Kimono for Beginners

Hallelujah! I finally got to wear a proper kimono! Another of my lifelong dreams has come true and I was literally wrapped in yet another beautiful and intricate part of "true" and "deep" Japan. My friend, Harue, invited me to her town to try on one of her mother-in-law's kimono. Every new year, Harue and her daughter wear a kimono and have their picture taken. This time, I got to join them!

When you think of traditional Japanese clothing, what comes to mind? Long flowing robes and wide sashes tied in complicated knots, probably. Or you imagine men wearing wide-legged pants and boxy shirts with square sleeves, tied with a sash. And of course, there are the white toe socks with only one toe. But do you know the names of each item? Do you know how to wear that beautiful red-carpet worthy robe? Do you know how to tie that enormous sash?

Welcome to Kimono 101!

First let's lay the basics out. I don't know men's clothing as I'm not a man. I know, shocker! So I'll just be glancing over the basics of women's clothing. Let's start with the first distinction: kimono.

"Kiru" means "to wear" and "mono" means "thing." Interestingly enough, "mono" can also be read as "butsu" so when you add it to "dou" (move), you get "doubutsu:" literally "moving thing." We also say "animal."

So a kimono in it's broadest definition can refer to simply a thing to wear. Specifically, it refers to the commonly beautiful women's robe. However, you can't confuse it with a yukata: the cotton robe usually worn at hotels, onsen, ryokan and in public as casual wear. A kimono has many more elements and is traditionally much more formal.

Now let's begin.

Let's start from the ground up...or the inside out. The first thing I put on were the tabi: the toe socks. They come in a small variety of sizes and are meant to fit a bit snug as I understand it. They sometimes even have a little cardboard reinforcement in the soles. You slip your big toe into it's sleeve and then fasten the tabi at your ankle with little clasps.

Ancient Japan did not have bras, so bras are optional! They also didn't have panties. However, winter is also crazy cold and I cheated and kept my...ahem, layers...on under the rest of the gear which goes a little like this:

Koshimaki: the hip wrap. It's a bit like your great grandma's silk or satin slips. It's a thin wrapping skirt that ties just at the hip bones.

Hadajuban: the Japanese underwear. It looks like a very thin yukata, sometimes made of silk or satin instead of cotton or linen, so you wouldn't dash to the Daiso in one of these. That's tied with a koshihimo, a thin sash with tapered ends.

Korin: an elastic belt. This is a little more modern an element, but the elastic and the metal clips keep the hadajuban secure.

By this time, you're wondering if all this gear is necessary. I mean, you haven't even put on the kimono itself! But let me explain. The final goal is the presentation and ideally, all the undergarments conceal the body's natural shape and ensures everything lies crisp and flat. You don't wear a kimono to show an alluring figure or magnificent cleavage. The beauty is the kimono and how it's carried. That's our goal.

So suck it in because now it's getting serious!

Obi ita: obi board. An oblong, stiff little board, the obi ita is pressed against your stomach to make sure the front of the obi is supported and will lie flat after all the tying and tightening.

Now depending on your body type, you might need some more padding. If you're like me and you have wider hips and no chest to speak of, you cheat the system with cushions, little pillows and folded material to achieve a nice straight line.

Yukata: yet another thin robe. It can also be called "juban" meaning "second layer." You tie that with a synthetic sash. Inside the collar is a stiff eri shin, or a thin piece of plastic that keeps the collar high and arched. The collar doesn't lie against your neck: instead, it sits up and away from your neck.

Kimono: the robe. Finally, you slip your arms into the wide kimono sleeves. Marvel at the beautiful color, the mesmerizing design and shimmering threads in the embroidery. Kimono are art. You are wearing art!

Obi: the belt. Obi are no joke. They are very very long and heavily brocaded sashes and they are a hassle to put on by yourself. The easiest way is to fold about a foot of one end in half and lay it over one shoulder out of the way. Then begin to wrap the obi around your chest. It should sit almost uncomfortable high: if it seems weird, just remind yourself that you need to be able to eat and if it's on your tummy, you can't stuff yourself with sushi later!

There are several types of obi knots. Some are like bows, some look like flowers or stars. I was given a butterfly.

As a final accessory, tie an obijime around the obi. It's a thick cord, sometimes with tassels, to just accent the obi and bring it all together.

Et voila! You look great! Slip on some zori (lacquered shoes) and step out into the night. For Harue, her daughter and myself, our final destination was the Ebisu sushi restaurant to have New Year dishes, handcrafted sushi, and sake.

And of course, janken.