Japanese Fashion

Main Topics Kimono Furisode Yukata Houmongi Tomesode Mofuku [Uchikake](/fashion/fashion.html#Uchikake - The wedding kimono|outline) Related Topics Yukata competition Japanese weddings Japanese bikini competition Have your say on Japanese Fashion Books on Japanese clothing Other sites Japanesekimono Is the Kimono fashion or history?

If you consider the white wedding dress a fashion item, and our fashion industry certainly does. Then you would have to consider the kimono a fashion item too. Most modern Japanese women do not wear the kimono as an everyday item, but it is still a very important part of a Japanese woman’s wardrobe.

The kimono is a traditional form of Japanese clothing that people used to wear in every day life until in the middle of 19th century (the opening of the Japan to the rest of the world). Today kimonos are mainly worn for special occasions or events, but in a major Japanese city you can still see some Japanese women wearing them. There are many different kinds of kimonos. They are all different in design, who wears them, when and why.

Most Japanese kimonos require the assistance from some one experience in putting on these complex outfits. Traditionally this knowledge was pasted down from mother to daughter, but today many Japanese girls attend classes to learn the finer details of this very old tradition.

Yukata - a Japanese kimono for summerYukata

The Yukata is a casual light cotton kimono for wearing in summer. Yukatas normally have very brightly coloured designs on them. Today these kimonos are mainly worn to the traditional Bon-Odori festival. The relative simply design of Yukata means Japanese women can, with some practice, put this kimono on unassisted.

Most Bon-Odori festivals feature a Yukata competition, which is a little like a traditional beauty pagent. The major difference is the emphasis on adherence to traditional style including hair, make-up, footware and disposition.

Furisode

When a young Japanese woman turns 20 years old, she is recognised as an adult. She has the right to vote, is responsible for any crimes and is allowed to smoke and drink (officially). Many parents buy the Furisode for their daughters to celebrate this significant point in a young woman’s life. Furisode is a formal kimono for single women, it is brightly colored and made of very fine quality materials including silk. In the very modest Japanese society wearing a Furisode is a very obvious statement. It is a very loud and clear advertisement that the single woman is available for marriage.

Furisode are mainly worn for major social functions such as wedding ceremonies or tea ceremonies until they get married. It depends, but it normally costs around A$15,000 for the whole outfit. The second Monday in January is a public holiday called ‘Adult Day’ and many young women attend a ceremony wearing their Furisode.

Uchikake - The wedding kimonoUchikake - The wedding kimono

For a young Japanese woman’s wedding, they wear the most gorgeous Kimono called Uchikake. Most people rent this kimono, however the rental still costs around A$5000. The white Uchikake (pictured on the right) is just part of the elaborate Japanese wedding ceremony.

If you look carefully or open the larger version of the picture, you will be able to see how the Uchikake is very long and touches the ground. Unlike traditional Western wedding dresses, that have train or material that flows along the ground at the backof the dress, the Uchikake is long all the way around. The bride has to be assisted by one of her attendants to walk in this kimono.

Picture of Houmongi a Japanese KimonoHoumongi

When a Japanese woman marries, many parents buy their daughters another Kimono, the Houmongi. The Houmongi takes over part of the role the Furisode played in the woman’s formal dress. This would be worn when attending wedding or tea ceremonies. An example of a Houmongi can be seen on the left.

Tomesode

A married woman would normally wear a Tomesode to the wedding ceremony of a close relative.

Mofuku

The Mofuku is worn for your close relatives’ funerals. Both of theTomesdoe and the Mofuku Kimonos are not as expensive as Furisode, but they still costs around A$8,000. In Japan they say if you have three daughters, you will be broke!

Article by Hisako Yagami (Japanese Language editor) and Craig Fryer (English Language Editor).