浴衣 - Yukata

The yukata is an informal kimono of unlined cotton that is for summer wear. It was originally a finely woven cotton kimono worn while bathing. Around the 19th century the yukata became summer wear that could be worn both indoors and outdoors. Today yukata refers to an unlined cotton kimono that is worn from June through September. Yukatas are ordinary clothes and usually have simple coloring such as floral or geometric patterns dyed or printed on a white or indigo blue background. In the summer many people can be seen wearing yukatas and wooden clogs at seasonal events such as Bon Festival dances, fireworks displays, and festivals at temples and shrines. As yukatas are also worn as nightclothes, most hotels in Japan including ryokan (Japanese-style hotels) and Western-style hotels provide their guests with yukatas.

浴衣は入浴時に着用する麻地の着物を起源とし、19世紀頃には暑い季節に家の中・外を問わず着用されるようになりました。現在では木綿地の単の着物を指し、6月から9月にかけて普段着として着用されています。シンプルな色合いのものが多く、白または紺地に花模様や幾何学模様が型染めされたものが一般的です。夏に行われる盆踊り・花火大会・縁日などには、浴衣に下駄姿で出かける人もたくさんいます。浴衣はまた寝間着としても着用され、日本の旅館やホテルにはたいてい宿泊客のために浴衣が用意されています。