A Study about Perceptions of Kimono among College Students and Kimono Enthusiasts: Is It Difficult to Move in a Kimono?

TL;DR

A survey found that college students find kimonos hard to move in, but enthusiasts see them as comfortable and casual, suggesting experience changes perceptions.

Contribution

The study reveals how experience with kimonos influences perceptions of their ease of movement and suitability for daily wear.

Findings

College students found kimonos difficult to move in, while enthusiasts found them easier and more adaptable.

Enthusiasts rated Western-style clothes as less easy to wear compared to students, especially with longer experience.

Enthusiasts viewed kimonos as suitable for daily wear, not just formal events.

Abstract

Kimono is being reevaluated for its sustainability aspects, such as having fewer offcuts in the production process due to its structural differences from Western-style clothes and its high reusability due to the adaptability to individuals’ body shapes. On the other hand, once a common attire for daily wear in Japan, kimono has transitioned to being worn only on special events and the kimono-related industry has also shrunk. To stimulate demand for kimono, it is essential to familiarize younger generations with its potential as daily wear.

A questionnaire survey on perceptions of kimono was conducted among two groups in Japan: 211 college students and 50 kimono enthusiasts. The questionnaire included demographic questions and psychometric scales, primarily focusing on their kimono experiences, challenges associated with wearing kimono, their perceptions of kimono and Western-style clothes, and their attitudes towards kimono.

The results revealed that a majority of students had worn kimono before, though they found it difficult to move while wearing it. In contrast, kimono enthusiasts evaluated it as easier to move, hard to become disheveled, and casual. They also rated the ease of wearing Western-style clothes lower compared to students, and this tendency intensified with the length of enthusiast experience. Furthermore, the findings indicated that enthusiasts regarded the kimono more as daily wear compared to students, while still deriving enjoyment from it as formal attire in special events.

These results suggest that the cognition that Western-style clothes are easy to move and kimono is not may change with experiences. Therefore, providing opportunities for people in Japan to acquire how to wear kimono in comfortable ways possibly impacts their perceptions of kimono.

Figures