1.How do I wear kimono?

There are many rules to wear kimono in a traditional way. For example, married women should wear shorter sleeve kimono, or some kimono should have obi with appropriate bows.

To wear a kimono in a complietely traditional way, here are the list of what you will need(for women's kimono attire):

1. Hadajuban---Undershirt
2. Susoyoke--Half slip
3. Nagajuban(Juban)--Full-length under kimono
4. Han eri--Half collar
5. Eri shin--Half-collar lining
6. Datejime--Under sash
7. Koshi himo--Sash
8. Obi
9. Obi ita--Obi stay
10. Obi makura--Obi-pad
11. Obiage--Bustle sash
12. Obijime--Obi cord
13. Tabi--Split-toed socks
14. Zori--Sandals

Please do not go away ! This is the traditional way but may be 70% of Japanese women do not know what to do, even if these things are placed in front of them.
Of course it is ideal to have all the items IF you would like to try the traditonal style. Actually there are kimono dressing classes and people have to learn how to wear kimono and tie obi in order to be able to wear kimono(formal) properly. Brides needs to be dressed by a couple of professionals at the wedding and many cases the guests need them, too unless the relatives or the friends know how to do it.

However, recently there are many `convenient' products which makes us easy to wear kimono. For example, `easy collar' or `pre-tied obi'. Using these helpful things, we can wear kimono with much ease. Also, there are there are many people who enjoy kimono with their own way in Japan. Some people wear their grand mothers' kimono (or even older kimono) with their own style. They are revaluating the unique designs and high-quality textiles and inventing their own way to enjoy kimono in many occasions.
Rules exist but at the same time, it is very happy to see more people enjoy wearing kimono, especially `old' kimono today.
Would you like to enjoy kimono? The least thing you will need is kimono & obi! (If you have a nice sash belt, obi won't be needed, maybe).
You can add other things if you like. To prevent the kimono from sweat, collar and juban are preferable. We have seen so many wonderful way of kimono wearing through our customers and we are so impressed and very very happy to see them. Each person looks great and beautiful in kimono and it was the most precious discovery for us through this site.
We hope you will visit `Enjoy KimonoPhoto Album' http://www.ichiroya.com/~webichiroya/enjoyphotoalbum/photoalbum.htm
You will see wonderful kimono style and will want to wear kimono right away!

*We have made and are selling origainal DVD 'Kimono Dressing with Yuka. You can lear how to dress yukata and kimono formally with this DVD. Please check the detail information here. Here is the sample movie of yukata part.

2. How does a sizing work?

The items we offer in our shop is mostly one-of-a-kind.
Kimono is basically a plain-patterned garment which is worn by laying right and left section one on top of another in front. Also kimono is typically folded over at the waist to adjust the wearer's height. Therefore most of the kimono and furisode will fit woman between sizes 4-14. Haori is not meant to close in front, so you can consider haori as free size. Sleeves tend to be short by Western standards, but even for Japanese, sleeves are often short. Kimono are made for Japanese figure, and antique kimono are obviously smaller. I've seen antique uchikake, the ornate bride's costume, exhibited and was surprised to see how tiny it was.
If kimono is worn as a house coat for your relaxing time, or a coat worn over a dress or pants, most of them can be used by anyone.

3.How do I wear uchikake?

Uchikake is an ornate wedding coat worn without obi over another kimono. Uchikake is very heavy(6 lb-10lb) for it is usually heavily brocaded and also the bottom is padded to trail along.
To wear uchikake in a traditional way, you need a lot of attatchment and moreover, a professionals' help. In Japan, there are always professionals who dress brides for the wedding. Brides wear wig and tsunokakushi, a decorative head gear and need a lot of cords, pads and obi aid to make the whole attire. That is one of the reasosns that the number of brides who wear uchikake at the wedding are getting less and less.
To enjoy the magnificent beauty of uchikake, it will be excellent to display. It will also look wonderful as a highly decorative robe for a ceremony.

Here is the example of wearing uchikake without any professional's help. Our friend Memi is wearing uchikake in a very simple way.
She is wearing a white kimono, kakeshita with black obi and uchikake over it.

4. How do I tie obi?

There are hundreds of ways of tyeing obi, and most Japanese women can only tie one or two basic bows only, unless they go to classes to learn various ways to make difficult shapes. There is a license to be a professional kimono dresser who can teach this art or work in the wedding halls to dress brides.
However, to tie obi for yourself, we recommend hanhaba, half-width obi highly. You can made a simple, but lovely bow in front and slide it to the back.
Here is the most simple bow called 'Bunko'.

Wear kimono with the left side on top of right. If kimono is too long, fold at the waist to adjust to your height. (To have the folding part is the way to wear kimono.Tie your waist with a soft cord. (That cord does not show, but to keep the kimono in shape.

1) Take one end of obi and put it on your right shoulder, draping the end to reach your stomach.

2)Take the longer end from the left from the back and wrap around your waist twice.

3)Put off the shorter end on your right shoulder to the back and bring it from right under arm, folding into half gradually.

4)Tie a knot at the front and leave the shorter end upward.

5)Fold the longer end into 10-11" width to make the bow(the number of layers may differ according to the length left).

6)Place it at the front, use the shorter end to make the center of the bow.

7)Tuck the end between the obi and kimono and pull it from underneath so that the bow can stand out.

8)Slide the bow to the rightward to the back.

5. How do I clean my kimono and obi?

For each kimono's textile is quite different, using variety of techniques as handpaintings, tye-dyeing, embroidering and brocade. there is no standard method of washing. In addtion, some vintage fabric is not strong enough for the machine wahing.
I try hand washing by just soaking the item alone in cleaning water and pressing it gently. Spin dry lightly and dry it by hanging at the place with no direct sunlight or in thelow heat dryer. When ironing is needed, there should be a thin fabric before iron. Some work perfectly, but some wrinkle terribly, so I don't recommend it. To get a professional help on cleaning may be the best idea.
Obi is not made to wash.