History and clothing in ancient Japan

Japanese history includes alternating periods of isolation and revolutionary influences from the rest of the world. As early as the Jomon period, from about 14,000 B.C. C. until 300 a. C., Japan had a hunter-gatherer lifestyle; wooden stilt houses, dwellings in wells and agriculture. Weaving was still unknown and ancient Japanese clothing consisted of fur. However, some of the world’s oldest pottery is found in Japan, along with daggers, jade, shell combs, and clay figures.

The period after 250 a. C. saw the influx of new practices such as weaving, rice planting, iron and bronze making influenced by China and Korea. Chinese travelers describe men “with braided hair, tattoos, and women in large one-piece clothing.” Originally, ancient Japanese clothing consisted of one-piece clothing. Ancient and classical Japan begins from the middle of the 3rd century to 710. An advanced agricultural and militaristic culture defines this period. By 645, Japan quickly adopted Chinese practices and reorganized its penal code.

The heyday period of ancient Japan and its imperial court is from 794 to 1185. Art, poetry, literature, and trading expeditions continued with vigor. Warlords and powerful regional families ruled ancient Japan from 1185 to 1333 and the emperor was just a figurehead. In the Japanese Middle Ages, Portugal had introduced firearms by chance landing of their ship on the Japanese coast; the charging ranks of the samurai were reduced; trade with Holland, England, and Spain had opened up new avenues. Several missionaries had also entered Japan.

Distinctive features of lifestyle, ancient Japanese clothing, and women are difficult to decipher for the simple reason that they are superimposed on Chinese culture. Ancient Japan readily adopted other cultures and practices, and most of its own culture is lost in these adaptations.

Ancient Japanese clothing was mostly unisex, with differences in colors, length, and sleeves. A kimono tied with an Obi or sash around the waist was the general dress and with the advent of Western clothing it is now mostly worn at home or on special occasions. Women’s obi in ancient Japanese clothing would be mostly elaborate and decorative. Some would be up to 4 meters long and tied like a flower or butterfly. Although a Yukata means “swimwear”, they were often worn in the summers as morning and evening dresses. Ancient Japanese clothing consisted of men and women wearing haori or narrow-panelled jackets for special occasions such as weddings and parties. These are worn over a kimono and tied with strings at chest level.

The most interesting piece of ancient Japanese clothing is the ju-ni-hitoe or ‘twelve cloaks’ that adorned ladies in the imperial court. It is multi-layered and very heavy and has been used daily for centuries! The only change would be the thickness of the fabric and the number of layers depending on the season. Princesses still wear them at weddings.

Since the Japanese do not wear footwear inside their houses, tabi is still worn. These are split toe socks knitted from non-stretch materials with thick soles. Clogs have been worn for centuries in ancient Japan and were known as Geta. These were made of wood with two straps and were unisexual. Zori was a shoe made of softer materials such as straw and cloth with a flat sole.

Vintage Japanese clothing, culture, and footwear are slowly regaining their popularity in the Western world. There is a sincere curiosity to know more, wearing kimonos or using silk fabrics with beautiful floral patterns from the ‘land of the rising sun’.