The kimono (着物, きもの)[1] is a traditional Japanese garment. The word "kimono", which actually means a "thing to wear" (ki "wear" and mono "thing"),[2] has come to denote these full-length robes. The standard plural of the word kimono in English is kimonos,[3] but the unmarked Japanese plural kimono is also used. The kimono is always worn for important festivals or formal occasions. It is a formal style of clothing associated with politeness and good manners.
Kimono
The Japanese kimono is one of the world's instantly recognizable traditional garments. The word kimono literally means "clothing", and up until the mid 19th century it was the form of dress worn by everyone in Japan. That began to change slowly with the import of suits dresses and other western fashions during the Meiji Era.
Colorful Kimono fashion
Kimono fashion can range from very colorful...
Simple Kimono fashion
...to quite plain and simple.
Thanks to the popularity of ukiyo-e woodblock prints in the West at the beginning of the last century, the kimono-clad maiden became one of the quintessential images of Japan. Dressing up in the kimono and other accoutrements of the geisha or maiko is still one of the more popular activities for visiting tourists.
