Definition

Use and Significance

The Japanese kimono and obi have been the traditional wear in Japan for hundreds of years.  Although not used as often today as they were half a century ago (they have been replaced by western-style clothes), they are still widely used for important ocassions, such as weddings and special festivals. 

But the Japanese kimono and obi are more than clothing.  Like most Japanese things, they are an expression of sensitivity, beauty, and, particularly, harmony with one's surroundings.  They are also a way of personal expression.  It is said that the kimono doesn't "become" until someone wears it.  It is the person wearing it that gives the kimono its look, in that person's own way.

Wearing a kimono is an experience everyone should have.  It's almost as if the kimono has magic powers that bestows peace and gracefulness upon the person wearing it.  The minute you put it on, your view and attitude towards the entire world change.  It's a unique experience.  Wearing a kimono is as much a state of mind as it is a state of dress.

There are many rules that govern the wear of Japanese kimono and obi.  Some two hundred rules were at one time established, dictating such things as the combination of colors.  Even today, only certain colors are considered acceptable for certain times of the year, depending on the seasons, for example.

But the purist view, with all its rules, has not proven to be very practical in this day and age and have become a turn off for many people.  There is good news, however.  There is a new movement, a new drive to re-introduce the kimono as regular wear (not just for special ocassions) and part of this drive is making kimono and obi more wearer-friendly as well as having a more relaxed attitude without so many rules.

In addition to traditional clothing, Japanese kimono (particularly wedding kimono) and obi are also popular as home decorating accessories.  Their exquisite silk fabrics, beautiful colors, and interesting patterns make them perfect for that purpose.  For example, obi are used as table runners and  narrow drapes.  Kimono and obi are hung for display, often creating a dramatic effect.  Their fabric is used for cushion covers, patches for jeans, and to make clothing accessories such as belts.  They are often framed and displayed as art.  (For pictures of kimono and obi as decorating accessories, see our gallery.)

History

Like many of Japan's traditions, the Japanese kimono and obi developed over time, from practical and utilitarian clothing, to the exquisite works of art we see today.  Their long history includes influences from the cultures of China, Korea, India, and others in Southeast Asia.

This development did not come quickly.  Early on (prior to the Jomon period - 2,300 years ago), the predecessor of the kimono was just a belted, two-piece garment made of wood or vegetable fibers.  It wasn't until the Kofun period (600 years later and 1700 years ago) that silk made it's appearance in Western Japan.   However, by the Asuka period (1,500 years ago), trade with China had brought the basic kimono form and a flow of elaborate textiles that would last for the next 200 years.

The aristocracy took an increased interest in clothing during the Heian period, 1,300 to 900 years ago.  This is when the "junihitoe", or "twelve layers" style appeared. Noble ladies would wear from twelve to twenty unlined robes in layers, with a narrow band of each robe visible at the neck, sleeves, and hem, and great importance attached to the effect of the color combinations.  It is believe that during this time the obi made its first appearance, but as a functional undergarment used to hold up another piece of underwear, the hakama.

During the Kamakura period,  800 to 700 years ago, the samurai class assumed control, implementing their views of modesty and frugality.  As they chose the practical clothing of the commoners, they placed controls on dressing to restrict displays of extravagance.  It was during this period, as wear of lavish kimono declined, that the present form of kimono developed.  The Kamakura period is also when the first basic form of obi as an outer garment appeared.  It was a back-tied bast fiber sash two or three inches wide.

In the middle of the fourteenth century (1300s), a new line of shoguns took control.  They were men of cultivated taste and avid supporters of the arts.  Their period of rule, known as the Muromachi period (700 to 500 years ago), saw the emergence of a wealthy merchant class that demanded more elaborate clothing.  This led to the creation of even more decorated textiles and fostered the development of advanced dying, hand-painting, weaving, embroidering, and gold and silver couching techniques.  These developments continued during the short Momoyama period that followed, about 400 years ago.  Some of the most beautiful kimono ever made were created during this period using the new techniques.  It was also during this period that the Nishijin district of Kyoto was established as an important weaving center, one that continues to exist today still producing amazing weaves.

The Edo period, 400 to 150 years ago, witnessed expansion and improvement of the techniques developed previously, as a response to the increasing demand for fine clothes and beautiful possesions.  A wide variety of richly decorated textiles was created and decorated kimono were in great demand and became very expensive.  This is despite the laws that prohibited extravagant dressing.  People always found a way to get around them.

It was also during this period that the obi reached its peak in variety.  It became important in its own right and new ways to tie it were developed.  Up to this point, the kimono had been the center of attention, but as it was innovated less and less, weavers and dyers began focusing on the obi.  Today, the obi is often more important than the kimono and frequently costs more.

From the Edo period, through the Meiji, Taisho, Showa, and now Heisei, production of fine textiles using uniquely Japanese techniques has continued to yield wonderful designs and quality.  Even with the decline in their use during the late twentieth century, the Japanese kimono and obi continue to be very popular.  In recent years, interest is renewing as a result of efforts to make them more affordable and easier to wear, with a lot of that interest coming from outside Japan.