Kimono Style | One of Tokyo's Biggest Events Returns with More Styles for Men

Kimono Salone was held on October 26 and 27 at Tokyo Kokusai Forum. This annual event and attracts kimono makers and other craft makers from around Japan. 

Over two days, about ten thousand kimono fans visit the event, making it one of the largest and most important kimono events on the calendar. This year, 109 booths showcased the work of artisans, and entertainment from the main stage was also provided. I asked the organizers what was new or special about this year's event. 

New Additions

There is usually a booth where one can take a photo in kimono free of charge. This year, they added a dressing corner, so that if you came not dressed in kimono, you could borrow one for walking around the event. 

There was also a book corner, where visitors could browse the latest editions of kimono magazines and new kimono book releases. To get people to spend more time at the event, there was a small cake stand and seats where one could take a break. This was very welcome as walking around and finding out about the offerings from so many makers can be exhausting.

Kimonoists of the Year

Kimono designer Jotaro Saito displayed photographs of his 2024 Kimonoists. These are people involved in sports or media who he has selected as representatives of modern kimono. Each Kimonoist receives his award and is styled by him in kimono and obi.

This is done as a group project with several other makers. Jotaro and other makers' fashion shows are always a highlight and watched by several hundred people. 

Over the weekend, the stage was also given to Ryotasu, a popular DJ who regularly wears Jotaro's kimono. Madame Yulia and Sankaku Kimono also appeared on stage. Both have recently published books on the garment. 

Sankaku demonstrated an easy way to wear kimono on top of Western clothing, which she does regularly on her popular Instagram channel. Her book is extremely popular with younger kimono wearers.

From Tradition to Innovation

As always, I spent a lot of time going around the booths and talking to the makers. It is a unique opportunity to hear so many artisans explain their work. 

Of course, they are all filled with passion for what they do, and it is always an uplifting experience. The booths go from very traditional types of weaving, silk and other fibres, to those who are on the cutting edge and are making new or hybrid materials and goods.

Kimono Benriya Toshinobow had a delightful display of Aizu cotton from Fukushima which is a famous cotton stripe. Some of these have been made even more interesting by having a sarasa design stencilled on top. 

There are only two small workshops left in Fukushima making this fabric, and the price is very reasonable. It was exciting to see an interesting new take on this traditional fabric that would not burn a hole in one's purse. 

Okayama denim was also on display. There was also a fabric that was a mixture of silk and denim which made a lighter, softer, washable kimono. 

Special Fibres

At the other extreme, Yushisha, a small family business from Tango weaves the increasingly rare and very valuable wisteria fibre. Harvesting the fibre involves climbing into the hilly woods and searching for the wisteria stems that are just the right age and not too curly. 

The process of turning the raw material into fibres for weaving into the weft of the obi is long and arduous, and only a small amount can be harvested each year. The pattern of the lifecycle of a wisteria, actually woven into the obi was incredibly beautiful. 

The back of the obi was patterned with the phases of the moon, emphasizing the life cycle theme of the front. This tough fibre, when mixed with silk, produces a truly elegant impression. 

Ramie and ra, very fine fabrics, were being woven on sight, and at Fujioka Kumihimo, the weaving of braids was being demonstrated.

Kimono is not only about a variety of weaving techniques. Amazing dyeing was on display, too. Some no Sato displayed colorful sarasa stencil dyeing from workshops in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo. Kimono Awawa participated for the first time with indigo dyeing from Tokushima. Arimatsu was represented by its famous shibori (tie-dyeing). 

International Influences on Display

Not only had brands come from all around Japan, but there was even work from overseas. Kimono has always absorbed influences from around the world. Uzbek Crafts were showing ikats with Suzani embroidery on them. These have been made into beautiful and very colorful obi which are becoming increasingly popular. 

There was also a small booth of the Palestine Embroidery Project which sold obi and collars with embroidery made with cross stitch created by Palestinian women. Buying an obi or collar is a beautiful way to support them.

Seasonal Trends

The Rumi Rock stall was in full Halloween mode, and several kimono wearers I saw also incorporated the theme into their kimono outfits. Halloween brings additional patterns to the season kimono calendar, and the Rumi Rock store displayed their new tenugui (hand towels) for 2025, the year of the snake.

Encompassing different aspects of the snake, one shows two of them entwined around Hermes staff, a symbol associated with the medical profession. The other one is based on the Garden of Eden and shows a more sinister aspect of snakes.

I haven't even mentioned the wide variety of accessories that were available. There were beautifully made bags, obiage and obijime which sparkle, silk sanada himo braids from Kyoto, and hair accessories in all kinds of materials, patterns, and colors.

As for trends, I noticed that there were several shops with various versions of leather belt obi. Sanyuka combined leather with obi fabric panels at the back, and Fujipetaco had a version with indigo tie-dye deerskin. Onyou's version was in tooled leather and if desired, contrasting stitching. This one had a punk vibe which I like. 

Sea creatures also seemed to be very visible. I saw octopus, goldfish, whales and other water animals in abundance. 

Men's Growing Presence in Kimono Fashion

I am also very happy to report that the number of men wearing kimono has certainly increased from 2023, both on the sellers' side and among the punters. They are also getting far more colorful than they used to be. It is really great to see men venture into the world of color and pattern. I was able to get permission to photograph a few! 

I also spotted quite a few non-Japanese visitors enjoying the booths, and several of them were wearing kimono, too. I left feeling invigorated and happy that the garment is very popular and continues to develop in new and interesting ways in 2024. 

My purse was also considerably lighter when I left, as I could not resist this circuit board obi, by the Hibaco group of weavers from Kyoto. How is that for cool?

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Author: Sheila Cliffe

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