• A young girl wears a traditional Japanese yukata.girl in kimono at tea house image by TMLP from Fotolia.com
  
  While suits and other forms of Western fashion are ubiquitous in Japan, most people also wear some of the more traditional styles of Japanese clothing. For example, you often will see people wearing traditional Japanese clothing at weddings or funerals, graduations and even for the summer fireworks festivals--hanabi. You can learn about some of the different styles of Japanese clothing and--if you dare--try some of them yourself.
  
  

Kimono

• The kimono is perhaps the most well-known form of Japanese clothing, but there are many variations. You wear a kimono like you would wear a bathrobe, tying it first with strings, then affixing a wide belt--an obi--around it. Men's obi are thinner than women's obi. A furisode is a kimono that unmarried women can wear. It has long arms that hang down--they would almost touch the floor if you held your arms out. Yukata is a summer kimono, which is worn by both men and women. Yukata are made from light cotton fabric, so they are cool.
  
  

Fundoshi

• Fundoshi is an old style of Japanese men's underwear. It is a long piece of fabric that a man twists around his waist, then covers the penis and brings it up in the back. The back is thong-style, with visible buttocks. Most men do not wear this style of underwear every day, but you might see men wearing it with happi coats during certain festivals.
  
  

Happi

• Happi are short jackets that tie shut and have straight sleeves. On the back, there is an image of a crest. Traditionally, the crest would be the family crest--always in a circular shape--but nowadays, happi can feature the crest of a store and act as a uniform for workers.
  
  

Jinbei

• Jinbei are summer clothes. Both adults and children wear them around the house, but you sometimes will see children wearing them in public. Jinbei consist of matching shirt and shorts made of light cotton. The shirt has short sleeves and ties at the side.
  
  

Hakama

• The hakama looks like a skirt that you wear over a kimono. Men and women both wear them and you often will see graduating high school students wearing them for the ceremony. Hakama have two straps that tie around the back and two that tie around the front.
  
  

Hanten

• A hanten is a short, warm jacket that you might wear around the home in winter. It often is quilted, with a thick layer of batting on the inside. Traditionally, Japanese homes do not have central heating. Family members rely on a heated coffee table and carpet to keep them warm, while the hanten keeps the upper body warm.