Top 10 Traditional Japanese Clothing for Men

The wafaku, or traditional Japanese clothing, is impacted by a number of aspects such as the event, age of the person, and season. Although Japan has been greatly influenced by the Western world in terms of fashion, traditional clothes such as the hakama and kimono remain popular during special occasions. Here is a rundown of the top 10 traditional Japanese clothing, as well as a short description for each.

1. Kimono

The kimono worn by men usually has sleeves that may be attached to the body, or with just a short part of the sleeves’ bottom unattached from the entire body of the garment. These are also characterized with a square cut at the outer part of the bottom corner. In addition, the sleeves are not as deep than the ones found on a woman’s kimono, since this part of the clothing must not prevent the ease in tying the obi or sash properly. Kimono for men are also typically just below the knees or about calf-length instead of the usual ankle length in women’s kimono. The material used are silk, cotton, wool weave fabric, or a combination of these. Kimonos that are worn during the summer are usually made of silk that is slightly stiff to retain the garment’s shape.

2. Haori

This is a kimono jacket that has the same shape as the kimono, yet half its length. Men wore this garment on top of the much longer kimono. What’s unique about the haori is that it does not overlap at the front portion like a kimono, and they are worn slightly open. Moreover, this traditional Japanese clothing for men is designed to be worn with a kimono as a trendy jacket over trousers. The garment is also fastened with a type of silk braid with a knot (himo), which you can hook onto small loops found on the inner edge of the haori fronts. Men’s haori has a himo knot that remains untied, and it is only unhooked at one portion to let you unfasten the haori easily.

3. Himo

The himo is a type of accessory that resembles a belt typical in western clothing. It is worn with the haori, and it may come with attractive patterned linings such as a printed, hand-painted or woven design. Among the common patterns or images in a himo include tea ceremony items, processions, lucky charms and landscape scenes. When choosing the best himo to wear for a special event, it is important to take into consideration the nature of the occasion to make sure that the himo design is appropriate for it.

4. Yukata

The yukata kimono is made of cotton and it is usually unlined. This piece of garment is worn by men at summer events or when lounging indoors. They may also choose to wear a yukata for sleeping or as bathrobes. A common design for the yukata is dark blue with white designs, although there are several other patterns and color combinations, as well. These colors are fairly muted when intended to be worn outdoors.

5. Obi

The obi is used to fasten the kimono, and there are specific instructions followed when tying an obi into a traditional clam knot. This particular knot is also ideal to be used by women for their yukata kimono. The traditional position of the knot is at the back of the kimono, and it is important to follow the right way on how to make this type of knot. A kaku obi is a bit stiff while the heku obi comes with a softer texture. Furthermore, the heku is also quite long and made of silk, and it resembles a stretchy silk scarf. It is also suitable for casual events because of its less formal features. The kimono and obi are bought separately, and you may choose to wear the same obi with several styles of kimono.

6. Hakama

The hakama may be undivided as a skirt (andon) or divided as a typical pair of trousers (umanori). This type of Japanese traditional garment is worn by men, although some women also wear this clothing nowadays. In most cases, the hakama is worn by people who engage in martial arts including aikido, iaido, naginata and kendo. Hakamas also have pleats, a padded portion at the lower back part of the wearer (koshita), and a himo or long fabric tied at the waist. This garment may be worn at formal events or even for casual occasions depending on the material or fabric pattern used. Formal Japanese clothing for men include a kimono worn with the hakama.

7. Juban or Naga-Juban

The juban is worn beneath a kimono, and it is basically a shorter kimono made of cotton, soft silk or hemp. This clothing piece has remarkable designs, and only the plain prints of the juban’s neckband is shown from the outer kimono’s edges. The juban may also come with a han-eri or a plain collar with subdued colors such as navy blue. Jubans are commonly worn as bathrobes or lounging robes because they are quite comfortable for everyday wear.

8. Happi and Hanten

These garments are made of cotton and come with simple shapes without the typical intricate style of kimono sleeves. The happi coat is worn by men during festivals while hanten jackets are usually worn by tradesmen. Hanten jackets are also intended to be worn by men, and happi coats are suitable for men and women. They also have kanji inscriptions on them, or Japanese text characters.

9. Tabi

The tabi are traditional Japanese socks that men wear. These divided-toe socks are also ankle-high in length. On the other hand, workmen wear the jika-tabi that is made of more durable materials.

10. Obijime

The obijime is a type of string that is tied into a knot, and it is made from a wide range of materials such as satin or silk. The obi is also about 150 and 160 cm long, and it comes with a different knot and fabric depending on the occasion. The obidome or adornments are placed on top of the obijime to enhance its appearance. Furthermore, the flatter and thinner obijime is commonly used when worn with the obidome.

These top 10 traditional Japanese clothing for men are renowned for their highly-detailed patterns, which match the event and their position in the society. It is important to wear each garment correctly, since a minor flaw in the choice of clothing is already considered as a mark of disrespect or insult.