An Introduction to Kimono

What is it?

So, you've probably heard of kimono, but just what exactly are they?  Well, it may surprise you to know that originally the Japanese wore shirts and pants as we know them in the West.  But eventually the Japanese adopted garments similar to the Chinese Hanfu due to heavy cultural influence from China around the 8th century.  It's during the Heian period (794 to 1185 BCE) that kimono as we know them really began to develop. 

Women during this time would wear complicated many layered garments called jūnihitoe, literally "twelve robes."

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