The Art of Kimono

In my kimono at Ryokan Nishiyama

Since we were staying at a traditional inn and feasting on a traditional Japanese meal, I decided it was only fitting to wear one of my kimonos while we were in Kyoto. For Christmas, Matt had given me two kimonos: a less formal, washable lavender floral and a striking formal gray silk with an ivory and peach landscape scene. The lavender seemed more springy and easier to pack so it is the one I brought along for our stay.

Kimono are the national costume of Japan and even though they may seem old-fashioned and the process of donning them can be laborious, many women of all ages still wear kimono in Japan. Although kimono are mainly donned for formal occasions, such as weddings and tea ceremonies, I was surprised at the number of women I saw on the streets of Kyoto, even businesswomen commuting, wearing kimono and zori sandals.

There are many styles and fabrics for kimono, depending on the marital status of the wearer and the formality of the occasion to which it will be worn. Unmarried women wear kimono called furisode, with long flowing sleeves and patterns in bright colors. The kimonos of married women have shorter sleeves and are more subdued in both color and pattern. Cotton kimonos are worn for everyday and informal occasions and kimonos made from hand-dyed silk, often costing thousands of dollars, are for more formal occasions. One of the first questions I was asked when I was looking at kimonos was my marital status, and then I was guided to kimonos that would be appropriate for me to wear depending on the occasion.

In addition to the robe, there are many other pieces that make up a kimono costume. Most prominent is the obi, a wide sash worn around the waist and tied in a decorative fashion at the wearer’s back. The colors and design of the obi are based on the occasion and are complementary to the colors and design of the robe. A white blouse and sometimes skirt are worn under the kimono and there are various silk ties that are used to hold the kimono and obi in place. Kimonos are worn with tabi socks, white socks that are like mittens for the feet with a place for the big toe and larger area for the other toes, and zori, thonged platform sandals.

This was the first time we had attempted to dress me in a kimono, so I also tucked four pages of instructions on kimono dressing into our suitcase. As any Japanese woman will tell you, it is almost impossible to dress in a kimono without assistance and many use professional dressers to fold their kimono and tie their obi belts for them, a service also offered at many salons in Japan. It was a little frustrating getting everything on and situated, but in the end I think Matt did a very authentic job of folding and tying the kimono in place. The main thing was that we folded the left side of the robe over the right, because the opposite is only done on corpses before a funeral.

It's all in the details - additional pieces for kimono dressing, clockwise from top right: obi sash, obi bun, tabi socks, obi-jime cord, koshi-himo sashes, date-jime belt. Not pictured: juban (white cotton underblouse), kanzashi pins (flowers for hair) and zori sandals.

All dressed up - Kyoto style. Despite the lengthy dressing process and many layers, it is actually quite comfortable to wear a kimono. I am not wearing my zori because it is against custom to wear shoes on tatami floors.