How to Buy Kimono
For people who want to buy Kimono as souvenir
Enjoy Kimono!!
I am happy that you have tried to incorporate the Kimono, a traditional Japanese garment, into your daily life.
You may have already done a lot of research on Kimonos, but I have compiled some advice for those who want to buy Kimonos as souvenirs from my point of view, having consulted many foreign tourists who want to buy Kimonos and having dressed many foreign tourists into Kimonos on my tours!
What is the purpose of buying your Kimono?
MOST AUTHENTIC
You want to wear a Japanese silk Kimono and enjoy it at parties and dinners with family or friends.
You want to learn how to wear a Kimono and wear it like a Japanese person.
You have a generous budget and want to buy high quality Kimono and all the accessories necessary to wear a Kimono traditionally.
It is recommended to visit a Japanese Kimono shop and have a Kimono tailored to suit your body size from fabric, then select and purchase an obi and accessories to match the Kimono.
Budget: JPY 300,000 or more
*Refer here for the accessories needed to wear a Kimono traditionally.
AUTHENTIC LOW COST
You want to wear a Japanese silk Kimono and enjoy it at parties and dinners with family or friends.
You want to learn how to wear a Kimono and wear it like a Japanese person.
You cannot spend much money but would like to have a Kimono and all the accessories necessary to wear a Kimono traditionally. (You don’t mind if the Kimono doesn’t fit you somewhat)
It is recommended to go to a recycled Kimono shop and select and purchase a Kimono, obi and accessories that you like based on size and pattern.
Budget: JPY 40,000 or more (total of around JPY 30,000 for the accessories excluding the Kimono and Obi).
*Refer here for the accessories needed to wear a Kimono traditionally.
CASUAL LOW COST
You want to wear a Kimono casually and enjoy it on a daily basis.
You don’t know if I can put on a Kimono by myself.
You don’t have much of a budget to spend.
It is recommended to buy a ‘Yukata’, a Kimono made of cotton for summer. For a Yukata, the only minimum accessories required are an obi and two koshi-himos, so dressing is not that difficult.
Budget: JPY 10,000 or more (Around JPY 30,000 or more for a Yukata tailored from fabric.)
*The difference between a Kimono and a Yukata is explained in the column below.
MOST CASUAL
You want to incorporate the Kimono into your daily life.
You are not sure you can wear a Kimono like the Japanese, but you want to enjoy a Kimono.
You want to wear silk Kimono at minimal cost, without having to purchase even the accessories necessary to wear Kimonos traditionally.
Instead of wearing Kimonos traditionally, it is recommended to buy a haori or a Kimono with a shorter body length at a recycled Kimono shop in order to wear it as a jacket or coat. Enjoy coordinating your Kimono with your clothes, as shown in the photo.
Budget: JPY 5,000 or more
*For more information on haori, click here.
DON’T WEAR KIMONO
You do not need to wear a Kimono and would like to be reminded of your trip to Japan by seeing a Kimono from time to time.
You want to use it to decorate your home.
You want to make something new with the Kimono or obi fabric you bought.
If you are not concerned about size, a recycled Kimono shop is a treasure trove for you.
I recommend that you go to a recycled Kimono shop and buy a Kimono or obi that you like!
Budget: JPY 5,000 or more for a single Kimono and obi each
What is The Difference Between Kimono And Yukata?
Kimono or Yukata?
Can you tell whether this woman is wearing a Kimono or a Yukata?
????
The correct answer is a Yukata!
However to be exact, it is a Yukata within the Kimono genre, so a Kimono is also the correct answer.
They are like sandals or high heels within the larger framework of shoes. In addition to Yukata, there are various other genres of Kimono, such as Komon and Furisode, but this time I will explain them in the form of Yukata and other Kimonos!
The overall form when worn is almost the same for both Kimono and Yukata. So let’s take a closer look at how they differ!
Point 1 : Material
One of the main differences between a Kimono and a Yukata is the material. Kimono are made of silk, whereas Yukata are made of cotton.
In Japan, Yukata are worn during the hot summer months. Cotton is breathable and comfortable to wear.
Conversely, silk Kimono have excellent heat retention properties and are surprisingly warm to wear in the cold season.
*There are also summer Kimono, which are made of thin silk fabrics.
For care, Yukata are made of cotton and can be washed at home. Kimonos are made of silk and require dry cleaning.
*In recent years, Kimono and Yukata for rent for foreign tourists are made of polyester, and some of the cheaper Kimonos on sale are also made of polyester. If you feel the advantages of low prices and the fact that they can be washed in a washing machine, it is OK to choose such Kimono. If you want to buy a traditional silk Kimono or cotton Yukata, I recommend that you check with the staff when you buy.
Point 2 : Accessories
When wearing a Kimono or Yukata in the traditional way, several accessories are necessary, including an obi. These range from accessories that can be seen from the outside to those that cannot be seen from the outside but play an important role in making the kimono beautiful to wear.
The accessories required for the Kimono are Obi, Nagajyuban, Eri shin, Han eri, Hadajyuban, Koshi himo, (Datejime), Obi ita, Obi makura, Obi jime, Obi age, Tabi and Zori.
The accessories required for the Yukata are Obi, Koshi himo, (Hadajyuban), (Datejime), (Obi ita), (Obi jime) and Geta.
*For more information on each of these, please see this page. Items in parentheses ( ) are items that can be worn more beautifully if present, but are largely fine without.
Point 3 : How to wear
Unlike Western clothes, both Kimono and Yukata require a certain skill to wear. There are even classes in Japan that offer Kimono dressing lessons.
Today, there are many videos on YouTube showing how to wear Kimono and Yukata, so don’t worry, you can learn how to wear the Kimono and Yukata you buy anywhere in the world!
As you may have noticed by looking at the difference in the number of accessories, it takes more time and effort to dress a Kimono than a Yukata. When you get used to it, it takes 15 minutes to dress a Kimono and 10 minutes to dress a Yukata. When you are not used to it, expect it to take about 30 minutes for a Kimono and 15 minutes for a Yukata.
How to distinguish between Kimono and Yukata
Based on the points above, I will show you how to distinguish between Kimono and Yukata in appearance! In the photo, the Kimono is on the left and the Yukata on the right.
Coller : When wearing Kimono, an undergarment called Nagajyuban is worn under the Kimono. The collar of Nagajyuban is visible from the outside, so if the collar of Nagajyuban is visible, it is Kimono; if not, it is Yukata.
Aroud Obi : When tying Kimono Obi, Obi age (accessory above the Obi) and Obi jime (accessory tied in the middle of the Obi) are always used. Yukata Obi can be tied without using Obi age and Obi jime.
*Obijime may be used in Yukata as a fashionable accessory.
Foot : When wearing Kimono, you wear Tabi (socks) and Zori. When wearing Yukata, You wear Zori made of wood.
*On rainy days, Tabi socks and Geta are sometimes worn.
Reference : Opportunities to wear in Japan
Finally, here are some differences between the occasions when a Kimono and a Yukata are worn in Japan.
For Japanese people, a Yukata is positioned in the same way as a T-shirt and jeans or a dress for everyday use. It is a very casual costume. It is worn for casual chatting with friends at a café or walking around town.
In contrast, a Kimono is an outfit worn for occasions that are more than smart-casual in terms of dress code, depending on the type of kimono. For example, one of the most prestigious kimonos, the furisode, is worn for formal occasions such as weddings. If you wear a yukata or smart casual Kimono “Komon” to an occasion where other participants would wear evening dress, it would be very impolite.
However, this is in Japan. If you want to know the types and formalities of kimono, ask me and I will answer your question, but what you don’t know, many non-Japanese don’t know either.
If wearing a Kimono or Yukata in the sense of your country makes the occasion more valuable or makes the organisers happy, then it is OK to wear it.
By all means, please entertain the people around you by wearing a Kimono or Yukata!
How to choose kimono size
What is the best size for your kimono?
Unlike clothes, Kimono is not divided into SML sizes. (Although I do use the ML size classification on tours to make it easier for guests to understand. Furthermore, ready-made Yukata may be available in free or 2L sizes).
The reason for this is that Kimono was a costume that was bought from a Kimono shop as a fabric and tailored to fit the wearer’s body.
Let’s use the images to find out your best size!
Mitake = your height ± 5 cm
Yuki = the length from your spine to your wrist
Mihaba = Mae haba + (Ushiro haba x 2) + 13 = your hip (if your bust or waist is larger than your hip, then at that point) ± 5 cm
Aacceptable range : Mitake (length of Kimono)
Aacceptable range Mitake = about your height ± 20 cm
When you put your sleeves through the best size kimono, you will notice that it is very long. The reason for this is that when you wear a Kimono, the ‘Ohasyori’ is made at the waist. The area circled in the image, folded back under the Obi, is the ‘Ohasyori’.
However, today, more and more Japanese people are wearing Kimonos without Ohasyori, as they have more opportunities to wear short Kimono bought at a recycle shop. So rhere is no problem with wearing short kimono that do not make Ohasyori.
However, it is not recommended to wear a kimono so short that the hem does not touch the ground when you put your sleeves through the kimono. A kimono is considered elegant if it is long enough that the ankles cannot be seen, and for this reason the hem must be long enough to touch the ground.
If Kimono is more than 5 cm longer than your height, you can still wear the Kimono if you make some adjustments when dressing.
Aacceptable range : Yuki (length of sleeve)
As far as the Yuki is concerned, if you don’t mind it being short, then short is not a problem. Some Japanese people who wear Kimono every day prefer a short Yuki to make their lives easier.
And if the sleeve is a little short to some extent, you can make people around you not feel it is too short by the way you behave when you wear the Kimono.
Conversely, if Yuki is too long, you can adjust the length of the sleeve by folding the shoulder part and sewing. Incidentally, children’s bodies grow every year, so at the beginning they sew the shoulder part shorter, and when they grow up, they can continue to wear the kimono for a long time by taking the stitches out!
Aacceptable range : Mihaba (width of a kimono)
Aacceptable range Mihaba = (Mae haba + Ushiro haba) x 2 = your hip (if your bust or waist is larger than your hip, then at that point) +10cm
Unfortunately, many foreigners struggle to find kimono in recycled kimono shops because of their width. This is because the average hip of Japanese women is 87 cm, which is smaller than the world average.
Kimono are worn wrapped around the body, and your best size for the kimono that comes to the front (Uwamae) is when the right side seam comes a little before the middle of the side of the right leg (B) and the edge of the kimono comes a little before the middle of the side of the left leg (A).
In the best size, your underwear will not be visible when you walk or sit down, the kimono will not fall down easily and the kimono pattern will show most beautifully.
However, if you do not mind wearing a kimono with a slightly smaller width, you can wear it if the width of the kimono is such that the fabric of the right hem and the fabric of the left hem overlap by about 25 cm.
On the other hand, if the kimono have too large mihaba, you can wear it up to 10 cm larger than the best size if you are creative when dressing.
Reference : Wear kimono re-tailor to the best size
Every kimono is unique.
It is common to like a kimono you find at a recycled kimono shop, but find that it does not fit.
In particular, many foreigners find it difficult to find the best size kimono at recycled kimono shops because Japanese woman are smaller than the world average, with an average height of 158 cm (62 inch) and an average hip of 87 cm (34 inch).
If you are not concerned about the best size and the kimono is within the acceptable range presented above, there is no problem.
However, if it was outside the acceptable range but you really want to wear it, I would like to introduce you to the option of “re-tailoring”!
Due to the characteristics of the kimono, by having it re-tailored, it will be your best size kimono. (If your hips or bust are over 130 cm, it may not be the best size, but it will be an acceptable size.)
If you find a kimono that doesn’t fit but you want to wear it as a kimono, please contact me for advice on how we can re-tailor a recycled kimono that you like.
Budget: JPY 50,000 or more for re-tailoring
Please note that we may not be able to meet your request depending on the type and condition of the kimono.