What is the Hakama? for men

Even after the era of Samurai, the formal style of men has not changed the code of wearing hakama on kimonos with family crests. But currently, are there many people who wear it for the first time (and only once) at a wedding? We have picked up photos of wedding couples for the last 100 years from various books as below. Compared to the change in the appearance of the bride, the appearance of men’s haori and hakama has not changed so much. At weddings, the groom is a supporting role.

The next photo of the magazine would be the formal dress of a relative’s uncle and aunt rather than a bride and groom’s parents. However, such fashion is rarely seen now.

from “Bessatsu Utsukushii Kimono Hajimete no Tomesode”,Fujingahosha,1993

However, men who love kimono may wear more casual hakama. The following photo is a scrap from the luxury kimono magazine “Utsukushii Kimono(Beautiful Kimono)“. In this way, You can enjoy color combinations.

At First, basic knowledge. There are two types of men’s Hakama: a skirt-type Andon type (left photo) and a trouser-type Umanori type (right photo). Umanori means “to ride a horse”. In order for a samurai to ride a horse, it must be split into two parts.

The officer samurai fights with a sword and a bow and arrow while riding a horse. However, at the end of the era of civil war, bow and arrow techniques became almost training. Bow and arrow on a horse is sometimes performed at shrines or other event.

Let’s watch a video of such an event that is held in October at Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto. This ritual is performed by participants from the Takeda-ryu school of mounted archery.

It is wonderful. You will need a lot of training. Now, how to wear Hakama.

How do I choose the size of Hakama?

Standard length from cord knot to ankle is as follows.
height 166-170cm ; 91cm
height 171-175cm ; 93cm
height 176-180cm ; 95cm

This is the concept of authentic wearing to match kimonos and Japanese sandals, and it may be shorter if worn with western leather shoes or boots or layered with pants.

We hope you to wear hakama in your own style. We would like to introduce the male model Hakama Fashion from the trailer video for the exhibition “Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk” (2020)at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He wears a hakama with a T-shirt and wears long kimono and nagajuban on top of it. The shoes probably be leather boots. It is cool.

kumiko
こんにちわ! I am a lecturer on flower arrangements. I play "koto" or traditional Japanese stringed musical instruments and entertain the tea ceremony. I love "okonomiyaki" or Japanese savory pancakes which are soul foods of Hiroshima.