by Wendy Pettit

Created on: April 19, 2008   Last Updated: September 17, 2009

The kimono is considered the National attire of Japan. The wearing of the kimono is exhibited in the different stages of life form childhood to death. When wearing a kimono as a child, as vast array of bright colors are displayed. Pure white is worn by women who are getting married.

To complete the kimono, an accessory called the obi is worn. The obi is a sash worn around the kimono to keep it closed and in place. A specific style of kimono is worn to give out information to the public regarding marital status, age and personality. A different style is worn according to the different seasons and special occasions.

The normal wear for warriors was the Hakama. The Hakama is pleated trousers worn with the kimono. Women also wore Hakamas, until the Muramachi period.

The man's Hakama displays 7 pleats in which each has significant meaning.

1. Gi- the right decision
2. Yu- bravery
3. Jin- universal love, compassion
4. Rei- right action, courteous
5. Makoto- sincerity, truthfulness
6. Meiyo- honor
7. Chugi- devotion and loyalty

The first known Japanese kimono dates back to 300, which is called the Yamoto period. There has been speculation of the kimono being worn during the Jomon period, which was before 300 A.D. Many experts disagree with this theory because of the primitive nature of the time.

The different periods brought changes in the Japanese culture to include the wearing and style of the kimono.

Yamoto or Kofun Period (300-550)

This era saw a two-piece ensemble with an upper and lower garment. The top part had sleeves that were tight and form fitted to the arm. Because dying techniques were not learned at this time, the kimonos were all white.

Akusa Period (550-710)

This period as well as the Nara period (710-792) saw a greater ability in creating clothing. The sleeves of the kimono became wider and longer. Color was introduced but only one solid color, decorative patterns and dying had not yet been learned. The style of kimono divided into 3 different groups: formal, court and uniform.

Heian Period (792-1192)

The ceremonial kimono changes during this era include thicker and heavier material. The sleeves became longer with a wider opening at the end.

Color changes also took place, which coincided with the changes of the seasons. Winter colors were shades of black and red; the colors associated with fall were purple or red with white. Early spring colors were white and green, late spring colors were pink, lavender and green. Summer colors for the kimono were yellow with maroon.

Muromachi Period or Ashikaga (1192-1573)

This era brought about changes and modifications to accommodate a more active lifestyle. The new changes focused on clothing that was not as tight fitting as the previous kimonos. The women stopped wearing Hakamas and started to wear longer kimonos, with shorter sleeves. With these longer kimonos the obi was designed in order to fasten the clothing together.

Other periods that produced change in the kimono history, was the Kumakura period (1192-1333), Edo period (1600-1868), and the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Many influences from other cultures contributed to the historical changes of the Japanese kimono. These contributions from Southeast Asia include China, Korea, and India, to name a few.

In today's society, the Japanese no longer wear the kimono on daily basis. The donning of the kimono is saved for special occasions such as tea ceremonies, summer festivals, weddings, and funerals. One of the reasons for this is the cost. A good quality silk kimono can cost $5000 or more.

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