable) relationship with the deceased than one actually had (a woman who was not a deceased male's wife who wears as much as the man's family or wife could be seen to have carried on an affair with him).
Geta - Geta are traditional wooden Japanese sandals. They consist of a wooden platform (the “dai”) that is usually elevated by two wooden supports (“ha” meaning teeth), one just behind the ball of the foot and the other below the heel. Geta with a tall single tooth mounted at the center of the dai (tengu-geta), and three toothed geta also exist. One’s feet are secured to geta with a cloth thong (the “hanao”) similar to those used on modern sandals and flip-flops. Geta were invented with the extra height of their teeth to prevent the wearers’ kimono and robes from dragging on the ground. The elevation also kept the wearers away from puddles caused by rain and geta with taller teeth kept them above any fallen snow. The heavy and stiff wood of the geta also prevented water, snow and road dirt from splashing up onto the wearer’s clothes. Geta are still popular today and are a frequent site at summer festivals and fireworks displays.
Happi - The traditional Happi or Happi Jacket can always be seen at festivals in Japan. They are most often made of cotton in blue, brown, black or white and usually have a distinctive printed motif, either a family crest or “mon” or the name of a group or organisation. Originally worn by household workers, these straight-sleeved, wrap around jackets are now frequently worn by shop staff, rickshaw runners and volunteer firemen.
Works consulted:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimono
http://www.hanamiweb.com/kimono.html#whatsignify
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kimono
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/kimono
Dalby, Liza (2001). Kimono: Fashioning Culture. Seattle: University of Washington Press. ISBN 9780295981550. OCLC 46793052.
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Photo Credits:
“Geta side view.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image was created by user Haragayato, it is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geta2.JPG under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.
“A variety of geta.” This public image was created by Georget99 and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Traditional_Japanese_Footwear.jpg
“Geta from above.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image was created by user Haragayato and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geta.JPG under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.
“Jimmy Wales in Mofuku-like kimono.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image was created by user Azuncha and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JimmyWales_wearing_Kimono.jpg under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.
“Edo-era Uchikake.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image was created by user
Museo Nacional de Antropología - Madrid and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Uchikake_MNA.jpg under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.
“White Uchikake Kimono at the Textile Museum of Canada.” This public domain image was created by Daderot is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Formal_outer_kimono_(uchikake),_Japan,_view_1,_mid_to_late_20th_century,_silk,_silk_floss,_silver_and_gold_thread_-_Textile_Museum_of_Canada_-_DSC01032.JPG
“Canvas Hakama.” This Flickr Creative Commons image was created by user Last and is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lastwear/2211317246 under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 License.
“Tsuno-kakushi CU.” This Flickr Creative Commons image was created by user Photocapy and is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/photocapy/44134137/ under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 License.
“Bride in Tsuno-kakushi.” This Flickr Creative Commons image was created by user “gwaar” and is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulsynnott/3406031377/in/photostream/ under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 License.
“Bride in Shiromuku and Wataboshi.” This Flickr Creative Commons image was created by user “gwaar” and is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulsynnott/3406031377/in/photostream/ under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 License.
“Bride in Shiromuku and Tsuno-kakushi wide.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image was created by user Dave Jenkins and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wedding_kimono.jpg under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.
“Tied Kimono Obi Sash.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image was created by user Pitke and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Washikusa_I-002.png under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.
“Obi Sash and Bow Decoration.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image was created by user Pitke and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tsuke_021008.png under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.
“Married Couple, Iro-uchikake, Hakama.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image was created by user Brücke-Osteuropa and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Man-and-lady-kimono.JPG under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.
“Edo-era Samurai Hakama.” This Wikipedia Creative Commons image was created by user Rama is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kimono-hakama-p1000698.jpg under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 License.