Yukata vs kimono: 浴衣 (yukata) and 着物 (kimono)
A 浴衣 (ゆかた, yukata, “yukata”) is a casual, unlined summer kimono, made of cotton, linen or a synthetic fabric. A 着物 (きもの, kimono, “kimono”) in the usual sense is the fuller traditional outfit: lined or lightly layered, often silk, worn over an under-kimono with a stiffer obi, and kept for dressier occasions.
So a yukata is a kind of kimono, but the two are not worn in the same places. A yukata is for summer festivals, fireworks and hot-spring towns. A silk kimono is for weddings, ceremonies and other formal days.
The word 着物 is written with 着 (to wear) and 物 (thing), and it literally means "thing to wear". In everyday Japanese it can even mean clothes in general. 浴衣 is written with 浴 (bathe) and 衣 (garment), and it is usually explained as "bathing cloth". If kanji still look like a wall, start with What is Kanji?.
The difference between a kimono and a yukata, at a glance
| Yukata | Kimono | |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric | Cotton, linen or synthetic | Often silk; also linen and hemp |
| Lining | Unlined: usually one layer | Lined in cooler months, unlined or sheer in summer |
| Underneath | Ordinary underwear, sometimes a light slip or vest | An under-kimono (nagajuban) and an undershirt (hadajuban) |
| Obi | Simple: a narrow half-width or soft sash (women), a stiff narrow one (men) | Wider, often double-woven, and more elaborate |
| Feet | Geta, usually with bare feet | Tabi socks and zori |
| When | Summer, casual | Formal and ceremonial days, and the dressy end of everyday |
| Price | About 1,000 yen for a simple one, up to tens of thousands | Much more for silk |
Treat the table as a rule of thumb. Modern yukata come in many colours and cuts, and sellers sometimes blur the line. The guide below goes through each row.
The words for each: 浴衣, 着物, 帯, 下駄, 草履
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 浴衣 | ゆかた | yukata | yukata; light cotton kimono worn in the summer or used as a bathrobe | The casual summer one, also a bathrobe |
| 着物 | きもの | kimono | kimono; Japanese traditional clothing (esp. full-length) | Traditional clothing, esp. the full-length kind |
| 和服 | わふく | wafuku | Japanese clothes | The set word for Japanese clothing |
| 洋服 | ようふく | yōfuku | Western-style clothes (cf. traditional Japanese clothes) | The other half of that pair |
| 帯 | おび | obi | obi (kimono sash) | The sash that holds both closed |
| 下駄 | げた | geta | geta; traditional Japanese wooden sandal | Wooden sandals, the usual yukata shoe |
| 草履 | ぞうり | zōri | zori; traditional Japanese thonged sandals | Thonged sandals, the usual kimono shoe |
| 足袋 | たび | tabi | tabi; traditional split-toe socks | Split-toe socks, worn with kimono |
| 長襦袢 | ながじゅばん | nagajuban | long, kimono-like garment, made of light fabric and worn under the kimono; under-kimono | The long layer under a kimono |
| 袴 | はかま | hakama | hakama; pleated skirt or loose-legged trousers worn over a kimono mainly on ceremonial occasions | Worn over a kimono, mostly on ceremonial days |
和服 and 洋服 are a useful pair: 和服 is Japanese-style clothing and 洋服 is Western-style. If you hear someone ask whether you will wear 和服 or 洋服 to an event, that is the choice they mean.
Fabric and layers
Yukata are made from a single layer of cotton, linen or synthetic cloth, with straight seams and wide sleeves. They were traditionally indigo and white, but since the late 1990s a wide range of colours and designs has appeared.
A kimono can be lined. The lined kind, an 袷 (あわせ, awase, “lined kimono”), is for the cooler months. In summer people wear an unlined 単衣 (ひとえ, hitoe, “unlined kimono”) or sheer silk or linen weaves known as ro and sha, usually for June to October.
Underneath, a kimono needs more. The usual set is a long under-kimono and a short undershirt, which keep the silk clean and the outline smooth. A yukata is lighter: it goes over your underwear, and some people add a thin slip or vest.
The history explains why. The yukata comes from the 湯帷子 (ゆかたびら, yukatabira, “single-layer absorbent bathrobe (worn during or after a bath)”), a garment worn by Heian-period aristocrats in steam baths, made of linen. When soaking in hot water became the norm, the garment became something to wear after a bath. Cotton replaced linen in the Edo period. That bathing past is why a yukata is still the thing a ryokan hands you.
The obi: how the sash changes
Both garments close with an obi, but the sash is not the same. On a yukata, women usually wear a narrow 半幅帯 (はんはばおび, hanhaba obi, “half-width obi (kimono sash)”) or a soft 兵児帯 (へこおび, heko obi), and men wear a stiff narrow 角帯 (かくおび, kaku obi, “man's stiff sash”). A formal kimono uses a wide, often double-woven obi such as the 袋帯 (ふくろおび, fukuro obi), which is more elaborate than a yukata sash.
Where it sits differs too. On a yukata, men tie the obi low on the hips and women tie it at the waist.
Footwear: geta and zori
The classic yukata shoe is the geta, a wooden sandal, worn without socks. With a kimono you wear tabi socks and zori, flat or lightly raised thonged sandals.
The two are not strictly locked together. Casual sandals suit a yukata, but formal zori are not usually worn with one. Geta take some getting used to, so walk slowly and take small steps.
Left over right: the rule for both
For both a yukata and a kimono, wrap the left side over the right, so the right side is hidden. Wearing it the other way round is how the dead are dressed for a funeral, so it looks very wrong to Japanese people. It is the one mistake worth avoiding.
The Japanese terms are named from the wearer's side and can confuse English speakers. The normal way is called 右前 (みぎまえ, migimae, “right side under (clothing)”), and the funeral way is 左前 (ひだりまえ, hidarimae). Japanese Wikipedia says an order of 719 made it the rule for everyone, whatever their rank.
A practical trick: put the right panel against your body first, then fold the left panel over it.
Where to wear a yukata, and who wears one
You see yukata at a 夏祭り (なつまつり, natsu matsuri, “summer festival”), at fireworks displays (花火 (はなび, hanabi, “fireworks”)) and in hot-spring towns. At a 旅館 (りょかん, ryokan, “ryokan”) in an 温泉 (おんせん, onsen, “onsen”) area, a yukata is usually supplied for guests, and many inns will show you how to wear it if you ask.
Anyone can wear one: men, women and children. Men's are usually darker and plainer, and young women often choose bright floral patterns. A yukata is not worn at formal ceremonies.
A kimono is the more formal choice. For women, the formality depends on the pattern, decoration and fabric. Examples include the 振袖 (ふりそで, furisode, “long-sleeved kimono”) and the 留袖 (とめそで, tomesode). Kimono are rarely worn as everyday dress now, and appear mostly at festivals, ceremonies and weddings.
Yukata, kimono and 袴 (hakama)
A 袴 is not a third kind of kimono. It is a lower garment, a divided or undivided skirt-like trouser, tied at the waist and worn over a kimono.
Men wear it on very formal days such as weddings, tea ceremonies and funerals, and in martial arts such as kendo and aikido. Women wear it mainly at graduation ceremonies, and shrine maidens wear red ones. There are two cuts: umanori, which is divided, and andon, which is not.
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Questions about yukata vs kimono
What is the difference between a kimono and a yukata?
A yukata is a casual, unlined cotton summer kimono, and a kimono in the usual sense is lined or layered, often silk, and worn for dressier occasions. Yukata go over underwear with a simple obi and geta, while a kimono goes over an under-kimono with tabi and zori.
What is the difference between kimono, yukata and 袴?
Kimono and yukata are full-length wrap garments, and a 袴 (hakama) is a skirt-like lower garment worn over a kimono. A yukata is the casual summer one. A hakama is for ceremonies, martial arts and graduations.
Is yukata for male or female?
Yukata are for everyone. Men's are usually darker and plainer, women's are often brighter, and the obi differs: a stiff narrow sash for men, tied low on the hips, and a softer one for women, tied at the waist.
Do girls wear anything under a yukata? Do you wear a bra under a yukata?
Yes: a yukata is worn over your underwear, bra included. Enjoy Osaka Kyoto Kobe advises underwear that is not see-through and is breathable and comfortable, because the fabric is thin. A ryokan guide says the same: a yukata goes over your underwear. Some wearers add a light slip or vest. These guides name no particular type of bra.
Can I show cleavage in Japan? Is cleavage allowed in Japan?
It is a matter of custom and setting, not something one rule settles. A yukata or kimono wraps left over right across the chest, and a deep, loose collar is not the usual way to wear one, so keep it neat. If you are unsure about a place, follow what the people around you are doing.
Is it okay for foreigners to wear yukata?
Yes. Many Japanese people are glad to see visitors in a yukata or kimono, and rental shops in tourist areas such as Kyoto are set up for it. The Real Japan quotes a Japanese author saying most people are pleased rather than offended. What matters to some people is that it is worn properly and with respect.
Is it disrespectful for a non-Japanese person to wear a kimono?
Not by most accounts: see the answer above. The Real Japan reports that many Japanese people are not offended and care more about how the kimono is worn. Dress it correctly, left over right, and ask rental staff to help.
Is it frowned upon to wear a kimono in Japan?
Not generally. Wearing a kimono is normal at festivals, ceremonies and weddings. It is rare as everyday dress now, so you will stand out on an ordinary day. What some people mind is a kimono worn carelessly.
What do males put on if their girl has a kimono on?
Nothing in particular is required. Men can wear a men's yukata, a men's kimono or ordinary clothes. Men's yukata are usually darker and plainer than women's.
Sources
- Readings and meanings: JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0), including its glosses for 浴衣, 着物, 右前 and 左前.
- Yukata: fabric, wrap direction, geta, colours since the late 1990s: English Wikipedia, Yukata. Origins in the 湯帷子, cotton in the Edo period, the obi types and bare feet: Japanese Wikipedia, 浴衣.
- Yukata at festivals, ryokan and hot-spring towns, how to wear it, men's and women's styles, price: Japan Guide, Yukata.
- Kimono: the left-over-right rule, undergarments, lined and unlined seasons, how rarely it is worn every day: English Wikipedia, Kimono.
- The 719 edict and the meaning of 右前 and 左前: Japanese Wikipedia, 左前.
- Differences in layers, footwear and obi: Japan Objects, Yukata vs Kimono: What's the Difference?; Japan Dev, Kimono vs yukata vs hakama; Japanese Taste, Yukata vs Kimono.
- Hakama: English Wikipedia, Hakama.
- Wearing a yukata at a ryokan, underwear and the wrap direction: Takimotokan, How to wear a yukata; Enjoy Osaka Kyoto Kobe, How to Wear a Yukata.
- Foreigners wearing kimono: The Real Japan, Is It Rude To Wear Kimono (For Foreigners)?.
- Reviewed independently; the points about foreigners, cleavage, underwear and partner outfits are waiting for a native speaker's check.