fashion in Japan : kimono(着物)

I would like to talk about fashion in Japan. I guess that one of impression of Japan which many foreigners probably have is kimono(着物), Japanese traditional clothes. However, now Japanese people, especially youth rarely wear kimono in daily life. I would like to give you explanation of kinds of kimono and when we wear these clothes. I will focus on kimono for women.

振袖: furisode

     This type of kimono is called furisode, and this is formal dress for unmarried women. Characteristics of furisode are long sleeve and gorgeous patterns on the cloth. Most Japanese girls wear this kimono for celebration of Coming of Age Day. In addition, maiko (舞妓)who work as apprentice geisha also wear furisode. I wore it for Coming of Age Day in this year. It was first time to wear it was so heavy that I had an awful stiff neck after the celebration. However, still it made some difficulties for me, to dress up in furisode is remembrance of my life. Also, great furisode would last for long time, and women can leave it to their future daughters. Some of my friends were wearing furisode given by their mothers.

留袖:tomesode

Tomesode is formal dress for married women and regarded as the highest rank of kimono. Compared with furisode, tomesode is much more sober. Women tend to wear it for attendance for wedding or other kind of formal celebration. The picture above is my mother wearing tomesode on Coming of Age Day.

浴衣:yukata

                                           girls on the left side wearing japanese yukata, another girl wearing pink westernized yukata.    

 

Yukata is simple kimono basically made with cotton. It was regarded as casual wear in summer in the past. Yukata is much cheaper than other kinds of kimono. Now, many Japanese tend to wear it for summer festival or fireworks festival. I wore yukata last summer and went to fireworks festival. I guess that yukata is the most familiar kimono for modern Japanese people, and it reminds us to be traditional Japanese. However, although it is good tool to keep japanese traditional culuture, the patterns on yukata are westernized such as roses or hibiscus, and also it obi(帯),sash, is surrounded by a fluffy frill. I do not complain about such a modern western style of yukata, but I just do not prefer it. I love Japanese traditional yukata. I am a Nippon lover.