| Kimono Education This is a short and simple, reference guide that will give you a basic understanding of kimono. You can click on most pictures for a more detailed view with notes. Please note that there are many books and resources on the subject of kimono and opinions vary. |
A girl's kimono has a narrow collar compared to a woman's kimono.
A naga juban has a thick collar that is made of a material that is quite different from the rest of the piece. They can be stiff
too.
too.
Kimono for women and for girls have a slit in the sleeves. Mens kimono do not.
Kimono terminology 101
* = pictorial examples of these terms and other things are found below.
tomesode = formal black kimono (5 mon are found on them).
irosode = formal colored kimono (3, or 5 mon are found on them).
uchikake = colorful wedding kimono.
shiromuku = wedding kimono that is all white or silver, may have some gold in it.
hikizuri = a furisode used by a geisha that generally has a lightly padded hem or a split padded hem.
susohiki = geisha kimono that has a thick (not as thick as an uchikake) padded hem.
iro muji = kimono with one color on them only (no mon) and no designs.
tea ceremony muji = muji with fine damask patterns woven into them and the occasional mon on the back of the neck.
homongi = visiting kimono (no mon).
tsukesage = informal kimono for everyday wear.
*furisode = kimono with long sleeves. For young, unmarried women.
komon = kimono with a small, repeating pattern. Generally a silk screened pattern.
*nagajuban = under kimono.
hitoe = unlined kimono.
haori = jacket for men or for women.
hakama = pants, for men or for women, that can be split in the middle for sports (horseback riding, aikido), but are more
traditionally found to be solid in front and in back and open at this sides.
kataginu = shoulder piece traditionally worn by samurai.
kurashimo = a matching set of kataginu and hakama with a crest on the back of the hakama.
maru obi = wide sash with designs on both sides (more expensive than any other type of obi as fewer are produced).
fukuro obi = wide sash with design on only one side.
nagoya obi = combination of a narrow and wide sash for ease of wear.
hanhabu obi = a narrow sash that is used for wear around the house and is not as elaborate to tie.
ro silk = a type of weave that has holes in it to vent heat. It is see-through and used in summer kimono.
sha silk = a type of summer weave that is semi sheer to vent heat.
momi silk = lining for a kimono made of a special weave of silk that is semi translucent and very strong.
*tsumugi silk = silk originally made from left over cocoons that were not sold at market. Hand spun and very strong, does
not have a soft feel to it, smooth and a little crispy in feel.
shibori = tie dyeing.
kinoko dot = tie dyed circle.
shibori pattern = a coloring that resembles tie dying but won't have the wrinkles in the fabric that are characteristic of
shibori.
kosori = patterns woven into the base fabric of a kimono, known as damask.
rinzu = damask woven silk with repeating patterns.
*chirimen = a special weave that looks wrinkled, known as silk crepe.
*kinsha chirimen = a silk crepe weave that is not as elaborate as chirimen.
kinshi = couching.
shishuu = embroidery.
kasuri = weaving technique involving the use of tie dyed threads to create complex patterns. Both warp and weft threads
may be dyed. Also known as ikat weaving and originated in the Middle East..
meisen = a type of ikat that focuses on large motifs as opposed to small geometric patterns.
*oshima = kimono made in Kyushu, usually of tsumugi silk
omeshi = weaving technique incorporating lacquered threads
*bokashi = color gradient dyeing technique
* = pictorial examples of these terms and other things are found below.
tomesode = formal black kimono (5 mon are found on them).
irosode = formal colored kimono (3, or 5 mon are found on them).
uchikake = colorful wedding kimono.
shiromuku = wedding kimono that is all white or silver, may have some gold in it.
hikizuri = a furisode used by a geisha that generally has a lightly padded hem or a split padded hem.
susohiki = geisha kimono that has a thick (not as thick as an uchikake) padded hem.
iro muji = kimono with one color on them only (no mon) and no designs.
tea ceremony muji = muji with fine damask patterns woven into them and the occasional mon on the back of the neck.
homongi = visiting kimono (no mon).
tsukesage = informal kimono for everyday wear.
*furisode = kimono with long sleeves. For young, unmarried women.
komon = kimono with a small, repeating pattern. Generally a silk screened pattern.
*nagajuban = under kimono.
hitoe = unlined kimono.
haori = jacket for men or for women.
hakama = pants, for men or for women, that can be split in the middle for sports (horseback riding, aikido), but are more
traditionally found to be solid in front and in back and open at this sides.
kataginu = shoulder piece traditionally worn by samurai.
kurashimo = a matching set of kataginu and hakama with a crest on the back of the hakama.
maru obi = wide sash with designs on both sides (more expensive than any other type of obi as fewer are produced).
fukuro obi = wide sash with design on only one side.
nagoya obi = combination of a narrow and wide sash for ease of wear.
hanhabu obi = a narrow sash that is used for wear around the house and is not as elaborate to tie.
ro silk = a type of weave that has holes in it to vent heat. It is see-through and used in summer kimono.
sha silk = a type of summer weave that is semi sheer to vent heat.
momi silk = lining for a kimono made of a special weave of silk that is semi translucent and very strong.
*tsumugi silk = silk originally made from left over cocoons that were not sold at market. Hand spun and very strong, does
not have a soft feel to it, smooth and a little crispy in feel.
shibori = tie dyeing.
kinoko dot = tie dyed circle.
shibori pattern = a coloring that resembles tie dying but won't have the wrinkles in the fabric that are characteristic of
shibori.
kosori = patterns woven into the base fabric of a kimono, known as damask.
rinzu = damask woven silk with repeating patterns.
*chirimen = a special weave that looks wrinkled, known as silk crepe.
*kinsha chirimen = a silk crepe weave that is not as elaborate as chirimen.
kinshi = couching.
shishuu = embroidery.
kasuri = weaving technique involving the use of tie dyed threads to create complex patterns. Both warp and weft threads
may be dyed. Also known as ikat weaving and originated in the Middle East..
meisen = a type of ikat that focuses on large motifs as opposed to small geometric patterns.
*oshima = kimono made in Kyushu, usually of tsumugi silk
omeshi = weaving technique incorporating lacquered threads
*bokashi = color gradient dyeing technique
A furisode has long sleeves compared to other kimono
chirimen weave on top compared to kinsha chirimen weave on bottom (both photographs are the same resolution).
| How to tell what you are looking at: |
Example of bokashi in the lining. Bokashi found along all edges of the lining is a classic technique and the sign of a better
quality kimono.
quality kimono.
An example of bokashi in decoration. This is probably Yuzen painting as opposed to dyeing. The resist will keep the
paint where it needs to be.
paint where it needs to be.
