"Kimono" is the traditional clothing of Japan. Its meaning is “things to wear” . There are many types of kimono worn by both men and women. The following list is considered Kimono.

Furisode: Kimono with long sleeves having colorful and bright designs. Generally, it is the most formal Kimono for unmarried women. Furisode made of chirimen always worn on formal and ceremonial occasion such as wedding.

Kurotomesode: It has black background and colorful designs on the bottom. It is the most formal Kimono for married women.

Irotomesode: Kimono with colorful design on the bottom like Kurotomesode but its background is not black. This is the second most formal Kimono for married women.

Houmongi: Kimono with colorful designs on the back and the sleeves worn by married and unmarried women. It can be both formal and semi-casual.

Yukata: Japanese summer light-weight cotton Kimono worn by both men and women. It is used to attend festivals and also traditionally used as lounge robe, bath robe and sleeping suit. Most yukatas aree navy blue and white, but girls and young women sometimes wear brightly colored floral-patterned Yukatas.

Mofuku: This Kimono is for funeral.

Haori: It is a short Kimono like a jacket.

Michiyuki: It is worn over Kimono as a coat.

Hakama: It is like plant.

Kimono is more than clothing. Cutting style, color, fabric used and decorations let us know about sex, age, marital status of wearer and season of the year, and also the occasion. For example, young unmarried women wear kimono with long sleeves that are very vibrant, colorful and rich with patterns called “Furisode”. Contrastingly, married or older women would wear simpler more subdued clothes called “Tomesode”.

The basic cut of the kimono differs little between the sexes. Men's kimono sleeves are square cut, while adult women's are slightly rounded. Single women's sleeves are more rounded, and children's sleeves are the most rounded.

According to color, patterns and designs of Kimono, even if this is your first time in Japan, you can guess what season is. Bright colors and spring floral patterned japanese clothing is worn in the spring while in autumn, japanese clothes with fall colors and fall patterns are worn. In the winter, especially near the holidays, japanese clothing with patterns and designs such as the bamboo, pine trees or plum blossoms are worn. These designs signify good luck and prosperity. The fabric of the japanese clothing also plays a role in the seasons. In the summer, cotton clothes are worn whereas in the fall and winter, heavier or lined clothing is worn.

The formal kimono and obi belts were traditionally made of silk, silk brocade, silk crepes. Due to production costs, limited availability of skilled weavers and craftsman and the consumers economics and easy care demand, the kimono industry is striving to capture the demands by producing kimono of easy care casual type fabric. Today, most formal kimono are made of rayon, cotton, polyester and other synthetic fibers except for the traditonal wedding kimono. New Kimono is westernized Kimono. It is easy to wear and take care of. You do not have to know anything complicated to wear it. There are some words used in Japan to indicate the differences of japanese clothing such as the word “Wafuku” is often used to describe “Traditinal Kimomo”, and “Yufuku” for "western clothes".

To wear a kimono, wrap the right side of the kimono over the body, then overlap it with the left side, do not forget that right on top of the left is only used to dress a corpse for burial.

We can find that there are some traditonal and cultural changes in many countries. What does it mean? Some group of people do not agree with these changes and try to protect the old ones. But looking in the bright side, all changes that happened, happen and will happen in the future can be good evidence showing that the culture or traditon are still alive because only dead thing that is no longer changed.

Solange