The crane – white-feathered, soaring and graceful – is a popular motif on the Japanese kimono. Not only for its beauty, but for what it symbolises: faithfulness and longevity. Cranes mate for life and perform elaborate courtship dances to strengthen the...
A yukata is the most informal type of Japanese kimono. Made from light-weight unlined cotton and easier to wear than traditional kimonos, it is a popular casual garment for men and women during Japan’s hot, humid summers; it is commonly seen at festivals and hot...
It is not difficult to fold a kimono once you have learnt a few simple steps. We include a step-by-step diagram below, followed by an excellent video in which a Japanese lady demonstrates the technique slowly and clearly. You definitely do not need to understand what...
One of our most popular men’s kimonos is Family Crest, a striking geometric design that includes a number of intriguing heraldic-like emblems. These family crests have a centuries-old tradition in Japan, starting with the nobility in feudal times, but then...
“With time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown”. An elegant Chinese proverb, though in practice with a few tons of mulberry leaves, a large number of silkworms and the right conditions, a kimono’s worth of raw silk can be produced in a...
Japanese men used to hang personal items such as money pouches and tobacco from their kimono sash by means of a silk cord. A small toggle – ‘netsuke’ – attached to the top of the cord prevented it from slipping through the sash. These toggles...
On a small island in southern Japan, a centuries-old method of dyeing kimono silk is still practised, and the essential ingredient is – mud. The silk is first stained 30 times with dye from the pulp of local plum trees, but only then is it ready to be submerged...
These tips on how to care for a silk kimono apply to modern rather than vintage kimonos. Ironing and crease removal • Iron with no steam, at a low temperature (silk, cool or delicate setting). Iron the garment inside out; to be safer, use a pressing cloth • Beware of...
