Traditional Japanese Samurai Clothing

Samurai wore a kimono, hakama, obi, kataginu and waraji.

The samurai, the warrior class of medieval Japan, were expected to distinguish themselves from the rest of the population by their manner of dress. Samurai wore their hair in a chonmage, or topknot. They carried two swords, the katana and the wakizashi. Samurai also had clothing to wear on and off the battlefield. Some of this clothing, such as the hakama, is worn today during the practice of traditional Japanese martial arts.

Hakama

The hakama is a skirt-like piece of clothing. It often is black, white or dark blue. The hakama has a small piece that presses against the lower back of the wearer. Two main types of hakama are umanori hakama and andon hakama. Umanori hakama were originally intended for wear on horseback, and resemble split-legged trousers. Andon hakama have no separate legs and were worn during times of peace. Hakama have seven pleats: five in front and two in back. The pleats represent the seven virtues of bushido: Rectitude (gi), courage (yu), benevolence (jin), respect (rei), honesty (shin), honor (meiyo) and loyalty (chugi).

Kimono and Kataginu

The kimono, a long robe-like garment, was typically worn under the hakama. The kimono of a samurai was made of soft material such as silk, and was dyed in dark, subdued colors such as black or navy blue. Samurai children, according to Samurai Archives, dressed in brighter colors. When they came of age, they switched to the more subdued adult style of kimono. A kimono could be worn with one sleeve off for martial demonstrations such as swordsmanship or archery. Samurai wore a sleeveless jacket known as a kataginu over the kimono. The kataginu had exaggerated shoulders and had the samurai's crest stenciled onto the shoulders.

Waraji and Tabi

Samurai wore straw sandals known as waraji. These traditional samurai sandals consisted of woven rice straw rope with loose straps, which wrapped around the instep of the foot, back around and tied around the ankle. Waraji sandals were light, cheap and easy to make, despite their comparative lack of durability and protection for the feet. Tabi were split-toed socks intended to make wearing waraji easier. The split was between the big toe and second toe. Tabi color varied by the season.

Obi

The obi was worn as a belt over the hakama. It was made of thick white cotton and wrapped thrice around the waist, just above the hipbone. The obi held the katana and wakizashi of the samurai. The wakizashi, or short sword, was thrust sideways through the innermost and middle layers of the obi. The katana, or long sword, was thrust through the second and third layers of the obi near the left hip.

Sarashi

The sarashi, or torso wrapping, was traditionally worn to make battlefield injury more difficult. Like the obi, a sarashi consists of a length of thick cotton, wrapped around the midriff up to the chest. Samurai women in feudal Japan could also wear a sarashi to bind their breasts.

References

• Samurai Archives: Clothing