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| Japanese Kimono Everyone knows by now that the traditional Japanese dress is called a kimono. Kimono are cut in standard sizes and fitted as they are put on, unlike Western clothing, which is fitted in the cut. Though no longer worn frequently, kimono are still worn to the most important events. Most Japanese do not know how to wear a kimono properly anymore, so they either take a class or go to a salon to be fitted. It's easy to see the difference when you see a geisha in kimono. Geisha look relatively loose and comfortable in kimono, while most Japanese look stiff, especially when walking. |
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| Children get their first kimono at the age of three. They wear their
kimono to the local shrine in November as part of the annual Shichi-Go-San festival
(7-5-3). The festival is an opportunity to pray for the health and happiness of the children. Boys will repeat the visit at five years old, girls will repeat at seven years old.
In the summer, the silk kimono is replaced by a cotton one, known as yukata. In Kyoto and in resort towns, the yukata is still worn, but you see it in Tokyo only during festivals. While men rarely wear silk kimono anymore (only during a traditional wedding, photo shoot, or working in a sushi shop), they will wear yukata. The most common place to see yukata is at the onsen (hot spring resorts).
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