This is kimono you should NOT buy in Japan during your travel

Normal Japanese people think…

Hi, are you thinking of travelling to Japan, or have you traveled in Japan?

If you look at the above picture, please be careful. This is not true kimono. This is just for souvenir. This picture is what I took when I walked in town the other day.

Image about foreigners

In the travel industry in Japan, sometimes they sell something wrong; what foreigners imagine as “Japan”, like Geisha, Maiko, Ninja, Samurai and etc.

The above picture has Geisha or something. But we don’t actually wear it ever, in our daily lives.

So, when people like me, who isn’t related to travel industry in Japan, talk about souvenirs for foreigners, we’re quite sad that wrong “Japan” is on sale.

Our main understanding about travelers is “people who buy wrong stuff via travel industry dedicated for foreigners”.

Kimono which usually Japanese people wear

Sorry but what I can show you for now is only my pictures.

Especially men kimono doesn’t have much picture and it’s very subtle.

This is what I gave the Danish friend as a present. Can you see there’s no picture on Kimono body and the jacket? But only the belt has picture of cat – actually this style of the belt is already too much as men kimono and it’s kinda pop culture.

The next example is me, the left one in the above picture. There’s no picture on the kimono body but pumpkin is drawn on the belt. Usually this is too much but the day was near Halloween, so it was on purpose.

Also, please look at the two women. Their kimono bodies have certain repetitive patterns of nature like maple and flowers. These are traditional and acceptable as pictures on kimono. The patterns match nature and seasons, and our history. We don’t draw human on what human wears 😉

Lastly, this is what I wear on my daily situation. There’s no picture on belt nor jacket, and Kimono body has the small patterns (it’s called Komon 小紋 or Kasuri 絣). And only the collar has visible pattern, which is too much for some formal situations, but it’s OK in casual.

So, please consider very much before you buy kimono in Japan! 😀