Japanese culture in the United States is no longer foreign to some people. Famous Japanese cultures in the United States include anime, manga, light novels, language, to traditional clothing. Based on my experience, I got to know some Japanese culture through Japanese subjects when I was in high school. Through this Japanese subject, I was finally interested in finding out about Japanese culture, one of which is traditional clothing.
The traditional Japanese clothes we know are usually kimonos and yukatas. At first, I didn’t know what is the difference between a kimono and yukata. At first glance, it looks like, girls. Equally, there are no buttons, the shirt is long plus curves, and equally, often appears in anime without a full explanation. But when it comes to detail, there are some fundamental differences between kimonos and yukatas.
The Differences Between a Kimono and Yukata
The Name and Function of Kimono and Yukata
One of the first fundamental differences is the name and function of both. Well, it’s a different name, isn’t it? Yes, I know, but first read below, girls. Kimono comes from the word “ki” which means something to wear and “mono” which means object. So we can conclude that kimonos are traditional Japanese clothing.
So, what is yukata? Okay, just hold on, yeah. I’ll explain in a moment. So, kimonos are grouped into several types based on the formality of the situation attended by the Japanese. For example, to attend weddings, official meetings, awards from the government or emperor, tea events with colleagues, attending matsuri or celebrations, to just a nightgown. One of the most well-known types of kimono is the type used by the bride on traditional wedding occasions, usually also called hanayome ishō. Kimono can also be used to show social status.
However, over time, the term kimono changed to traditional Japanese clothing worn in formal situations. Until we recognize the presence of yukata as one of the traditional Japanese clothes or kimono. Well, why yukata is a kimono? Ya yukata is a kimono used in informal situations by all Japanese regardless of social status. This yukata is often found during the summer because of the many matsuris held in the summer. Or if we look at tourist attractions that offer photos wearing traditional Japanese clothes, yes it’s usually a yukata, not a kimono, yes.
The type of fabric used to make Kimono and Yukata
Then, kimono and yukata can also be distinguished based on the type of fabric used to make both. Kimonos are usually made of silk fabric and are made thicker with motifs that contain special cues. Not a cue from Morse’s cipher, thank you. Kimono fabric motifs are usually used to distinguish the types and sometimes there are family emblems with different numbers depending on the level of formality of the situation, conditions, and tolerance. Uh, the last one’s not included, Girls.
Meanwhile, yukata is made of thinner cotton fabric and motifs that do not contain certain meanings. This is because yukata is an item of traditional clothing that is worn in the summer, so it must be designed to provide more air circulation so that the wearer does not feel hot. Therefore, yukata also has another characteristic, namely the shorter arm section.
Conclusion
So, we can say that the yukata and the kimono are the same, but also different. Equally traditional Japanese clothing, but has differences in function based on the formality of the situation to be attended to. Already feeling enlightened?
