What do black kimonos mean?
Black Kimono Worn at the Funeral
For the mourning garment (喪服 mof*cku) worn at the funeral, a plain black kimono is preferred, and tied with a black obi as well. Kimonos with five family crests are said to be the most prestigious. Bereaved family wear this at funeral.
Believed to live for a thousand years and to inhabit the land of the immortals, the Kimono is a symbol of longevity and good fortune. Specific motifs are used to indicate virtues or attributes of the wearer, or relate to the season or occasion such as weddings and festivals where it bestows good fortune on the wearer.
1 : a long robe with wide sleeves traditionally worn with a broad sash as an outer garment by the Japanese. 2 : a loose dressing gown or jacket.
If you think about it it's not difficult to keep your kimono in touch with the seasons. For autumn, leaves and colors such as brown, red and dark green are very fitting. For winter darker colors such as red and black, spring brings to mind pink and flowers and summer needs bright colors such as blue and yellow.
Black in Japanese Culture
Another important traditional Japanese color is black. Black is commonly associated with formality (or formal events), elegance, and mourning. It may also represent unhappiness, fear, evil, bad luck, or misfortune.
Black (Kuro)
It also represents evil and destruction, as Japanese often describes (same as the West), evil people have a “black heart”. Especially when used alone, black represents mourning, and is often worn to funerals.
To get straight to the point: As long as a kimono is worn out of respect and appreciation of the Japanese culture, it's perfectly fine to wear a kimono as a foreigner.
In the west, the Japanese men kimono is also called "Kimono Robe Men" or "men's Japanese kimono robe". When compared with the gara/pattern of women kimonos, Men's kimonos are as varied and colorful as their wearers.
White Kimono Worn at the Wedding Ceremony
"White" has the meaning of "purity" and "ready to be dyed in the customs of the house one wedded to". Therefore, at the wedding, the bride wears a kimono called Shiromuku (白無垢 stain-less white).
You can wear the kimono while you're in Japan, but not outside (or to non-Japanese events) because that would be disrespectful”
What does a purple kimono mean?
Koki-murasaki (Purple)
It was reserved for the kimonos worn by Japan's highest-ranking individuals and denied to lower classes.
The haori (羽織) is a traditional Japanese hip- or thigh-length jacket worn over a kimono. Resembling a shortened kimono with no overlapping front panels (okumi), the haori typically features a thinner collar than that of a kimono, and is sewn with the addition of two thin, triangular panels at either side seam.
Kimono color meanings
Japanese kimono colors denote different meanings but it is the color of the Obi that is especially important. So if you see a woman wearing black or white kimono or a man wearing a black suit with a black tie, it does not necessarily mean they are attending a funeral.
When paired with your favourite pair of jeans, this outfit can create a personal style that is timeless yet on-trend. A combination of old and new, kimonos pair beautifully with a ton of outfits, especially jeans.
Black Means Death in Japan, Avoid Black Clothes
In Japan, the color white is attributed to happiness and good times. Death is a time of mourning and so people must dress in the color of depression, black. Men usually wear a black suit with a black tie (dress shirt is usually white).
Black. The colour – or rather adsense of colour– black is often linked with negative associations, such as death, fear or sadness, according to the Journal of international Colour Association (opens in new tab).
In fact, as far as fabrics are concerned, red is considered in Japan as the happiest color you can get.
To get straight to the point: As long as a kimono is worn out of respect and appreciation of the Japanese culture, it's perfectly fine to wear a kimono as a foreigner.
“o*k, fine. You can wear the kimono while you're in Japan, but not outside (or to non-Japanese events) because that would be disrespectful”
Blue is also one of the most important lucky colors in Japan with the others in the category being yellow, white, purple, green and, red.
Is it OK to wear red in Japan?
In fact, as far as fabrics are concerned, red is considered in Japan as the happiest color you can get.
There are no rules about when you can and can't wear a kimono. Don't forget kimono were still worn daily in Japan by most people just a few decades ago, so kimono are really just normal clothing.
Both men and women wear kimono. They can be worn year-round and have different seasonal styles – unlined in summer, lined in autumn and spring, and padded in winter. There are also different types of kimono depending on the occasion as well as the wearer's social status.
If you are traveling to Japan on business then a formal, conservative trouser or knee-length skirt-suit worn with tights in dark colors works well, but do avoid an all-black look – this is associated with funerals. Also, avoid revealing or sleeveless blouses. Japanese women generally do not wear nail varnish.
