Kimono

Definition

A traditional Japanese garment consisting of a long robe with wide sleeves, secured with an obi (sash) at the waist.

Classification & Usage

• Type: Garment (stitched T-shaped robe) – Japan’s national dress, wrapped left-over-right and secured with an obi sash
• Where it is used: Japan (formal occasions: weddings, coming-of-age ceremonies, tea ceremony, traditional theatre, New Year), ryokan and onsen settings as yukata, and globally as an influence on fashion (from Paul Poiret’s 1910s robes to modern streetwear kimono jackets).
• How it is used: Put on over a juban under-robe, wrapped left-over-right (right-over-left is reserved for dressing the deceased), folded at the waist and cinched with an obi tied in an elaborate bow (taiko, bunko, etc.). Fabric (silk, hemp, cotton), colour and motif signal season, age, marital status and occasion. Professional dressers (itsuke-shi) are often hired for formal kimonos.

Etymology & Origin

‘Kimono’ (着物) is a compound of the Japanese verb ‘kiru’ (着る, ‘to wear’) and ‘mono’ (物, ‘thing’), literally ‘a thing to wear’. In earlier Japanese the generic word for clothing was ‘wafuku’ (和服) when distinguished from ‘yōfuku’ (洋服, Western clothing); ‘kimono’ came to refer specifically to traditional T-shaped garments during the Meiji era (1868–1912) as Western dress became common.

Historical Development

The kimono’s T-shape derives from the Heian-era (794–1185) kosode, a straight-seamed robe that evolved from earlier Chinese-influenced court dress. The Edo period (1603–1868) saw the kimono flourish as a vehicle for regional textile arts — Nishijin brocade, Yūzen dyeing, Kaga-yūzen, shibori tie-dyeing. Sumptuary laws dictating cloth and colour by class shaped its social symbolism. Meiji modernization made Western dress the norm for men’s work and military wear.

Implementation History

A full formal kimono ensemble comprises many layers — juban undergarment, kimono, obi (sash), obijime, obiage, tabi socks, and zōri or geta sandals — requiring skilled assistance to put on correctly. Types include furisode (unmarried women, long sleeves), tomesode (married women, formal), hōmongi (visiting), yukata (casual summer, cotton), and men’s formal wear with haori jacket and hakama trousers. The obi alone has dozens of knotting styles.

Current Relevance

Formal kimono remain central to weddings, Shichi-Go-San, Coming-of-Age Day, tea ceremony, and traditional performing arts (kabuki, noh, nihon buyō). Everyday use has declined: the Japanese kimono industry peaked in 1975 and has contracted substantially since. Rental services, second-hand markets, and modern kimono-inspired fashion (e.g., designers like Jotaro Saito) sustain the garment. UNESCO recognised traditional Japanese textile techniques in 2019, and the kimono has become a globally recognised cultural symbol.

Visual References

Examples

• Detailed information about Kimono and its characteristics in fashion and textile industries.
• Kimono is used in the creation and production of high-quality garments.

Additional Images

Videos

Related Terms

Fashion, Textile, Design, Manufacturing