About Kimono
Kimono are the well known traditional costumes of the Land of the Rising Sun. The term 着物(Kimono) translates literally as "Wearing-Thing". That is, before the kimono became a somewhat archaic symbol of Japan's traditional past, it was simply clothing. Kimono wearing, properly referred to as "kitsuke", has been made into an art form filled with rigid rules and requirements. Needless to say that because of this the kimono has become more of a "costume" rather than a "thing to wear". Luckily there are people all over the world who are striving to breathe a new wave of life into the wearing of the "Wearing-thing" which has lead to a growing abundance of information about kimono online. Now, Kurohana's Kimono Corner will add to this wealth of knowledge and we will bring you even closer to one of the most beautiful clothing traditions known to mankind.
The Types of kimono
There are several types of kimono ranging from men's to women's kimono of every formality type. SOme special types o kimono are reserved for special occaisons, such as the Bridal kimono or the hikizuri/susoshiki used by geigi (geisha, geiko and maiko) and kabuki actors. The most elaborate "kimono" that exists is perhaps the thousand year old style of the juuni-hitoe which consisted of up to 12 layers od robes worn in specific colour combinations called "kasane". Here I will list the types of kimono as well as the formality of wear.
Beautiful Juuni-Hitoe
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| Heian Court Lady (doll) |
Formality Level: Absolute Highest. In fact, the formality level of this garment is so high that the only occasions that warrant its wear include traditional ceromonies involving the Japanese Imperial family. The Juuni hitoe has for over a thousand years been the traditional formal court dress of women of the Palace and remains as such today. The Empress and imperial princesses can expect to wear this costume on their wedding day, and on very special occasions to honor the Emperor. The garment is very heavy. Before the number of layers that could be worn became regulated (12 layers in the late heian period and 5 to 6 in modern times) women of the court would pile on layers to the piont they could only crawl as a means of getting around their rooms. They needed attendants to carry them around the palace because of that.
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| Miyako Odori Hikizuri Kimono |
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| Maiko |
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| Maiko Toshiteru (L), Geiko Kikutsuru (R) |
This is a special type of kimono used by Geisha, Geiko (Geisha in Kyoto), and Maiko (apprentice geisha). It is also used by kabuki actors portraying women of the higher classes. On Duty Maiko always wear HIkizuri. Maiko, lit. Dancer-child, are Geiko in training who will specialise in the art of Japanese dance (nihonbuyo). Younger, Newer Geisha and Geiko will wear hikizuri, especially if their Gei (art) is in dance, as they get older and more experienced, they will begin to wear shorter kimono. The Hikizuri is worn trainling open on the floor, and must be lifted up while in the street to prevent it from getting dirty. If you look close, it is easy to see that the design of the Hikizuri was derived from the look of the Juuni hitoe, which featured long trailing robes. Thus, the hikizuri creates a sense of nostalgia for a time long past. Hikizuri can come in any design. There os pme subclass of hikizuri known as the Maiko hikizuri, this kimono featured long furisode-like sleeves with tucks across the length of the sleeve and at the shoulders. These tucks emulate the kimono worn by children, as Maiko are to be seen as children yet to mature artistically and finally become Geiko.
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| Wedding Uchikake |
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| Kisaragi Tayuu |
Today, this heavy robe is worn over the Furisode of Traditional Brides. It often finds modern use on the kabuki stage. When the daily use of the juunihitoe was phased out in the Imperial Court, women of the higher classes would wear an uchikake over hikizuri. For a period of time, this style was reserved only for women of these classes. Kabuki actors will sometimes portray women of this period. The Uchikake also finds modern use in the practice of the Tayuu Tradition in the Shimabara District of Kyoto. A Tayuu, lit. "Great Court Lady", is a courtesian of the higest rank. Oiran and Tayuu were nicknamed "Castle Destroyers" for their ability to bring down the wealth of a fudal lord after a few nights of sexual exploits. Historically, the Tayuu was a high class prostitute, today that part is no longer practiced. Tayuu and Oiran are often mistaken for Geisha due to the use of the same white makeup that the geisha are so well known for.
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| Irotomesode |
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| Kurotomesode |
There are two types of tomesode. The Kurotomesode and the Irotomesode.
The Kurotomesode features exquitie art along the bottom hem/ lower half of the kimono. the rest of the kimono is black. The irotomesode features the same kind of design positioning as the kurotomesode, except that the rest of the kimono will be any solid colour. Both tomesode feature 5 family crests which mark the garment as being of the higest formality. The Kurotomesode is reserved only for married women, while the irotomesode may be worn by both married women, and unmarried women who are too old to wear furisode (late 20's perhaps). These kimono are very formal and can be worn to the weddings of relatives, very formal meetings and other occasions of appropriate formality.
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| Furisode |
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| Hon Furisode ensemble |
This is perhaps the most well known type of kimono. The long sleeves that blow in the wind (furi= blowing sode= sleeve) are popular among women of all ages outside of japan. However, it is a garment meant to be worn by the young. The furisode is reserved for young unmarried women. There are three different types of furisode. Honburisode (hon=real), chuufurisode, (chuu= middle) and kofurisode (ko=small). The prefex additions of Hon, Chuu and Ko refer exclusively to the length of the sleeves. The honburisode is considered to be the most formal. A class in between honburisode and chuufurisode exists, which is also formal, but not as formal as the honfurisode whose sleeves must reach the wearers ankle. Chuufurisode are often worn with Hakama (pleated pants).
Mofuku
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| Funeral Wear |
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| Mofuku |
This is funeral Wear. These kimono are all black, except for the 5 crests about them which denote their high formality. Mofuku Kimono are worn with Black obi and accessories, so that only the Juban collar (under-kimono collar) and tabi socks are white. This is because white tabi and juban collars are seen as formal wear, while coloured tabi and collars are vied as informal. Coloured collars are most appropriate with Maiko Hikizuri (red collar only) and Furisode as they add to the youthful look of the wearer. Of course, you can wear whatever with a casual kimono.
Iromuji
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| iromuji |
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| iromuji ensemble |
This is a solid coloured kimono. the kimono may feature slight gradations in the colouring or textured fabric and may have 0,1 or 3 family crests depending on the intended use of the garment. The higher the number of crestsm the more formal, and iromuji can have up to three. These Kimono can be dressed up or down depending on the formality fo the obi ti is paired with, and are thus considered to be extremely versitile kimono.
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| Houmongi |
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| Houmongi ensemble |
Houmongi
Houmongi are visiting dresses. These kimono, while in my opinion are very beautiful, only qualify as semi formal wear. The formality of this semi formal wear can be dressed up or down depending on the type of obi and accessories used. Some houmongi feature one crest in the center of the back, which indicate that it is of a higher formality than non-crested houmongi. houmongi may be decorated in any using any of the traditional methods and some feature gold or silver leafing or threads. HOumongi are characterised by designs on the sleeves and shoulders, and down around the hem of the garment. These designs may (or may not) depict an entire scene, such as landscapes, gardens, people (such as in "heian lady" motif) or, as the picture above shows, birds! You will know a houmongi by the aformentioned placement of the design. Another tell tale feature is whether or not the designs go across the seams og the garment, so that they are not distrupted. It is difficult to match up the design motif across seams, which is what makes the houmongi so special. The designs in the houmongi (and other formal type kimono) are painted/dyed on the bolts before they are sewn. they tailor must then attempt to match them up perfectly.
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| Tsukesage |
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| Tsukesage(R), Houmongi (L) |
Tsukesage
The tsukesage is the close cousin of the houmongi. It is also a visiting dress of semi formal status. However, the tsukesage's formality ranks slightly under that of the houmongi. You may decide to wear it at events that call for upper elegantly casual dress. The main difference here is that the motif designs do not cross over the seams. No matching up must be done but the kimono bolts must be sewn together in specific places to produce the intended overall design.
Komon
Yukata
Kimono: A modern Garment
Evolutionary History of the Modern Kimono
What to wear and when: Kimono TPO
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