Information Pages
1 About Kimonos
2 Japanese Womenswear
3 Japanese Menswear
4 Further Kimono Information
5 Wearing and Folding Women's Japanese Garments - Including Video
6 Types of Women's Kimono. Geisha & Maiko
7 Japanese Eras (Periods)
8 Uses for Japanese Kimono Fabrics
9 Shibori and Tsujigahana Patterning Techniques - Including Video
10 Lots of Great Links To How To Wear Kimonos & Tie Obis
11 Types of Obi
12 Types of Kimonos - Picture Reference
13 How to fold an Origami Kimono - Picture Reference

There is also a lot of information on my Wafuku blog. This link opens in a new window, leaving this window open

I also have furoshiki tying instructions here

You can see photos of the kimono that started wafuku.co.uk here

Examples of different types of kimonos

Tomesode
Pattern only at the bottom, plus mon (crests) on the sleeves and shoulders, making it a formal kimono. If it was any colour other than black, it would becalled an iro-tomesode







Kuro Tomesode
As above but with no pattern other than the formal mon. A plain black one is a kuro tomesode, any plain colour other than black is called is a hitotsu mon







Hitotsu Mon & Iro Muji
Both of these types of kimonos may have a patterned texture in the weave but all are self coloured.
Hitotsu mon are plain, self coloured kimonos, with one mon (crest) on the centre back of the shoulders. The mon makes it slightly formal.
An iro muji is a less formal kimono than the hitotsu mon. It is a plain, self coloured kimono with no mon (crests). The iro muji is used for various purposes between formal and casual and, for that reason, is regarded as the basic kimono that one often wears as one's first adult kimono







Tsukesage
Pattern at the bottom and on one sleeve, sometimes one shoulder too







Kakeshita
A bride's, wedding kimono, with a tiny touch of padding at the hem, as it trails slightly and the padding helps it lie properly. This is the last time she will wear a furisode kimono







Uchikake
An incredibly heavy, sumptuous kimono, worn rather like a coat, by a bride. It is worn trailing on the ground and, when she walks, the hem is held up by the bridesmaids. It is worn over a kimono and the uchikake is not worn with an obi on it







Furisode
Furisode means 'swinging sleeves'. Furisode kimonos have exceedingly deep sleeves and are only worn by young, unmarried women. Older women and married ones never wear such deep sleeves. At her wedding ceremony, the traditionally dressed Japanese bride changes from her bridal furisode, th last furisode style kimono she will ever wear, into another kimono, with much less deep sleeves. They are worn on special occasions. A slightly shorter sleeved version called a ko furisode (sometimes spelled co furisode) is worn by young, unmarried women too and is considered less formal







Komon
A komon kimono. Komon have an all over repeat pattern and are known as townwear, that is, an everyday wear kimono







Houmongi
A houmongi, sometimes spelled homongi, has a pattern around the hem that also sweeps up over the kimono and is usually on both sleeves. The pattern continues over the seams. Houmongi means visiting dress.







Katamigawari
Katamigawari means half and half. This kimono is an odori one. Odori means dance, so this is a traditional Japanese dancer's kimono







Hikizuri
This is a hikizuri kimono. It is worn for traditional dance, often by geisha, and the padded hem allows it to lie nicely, as it is worn trailing and delicately kicked round as she turns







Juban
A juban kimono, full name is naga-juban. A juban is an underwear kimono, worn under the outer kimono. Only the very edge of the collar is seen, at the edge of the outer kimono's collar, and the bottom of the juban, when the outer kimono is held up when walking. It is much shorter than an outer kimono, as it is not worn with the big fold over at the waist that outer ones are worn with







Han-Juban & Susoyke
A han-juban is a short kimono top worn as underwear, usually along with a susoyoke, a wrap skirt, both worn under the juban kimono







Montuki
Sometimes spelled montsuki. A formal, man's kimono, unpatterned and usually black but not always. It has from 1 to 5 mon (crests) and the more mon, the more formal it is and the more formal occasion it may be worn to. If it has just 1 mon, it will be at the centre back of the shoulders, if 3 mon, they will be centre back and on the back of the sleeves and if it has 5 mon, there will be one on the front and back of each sleeve and one at centre back. Note: mon is crest, kamon is family crest







Yukata
A cotton, unlined kimono, worn at festivals in summer and as a robe at home







Haori
A kimono jacket, worn over a kimono (also nice with western-world clothes). It is not worn with a sash. It can be closed, edge to edge, with a himo; a pair of front ties that are fastened to the inner edge







Michiyuki
A square necked kimono jacket, worn over a kimono (also nice over western-world clothes). It is not worn with a sash. Usually with press studs to hold it closed







Ama
A square necked, kimono coat, worn over a kimono (also nice over western-world clothes), usually to help keep it dry during rain. It is not worn with a sash







Hanten
A hanten is a jacket, usually cotton, worn as work livery and at festivals







Diagram of full outfit and its parts