When I lived in Japan I became used to seeing them being worn on special occasions or on visiting temples and shrines. The Japanese kimono is a significant part of wedding and tea ceremony formal wear, and sumo wrestlers are required to dress in the traditional clothing whenever they appear in the public eye.
All styles are sewn by hand, decorated in different patterns and colours in accordance with the occasion or season, and use a silk, linen and hemp based material.
Single, repeated patterns on a kimono are considered to be informal, whilst designs that have been created in a free-style sense are considered the formal choice. As well as the significance of each individual style, there are subtle social messages woven into the kimono tradition, particularly for the women. These messages can reflect and hint at their marital status, age and occasion of which they are attending.
The kimonos of younger Japanese women, including children, are styled with longer sleeves if they are not married and tend to be more formal and detailed than those worn by older women. Five family crests on one piece of clothing and the use of silk as the base material signifies extreme formality. Our most extensive tour of Japan includes all the classic sights and key cultural activities. Nevertheless, all of its parts hold the culture and tradition of Japan. The textiles and accessories may have been substituted and altered through time, but its essence remains intact and respected.
Having different parts of a kimono means there are also different styles and types. Here are some of the types of kimono worn by women and men:. Historically, unmarried women fluttered their long sleeves to declare their love for a man.
This type of kimono has shorter flaps, and can be decorated with intricate patterns and crests below the waist. The colored tomesode is worn on formal occasions. It was originally worn by brides from a samurai family until it became a type of wedding kimono.
This pure white bridal kimono has been prized since the Heian period, as it symbolizes cleanliness and purity. As the color white can be dyed any color, a bride wearing the shiromuku could symbolize her desire to take on the colors of her husband to be. Women also wear the homongi at tea ceremonies. When you attend summer festivals in Japan, you will see women and men wearing a type of kimono that is made of thin material.
Suitable for the summer season, the yukata is informal, festive clothing. The yukuta is easier to wear compared to the other types of kimono. Worn with a formal obi, the komon is designed with a repeated pattern. This type of kimono was the common everyday clothing in Japan before the influence of Western clothing set in. Commonly used at tea ceremonies, the iromuji is made from dyed silk. Simple and sophisticated, the style only has to be of plain, solid colors in subdued tones without patterns.
The more crests this kimono has, the more formal it is. They have very long sleeves between cm and are decorated with colorful patterns across the entirety of the garment. Furisode are usually worn at "Seijin Shiki" Coming of Age Ceremonies or weddings, either by the bride herself or by other unmarried young female relatives.
A kurotomesode is the most formal kimono for older women. They have a black background, a design along the hem, and between three and five crests. Kurotomesode are worn to formal events such as weddings, usually by the relatives of the bride. Homongi are semi-formal kimono that stand out for their motif placement. The motifs flow across the back of the right shoulder and sleeve, the front of the left shoulder and sleeve, and across the hem, higher at the left than the right.
Often, friends of the bride will wear homongi at weddings. They may also be worn to formal parties. Komon are casual kimono that have a repeating pattern. These kimono are suitable for daily errands, a stroll around the town, or small celebrations.
Unlike the sleeves on women's kimono, which are very deep and are mostly unattached from the body of the kimono, men's kimono sleeves are mostly attached to the body of the kimono, with no more than a few inches unattached at the armpit.
Another distinction is the fabrics and colors used. The typical kimono for men has a subdued, dark color, such as black, dark blue, dark green, or brown, and the fabrics used are usually matte. However, more casual kimono sometimes come in slightly brighter colors, such as light purple, light green, and light blue. The most formal kimono for men is plain black in color with crests and usually includes a "haori" kimono overcoat and "hakama" trouser-skirt.
The obi sash is comparatively narrow and tied on the waist, with colors that are usually subdued. The obi is the kimono sash, which does not actually keep the kimono closed, but has more of a decorative function. Informal obi are narrower and shorter, while formal ones are longer, wider, and richly decorated. There are different ways of tying an obi depending on the occasion and formality of the situation.
The hakama is the traditional Japanese trouser-skirt, worn together with a kimono. While men's hakama are made of striped fabric, women's hakama are either a solid color or dyed with gradient hues. Hakama are still utilized at graduation ceremonies sotsugyoshiki for women, as wedding attire for men, and in general for traditional Japanese sports such as kyudo Japanese archery , aikido a Japanese martial art , and kendo Japanese fencing.
Finally, they are part of the uniform for those who work at a shrine. Particularly famous is the outfit of the miko shrine maiden , which consists of a white kimono and bright red hakama. A haori is a kimono overcoat or jacket. It is worn open over the kimono or kept closed by a string that connects the lapels.
Haori are usually jacket length, but full-length versions can also be found. In winter, haori are a mandatory element of the kimono outfit, while in warmer months, people either wear a thinner haori or don't wear one at all.
Geta and Zori are two types of traditional Japanese sandals. Geta feature an elevated wooden base held onto the foot by a fabric thong. Specific motifs were used to indicate virtues or attributes of the wearer, or relate to the season or occasion such as weddings and festivals where it bestows good fortune on the wearer.
Colours also have strong metaphorical and cultural meanings. Dyes are seen to embody the spirit of the plants from which they are extracted. Any medicinal property is also believed to be transferred to the coloured cloth. Blue, for example, derives from indigo ai , which is used to treat bites and stings, so wearing blue fabric is thought to serve as a repellent to snakes and insects.
The introduction of the concept of the five elements from China to Japan in the 6th century gave colours a cosmological dimension. Fire, water, earth, wood and metal are associated with particular directions, seasons, virtues and colours.
Black, for example, corresponds to water, north, Winter and wisdom. Colours also have strong poetic significance. Purple, for example, is a metaphor for undying love, the imagery deriving from the fact that gromwell murasaki , the plant used to create the dye, has very long roots.
Perhaps the most popular colour for kimono is red, derived from safflower benibana. Red signifies youthful glamour and allure, and so is suitable for the garments of young women.
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