The Kimono

The kimono is the national dress of the Japanese people. If you have watched the teledrama ‘Oshin,’ you would remember Oshin’s dress as well as the dress worn by Japanese men. Though the kimono is the national dress of Japan, today, it was originally worn in China. The word ‘kimono’ comes from two basic words ‘ki’ meaning wear and ‘mono’ meaning things (wearing things)later the kimono began to be associated with the traditional dress the of Japanese people. The kimono became popular when Emperor Kanmu ruled Japan. In Japan both men and women wear the kimono. Generally the women’s kimono is more beautiful and more decorative than the men’s garment.

The kimono, a full length robe, is worn with a sash called the ‘obi’, wooden sandals known as ‘geta’ and socks -tabi. They are the essential accessories worn together with the kimono. The kimono is also worn by the famous Japanese Sumo wrestlers. The kimono comes in different styles for different festivals. For example on special occasions, just as we wear beautifully decorated sarees or dresses, Japanese brides wear beautifully decorated silk kimonos.the style of the kimono you wear is seasonal, that is there is one type for spring, another for summer a third for autumn and yet another for the winter season and the art of wearing the kimono has been passed on down the ages from mother to daughter. Source: Internet