Yukata and Kimono (Japanese Traditional Dress)

What do you normally wear when you dress up for a special occasion? A suit, a fancy dress? Have you ever considered… a kimono or a yukata?

The word kimono comes from two characters in Japanese: 着 (ki) to wear, and 物 (mono) meaning thing. If we were to translate it literally into English, a kimono is basically a “wearing thing”! The kimono in its most essential form is four separate pieces of fabric sewn into a T-shape, held together with intricate folds, all secured with a belt known as an 帯 (obi).

The first ancestor of the kimono was created in the Heian period, which spanned from 794-1192. People sewed straight cuts of fabric together to create an adjustable garment that fit every sort of body shape. It was from the Meiji period of 1868-1912 onwards that this type of garment began to be called kimono. Japan looked to China for inspiration for centuries, including their fashion. The kimono was inspired by the traditional Chinese garment known as hanfu. The Chinese hanfu also inspired the Korean hanbok and the Vietnamese áo giao lĩnh.

A 浴衣 (yukata) is a casual style of kimono for summer. The name yukata literally translates to “bathrobe” and developed to become what it is today from a single-layered silk kimono worn in the bathhouse by the upper class. It is much simpler than the multilayered formal kimono and consists of a single, lightweight garment, secured by tying the left side over the right. 

Yukata are nowadays worn in traditional Japanese settings such as at a 旅館 ryokan (Traditional Japanese inn), at the 温泉 onsen (Japanese hot spring), or at a 祭 matsuri (Japanese festival). Kimono are seen as the more formal of the two and are often seen in events such as weddings, funerals, and university graduation ceremonies. 

The Japanese Club members tried learning the traditional art of wearing a kimono or yukata and practiced dressing each other during our club session in Week 6. During our hot Australian summer break, I’m sure you will all be wishing you had a Japanese yukata to wear and cool you down. 

Kind regards,
Ms. Tooby
Classroom Teacher