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Traditional Japanese Men's Kimono

The haori is made from 100% silk and is hand stitched in the traditional Japanese way

Size: One size

Back width: 25"

Length: 36"

Condition: Great! A slight mark on the mon at the back of the neck - see photo

Material: Silk

Colour: Black

Incredible silk lining! Men’s kimonos and haoris tend to be very subdued in pattern and colour. A long, long time back, the nobles and samurai got somewhat annoyed that so many rich merchants of lower class were able to afford and wear very ornate, ostentatious clothing, showing up the poorer of the samurai and upper classes and not allowing the richer ones to stand out, so a law was passed banning men who were neither samurai nor noblemen from wearing ornate clothing. This led the lower classes to adopt what was known as hidden beauty, putting fabulous textile designs on the linings of their haoris and on their naga-juban underwear kimonos. In time this made them feel superior and more classy, as their beautiful textiles were less flaunted but still there.

This haori has white stitching (shitsuke) round the outside edges. The Japanese put these stitches in to keep the edges flat during long periods of storage, these stitches just get pulled out before wearing the garment.

The haori is hand stitched in the traditional Japanese way

Additional Information

Kimono’s should be worn left over right. Only a Japanese corpse wears a kimono right over left.

Kimono's should not be washed. They should be taken to a specialist dry cleaners. They can be aired outdoors for freshness.

This vintage kimono is not the same as many of the kimonos sold in the UK, or to tourists in Japan which are often made in China and of poor quality cotton or synthetic but rather these garments are genuine, Japanese, vintage, traditional, hand-stitched or partially hand-stitched (unless otherwise stated) garments.

WHY CAN SOME WOMEN'S KIMONO BE SO LONG? Contemporary and formal kimono are very long indeed. This is because they are traditionally shortened by hitching up at the waist and hiding the excess fabric behind the wide obi belt. Older kimono tend to be shorter and smaller.

Sizing: Japanese clothing is usually of adjustable fit. Western women usually wear kimono open around the house as a gown, meaning it will also fit larger sizes.

Occasionally someone asks me about a matching "belt" or sash for a kimono. Japanese women, instead, wear a kimono with an obi--usually a wide, stiff, brocaded, 15-foot long piece that wraps around the waist several times and ties in an elaborate bow in back. They rarely match these to the kimono, but rather choose contrasting colors and patterns. The only kimono that are sold with an accompanying sash in a matching fabric, are garments made specifically for the Western tourist trade or for export to the West.

One must bear in mind that most are vintage items, which I strive to describe accurately and honestly. Most are in excellent vintage condition and therefore look virtually new but all are vintage, even the unused garments, which are or deadstock. A very, very few smell of mothballs or a touch of vintage mustiness but that is rare. This can be aired out. I find hanging the kimono over a radiator (turned on) works well, or if you have access to outdoor space and the weather is dry, you can hang it on a coat hanger on a washing line. Some synthetic textile and cotton kimonos can be hand washed but do this entirely at your own risk and only use a detergent for colours, as all other detergents contain bleaching agents to brighten whites. I usually mention any mothball or musty smell, if one does have it, but one must bear it in mind it is a possibility, even if not stated in the description, whenever buying vintage and antique textiles.

Storage: Hang up your garment for a few hours prior to wearing, to remove fold creases. They should also be hung out to air 4 times per year, if not worn frequently. Hang your garment to air for a day or so immediately after purchase too, as it will have been stored for a while. The Japanese take great pains to store their traditional garments with the utmost care, which is why they stay in such exceptional condition. Some of my Japanese garments have white stitching (shitsuke) round the outside edges. The Japanese put these stitches in to keep the edges flat during long periods of storage, these stitches just get pulled out before wearing the garment.

More Kimonos in our shop so take a look!

Our reference: 8

If there is ever a problem with your purchase please contact us first and we will endeavour to sort the problem out