Kimono and yukata

A kimono is cut from a single narrow bolt of cloth (tanmono) into straight panels, sewn with minimal waste and little tailoring. Fit comes from how it is wrapped and tied, not from its cut, and the length is adjusted by folding excess cloth at the waist (ohashori) in women's kimono.

Formality is signalled by the type of garment, the pattern placement, the number of family crests (kamon) and the obi. Fabrics range from silk for formal wear to cotton, wool and linen for everyday use, and many regions are known for their own weaving or dyeing traditions, such as Nishijin weaving in Kyoto and Yūzen dyeing in Kyoto and Kanazawa.

The categories below cover the kimono most often seen; the full system of formality is considerably more detailed.

Whether for men or women, kimono and yukata are wrapped with the left panel over the right – that is, the right side goes against the body first, and the left side covers it. Seen from the front, the collar forms a lowercase 'y'. The reverse, right over left, is used to dress the dead for burial, so getting it wrong is the one mistake most likely to startle onlookers.

The obi sash is tied at the back for women; bows at the front were historically associated with courtesans, and are still avoided. Men tie a narrower obi low on the hips.

Formal kimono are worn with zōri, flat thonged sandals, and white split-toe socks called tabi. Yukata are traditionally worn with wooden geta, usually barefoot. A small drawstring bag (kinchaku) or handbag and, in summer, a folding fan (sensu) or round fan (uchiwa) complete the outfit.

Traditional inns and many hotels provide a yukata for guests to wear in their room, to the baths, at dinner in the inn and – in onsen towns such as Kinosaki – for strolling between public baths. It is worn with underwear beneath, wrapped left over right, and tied with the simple sash provided; a tanzen or haori jacket is often supplied for cooler weather. The inn's yukata belong in the inn and its town, and are not worn on outings elsewhere.

Rental shops in Kyoto, Asakusa, Kanazawa and other historic districts dress visitors in kimono or yukata for a day, and wearing one is widely welcomed rather than seen as appropriation. Staff handle the dressing, which is difficult to do correctly alone.

It helps to remember that the garment restricts stride and posture: small steps, keeping sleeves clear of food and doors, and sitting upright without crossing the legs. Very cheap costume versions sold as souvenirs are not the same as kimono, and dressing up as a geisha or maiko is a separate practice.