Kimono and "Yukata": traditional Japanese clothes
Dress in the rules of tradition
Kimono is one of the most recognizable symbols of traditional Japanese culture.Standard clothing from ancient times, the kimono is now worn to bring formality and elegance to special occasions.
Kimono is generally worn during the Japanese tea ceremony.(Photo: Greg Foster))
While in the daily life the Japanese dress with Western style clothes, custom is to opt for a kimono for special occasions such as weddings and graduation ceremonies, or to take part in traditional artistic representationsLike the tea ceremony, the Buyô dance, the Kabuki show and the Noh theater.The kimono also serves as work clothes for many professions: Shintô priests and Buddhists, geisha and traditional artists like storytellers of Rakugo.We can see that kimono still retains an important place in Japanese society.
For a large part of Japan history, the term kimono designated all types of clothes.Indeed, the kanji 着物 (ki-mono)) simply mean "thing to put on". Mais avec l’introduction des habits occidentaux au XIXe siècle, la signification du terme s’est limitée au style vestimentaire japonais.In particular, the word kimono designates the emblematic Japanese dress falling to the ankles and held in place with a belt obi tied in the back.
There is a wide variety of kimono.They can be worn for formal ooccasions as well as festive or seasonal events, such as the Yukata which is worn in summer.With the exception of yukata, which is cotton, kimono are generally made from high quality natural materials such as silk, wool and linen, and often require special maintenance.However, progress in synthetic fibers have contributed to the production of kimono relatively easy to maintain and that can be worn without worrying on rainy days.
A decline tradition
A 2011 survey revealed that almost 80 % of men and women in Japan carried a kimono at a time in their lives, but less than 40 % have a.The decrease in opportunities requiring the wearing of a kimono is one of the factors of this trend.The majority of people surveyed indicated that they wear a kimono less than once every five years.Like the opportunities to wear a wafuku (another term to designate Japanese clothes)) decrease, the rental services have gained popularity.They allow Japanese to be properly dressed in special events without needing to invest in the purchase of a full outfit.
The Wafuku is traditionally made from a single long piece of fabric (Tanmono)) cut into rectangles which are then sewn together.This way of making a kimono makes it very easy to adjust and resize.This also allows you to reuse the fabric of a kimono.Thus, it is common for a kimono to be transmitted from generation to generation;It is readjusted to the tastes of the day while retaining its beauty and its original style.
Different colors and patterns of Tanmono.
Wafuku today
The price of a kimono depends on factors such as quality and type of material, dyeing (sometsuke)), patterns (Etsuke)) and embroidery, and can range from 30,000 yen for the least expensive to several million yenfor the high end.It comes with a large range of accessories which are coordinated according to the event and the status of the person who carries it.A ceremonial kimono tomesode generally worn by a married woman is made up of at least 17 different pieces: special underwear, foldable range, sandals (zôri)), handbag, etc..One of the most determining accessories for a kimono is the OBI, which can change the general impression of the putting according to the way it is knotted.
Left: comb and hair pins (Kanzashi)), handbag, sandals (Zôri)).Right: obijime, decorative cord to maintain an obi in place.
A silk kimono over 100 years old.(Photo: Fishy+.))
Traditionally, children learn from their parents the art of carrying a kimono, but today more and more people are turning to specialized schools to learn the many necessary gestures.
However, there is a growing demand for kimono demand made with old -fashioned sewing techniques and original patterns.We can also note that the number of specialized stores is increasing.In younger generations, fashion is to wear ribbons, ribs and other non -traditional accessories with their kimono to add a western touch.
The traditional summer habit
Women in Yukata.(Photo: Carol Lin))
It is common to see people dressed in yukata and waving large fans called Uchiwa during summer events like Matsuri, good odori and fireworks.These cotton light kimono are also worn after getting out of the bath during the hottest months of the year.They are also worn at night, especially in the Ryokan, who provide them with their customers with towels.It is estimated that the yukata are at the origin of the bathing clothes used by the aristocratic class in the Heian period (794-1185)).The yukata always maintain this status in traditional inns and hotels, where they are generally offered as a room habit.
A couple in yukata.
Compared to formal kimono, yukata are more accessible because they are relatively easy to put, inexpensive and washable at home.Prices vary from one yukata to another, but you can find them for less than 10,000 yen.A 2013 survey revealed that almost half of women aged between 20 and 39 has at least one yukata.
The Yukata are also popular with tourists who buy them as a memory of their visit to Japan.
(Title Photo: The furryode, kimono intended for single women.Other photos: Greg Foster / Carol Lin))
