Heian Kimono that has the Celestial look

 we'd like to introduce two outfits that are especially suitable for early summer and the hotter months:

Sukashi-ori no Hitoe (透かし織り単衣): A very thin, lightweight garment with a delicate, almost heavenly appearance.

Kōchigi (小袿): An elegant and graceful traditional outer robe.

 Understanding the Different Parts of Traditional Clothing

For beautiful, refreshing colors perfect for traditional dance performances, and lightweight, sheer hitoe garments, you can leave it to Gagaku Kikuri!

The  kōchigi outfit featured in this article consists of four pieces:

Kōchigi (小袿): The white outer robe worn over the other garments. It is the top layer in the photograph.

Hitoe (単衣): The light blue robe worn underneath the kōchigi.

Shirokosode (白小袖): A white undergarment worn beneath the hitoe. It is also called hakui (白衣).

Hibakama (緋袴): Bright red traditional trousers that extend down to the ankles.

こうちぎ）」「狩衣（かりぎぬ）

What Is a Kōchigi?

Gagaku Kikuri also makes specially tailored kōchigi for traditional dance performances. These garments can be made with wider visible sections of the inner lining (omeri) and the intermediate layer (nakabe).

A kōchigi has three main parts:

1. Outer fabric (表の生地): The main fabric is white, decorated with patterns in two colors: pale purple and cream.

2. Omeri (おめり): This is the colored inner lining, shown in light green in the photograph. Normally, about 1 cm of this lining is visible along the edge of the garment. However, this customer requested a little more, so approximately 1.5 cm was left visible.

3. Nakabe (中陪): This is an additional layer placed between the outer fabric and the inner lining. It creates a beautiful layered color effect known as Kasane no Irome (襲色目).

This traditional color combination was enjoyed by nobles and other high-ranking people in ancient Japan. By layering different colors, they created beautiful color gradients and combinations.

When people think about clothing from the Heian period, around 1,000 years ago, they usually imagine the famous jūnihitoe.

However, the jūnihitoe was actually formal clothing worn by women on special occasions. Even during the Heian period, noblewomen, especially those of high status, often wore simpler uchiki robes as their everyday indoor clothing.

There are several interpretations of what exactly a kōchigi is.

One explanation is that it is a slightly smaller version of an uchiki, worn over another uchiki.

In modern traditional clothing, the term kōchigi is also used for a robe with an additional nakabe layer, which creates the beautiful layered color effect known as Kasane no Irome.

 What Is a Sheer-Woven Hitoe?

 its Sukashi-ori Hitoe, a lightweight and comfortable garment made from sheer fabrics such as:

Ro (絽): A lightweight, loosely woven fabric with small open spaces in the weave.

Sha (紗): A very sheer, breathable fabric that allows air to pass through.

These fabrics make the hitoe light, airy, and comfortable to wear.

Summer was hot even during the Heian period!

During the hot summer months, noblewomen wore these sheer hitoe garments with long hakama trousers to stay as cool and comfortable as possible.

It makes sense that they wanted clothing that was as light and breathable as possible!

Today, these lightweight garments are not just useful in summer. Their comfortable fit, ease of movement, and lovely pastel colors make them enjoyable to wear throughout the year.