Yukata

Yukata is the cool summer cloth, often used while watching a Japanese firework show hanabi, or matsuri, the Japanese traditional festival.

Yukata is almost always made from cotton and is very thin and cool to wear even in very hot Japanese summer. Yukata is absolutely most coolest possible cloth to wear in summer time for women. It is important to point out however that yukata is a very different cloth from kimono.

Colourful yukatas are made for women and a more simpler colour yukatas are provided for men.

Like kimono, yukata contains an obi a wide belt. Woman's obi is weared high, on height of a stomach. Like in kimono, yukata should conceal the natural figure of a woman. Therefore under obi, it's usually habit to put a towel or other thick cloth to hide the curve of a womans hip.

Men's obi is however tied on the vaist and contains a simpler knot that takes some time to learn.

A geta or sandals are used with obi, both for women and men. Women also carry a nice purse that usually comes with yukata-set. Usually with yukata socks or tabi are not used.

During summer, a low cost yukata can be found from Japanese cloth shops called UNIQLO and they cost less than 5000 yen. Usually a medium quality yukata cost however more than 10 000 and there are custom made yukatas that can cost virtually anything.

A real yukata fanatic buys his/her obi separately from yukata, and combines a fine costume that can be weared in a fireworks show.

Yukata can be worn in ryokan, onsen and some Japanese hotels.

See also: Onsen,Ryokan

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