Kimono wearing and ownership: part 1 of 2
[DIMSDRIVE Research recently performed a survey to find out what people thought about kimonos. Over one week at the end of January, they got 7,607 people, 60.4% female, from their internet monitor group to reply to the questionnaire. 1.6% of the respondents were in their teens, 19.6% in their twenties, 36.6% in their thirties, 26.2% in their forties, 11.9% in their fifties, and 4.1% sixty and over.
Note that I believe that the 浴衣 yukata and 甚平 jinbei, the cheap summer wear that resembles just a fancy dressing gown more than a formal item of clothing, is excluded from this survey; they are focusing on the posh ceremonial item here. I base this supposition on “fireworks display” or “summer festival” not being listed as answers to the question on the place that people last wore one, as at these two places one regularly sees many young people kitted out in cheap and colourful loose cotton garments.
Personally, I’ve never worn a kimono nor have any great urge to wear one, although I should compare the results of this survey with my views on kilts. I own a kilt, which I’ve worn to three weddings here in Japan, and it always goes down well with the natives. In deference to Japan, and betraying my heritage, I do wear Hello Kitty boxers underneath…
This survey will be split into two parts, published today and tomorrow.
Q1: Have you ever worn a kimono? (Sample size=7,607)
Yes 70.6% No 29.4% Looking at the breakdown by age and sex, as might be expected the older one got the more like one would have worn a kimono. Just over a third of men had worn a kimono, whilst 93.1% of women had.
Q2: When did you last wear a kimono? (Sample size=5,370)
Wedding ceremony 33.8% Coming of age ceremony 19.6% New Year 15.2% Shichi-go-san 6.8% Funeral ceremony 6.0% Just as daily wear 4.9% Learning event 3.1% At work 2.2% Other 8.4% I wonder if the Shichi-go-san answer covers attending both as a child and as a parent? I suspect so.
For women, the two major events for wearing a kimono were weddings for over a third, followed by just under a quarter wearing one for coming of age celebrations. For men, it was New Year (over two in five) followed by a quarter at weddings. Since the survey was performed at the end of January, there may perhaps be some bias due to New Year and Coming of Age Day having both occurred earlier in the same month.
Q3: Do you have a kimono (material only, not accessories, etc)? (Sample size=5,370)
Yes 70.1% No 29.9% As might be expected, the rate of ownership basically increases with age.
Q4: Can you put on a kimono? (Sample size=5,370, multiple answer)
Can dress myself 24.0% Can dress someone else 4.3% Can’t put one on at all 74.9% As might be expected, people who own kimonos were more likely to be able to dress themselves - 31.5% versus 6.5%. Similarly, 92.8% of those who didn’t own one could not dress themselves or others. I wonder if there are any people who can dress others but not themselves?
Q5: From whom (or where) did you learn to dress in a kimono? (Sample size=1,347, multiple answer)
School teacher 38.2% Parents 36.7% Grandparents 7.3% At work 7.1% Friends 3.3% Brothers or sisters 1.0% Other 5.4% Was never taught (self-taught) 13.4% Q6: How many kimonos do you have? (Sample size=3,763)
One 29.3% Two 18.2% Three 13.7% Four 4.2% Five 10.6% Six 2.7% Seven 1.8% Eight 2.2% Nine 0.3% Ten 6.9% Eleven or more 10.1% The highest number recorded was one person who said they had 1,000 kimonos!
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Christy said,
March 12, 2006 @ 19:46
This was extremely interesting to me. I’m a foreigner who has a passion for kimono–I often found that Japanese people were surprised to see me wearing kimono to shop, to go to parties, for any event, etc. This is despite the fact that I lived in a city that was famous for the production of kimono and obi–Kiryu, Gunma!
Thanks for translating this article.
Ken Y-N (Seron) said,
March 14, 2006 @ 23:17
Hi Christy,
Glad you enjoyed the survey - are you from the LiveJournal Kimono group? If so, I checked out some of the discussion you were having regards this survey, and I think I’ll post tomorrow some more detailed data that some of your members seem to be after.
You must get a lot of stares when in a kimono, but I suppose the more hen na gaijin there are, the less hen we may become!
Christy said,
March 16, 2006 @ 05:18
Hey Ken! I am, actually! I’m “catgirlmecha.” I’m really glad you found our discussion and responded to it! I’m glad that you separated the data by gender and age–it makes the statistics a lot easier to understand, in my opinion.
While living in Japan, I was definitely a hen na gaijin in my kimono. I’ve moved back to America, now–and I’m still hen na when I wear kimono!
Virginia Jenkins said,
October 11, 2006 @ 12:01
The Japanese Kimono is pure creative artwork with a real
value for fabric, sewing, and talent. The movies:” SHOGUN ” AND ” MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA ” made me value the Japanese Culture and understand their point of view of being different from Americans! I am making
Kimonos to wear at home, I love them!
Gus said,
January 2, 2007 @ 22:10
As an Australian and a gaijin, it is very odd being seen “occasionally” in kimono. I greatly appreciate the trouble you have gone in preparing this data as it very interesting. The kimono is a very peculier type of clothing that since such movies as stated by others is becoming more popular. In particular though, i’ve noticed a large more to simply wearing Haori rather than Kimono as for Westerners it appears an informal way of wearing a kimono due to its shorter and often simpler designs (please correct me if i’m wrong).
‘Haori and Kimono are great to wear all the time. ^.^
Zarola said,
March 16, 2007 @ 13:00
This is one of those times I’m glad I surfed aimlessly on the net. This survey is very helpful. I’ll probably need it in the future.
kana-chan said,
March 27, 2007 @ 06:59
Hi, I’m kana-chan. Japanese…Yorosiku ne.
I love kimono. I put on the kimono twice a week.
Because I’m practicing the Japanese dram.
I have the antique commerce permit.
Even the amateur can easily acquire it.
It can sell the vintage kimono by stocking in Japan.
I see an often short vintage kimono.
Because people of old times are short.
Perhaps, if you are a height of about 150-155cm, no problem.
Please check that the cloth in the part of hips of the kimono has thinned.
It is a part where cloths are worn out most.
However, I cannot recommend the vintage kimono.
Because as much as 50.00 USD are put out and a new kimono can be bought.
I saw the used undergarment (juban and susoyoke) of the kimono by the auction sold and was astonished.
I think that you should buy the new juban and susoyoke.
I recommend washable juban of the cotton material.
Juban of silk cannot be washed.
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