Story by Shirley Lee and Lawrence I. Charters
Photos by Lawrence I. Charters
Seahawk, March 8, 1985, pp. 6-7.
Kimono means thing (mono) to wear (ki), a simple, straightforward definition for a simple, straight-lined garment. Yet no other national dress emphasizes the masculinity or femininity of the wearer so well. Each individual body gives form to otherwise shapeless fabric. It transforms the male into a stern, rugged warrior, reminiscent of the days of the Shogun. It magically displays the beauty and gentleness of the woman as soon as she dons the many layers of nagajuban (under-kimono), kimono, and obi (belt), in an age-old ritual that takes hours to complete.
These attendants at Meiji Shrine wear robes virtually identical to those worn by similar attendants over 1500 years ago.
Hoshi Nobuyoshi, the sumo superstar better known as simply “Hoshi,” dressed in formal kimono for a recent sumo retirement ceremony. The colors and patterns of youth have given way to black, white, gray. He wears a white under-kimono, black kimono, black haori with white cords, and gray pinstriped hakama.
Legend tells of the kimono’s soul and spirit. Appropriately, this inner radiance is referred to as the “kimono mind.” From within, the wearer is said to immediately develop grace, charm, wisdom, wit, and beauty. This may explain why it is next to impossible to find an unattractive kimono-clad individual.
Brenda Howard displays a red silk nagajuban transformed into a formal gown. A white textured furisode has been used to create the elegant Chinese-style dress coat. (Design by Shirley Lee)
Exactly how long ago the first kimono were worn is unknown. Kimono are so much a part of Japanese life that no written records tell of their origin. Ukiyoe woodblock prints show the kimono has existed, virtually unchanged, for hundreds of years. Haniwa, hollow clay figures dating back to the Tumulus period (250 to 550 A.D.), are also clad in garments readily identifiable as kimono.
Originally a textured gold obi, this Mandarin collar tunic, modeled by Alice Owen, is trimmed with red closures. The tunic is lined in red material taken from a nagajuban. (Design by Shirley Lee)
Change has taken place through the ages, but it has been both gradual and subtle. Today there may be differences in design from year to year, but they are difficult to detect, and deal more with detail than basic form. Other than time, variations are influenced by the conditions of the area, seasons, availability of fabric and dyes, and knowledge inherited and passed down from the generation before.
Yukata (informal cotton robes), in addition to being practical, are also famed for their bold designs. Jane Burch wears a hooded jumpsuit made from a yukata printed in patterns shaped like shogi (Japanese chess) pieces. (Design by Shirley Lee)
Kimono have influenced Western fashions as well, introducing the concept of the wraparound robe in place of the traditional European pull-over smock. Kimono and yukata fabric patterns, often applied by hand, are also larger and more sweeping than the tight, angular, repetitive patterns of Europe. Another significant contribution has been in material; while some kimono are made from wool, a cloth common to the West as well, the smooth, lustrous feel of silk revolutionized European fashion, and inspired the trade which linked the world together.
Dressed in a delicately patterned homongi (visiting wear) kimono, a mother escorts her child through Meiji Shrine. The daughter wears a red chanchanko (sleeveless kimono jacket) over her kodomono kimono.
Wearing of kimono has special meaning at certain times in a person’s life. A Japanese baby first leaves home when only 33 days old. On that day, the infant is taken to the temple for the first time, wrapped in kimono. The first actual wearing of a kimono occurs on Nov. 15, when a girl is three or seven, and a boy is five. This celebration, Shichi-go-san, translates as seven-five-three. In their twentieth year, Japanese come of age on January 15. This is an opportunity for twenty-year-old maidens to wear furisode, long-sleeved kimono done in very bright colors, bound with elaborately prepared obi.
Sword tucked firmly in his obi, a serious young man wears a crested haori (jacket) over a matching kimono and patterned hakama (pleated skirt ).
For young and old alike, the most common times for wearing kimono are the obligatory New Year’s visits to temples and shrines, festivals, weddings, and funerals. There are others, of course, but these are the customary days when prized kimono are carefully unfolded and proudly worn.
Kodomono kimono (children’s kimono) always have the brightest colors and the boldest designs, often hand painted. This material can be imaginatively used in casual modem designs, such as this blouse and hat worn by Masako Wolfe. (Design by Shirley Lee).
In spite of the kimono’s long tradition and its deep roots in Japanese culture, there is a fear among devotees and those in the industry that, one day soon, the Japanese will cease wearing the dress of their ancestors, seeking only the comfort, convenience, and economy of Western wear. As it is, only the Oba-chan (grandmothers), and hostesses of certain restaurants and bars, can be seen in the traditional wear with regularity. What a shame it would be to
witness the kimono’s passing.
Faced with very rugged terrain and a wet climate, Japan did not develop wheeled transportation until the 19th century, so the most popular form of travel was walking. Karusan, pantaloon-like overgarments, were used to protect travelers and their clothing from mud and dust. Kimono were tucked into the karusan for protection (and also freedom of movement); on entering a home the karusan could easily be stripped off and left at the entrance. Some farmers and laborers still wear a form of karusan, but they are most commonly seen on attendants at sumo tournaments.
Formal men’s kimono sometimes feature a mon, an emblem or crest for identifying the individual, their family, their clan, or in modern Japan, the company or institution where they work.
