Anthropology

Anthropology
 Japanese culture is rich and diverse, dating back to 10,000BC when the Jomon people first settled in Japan. It is widely known for its traditional arts as well as its contemporary pop culture. Today in Japan it is still possible to see kimono-clad women shuffling down the street with umbrellas overhead, or oversized sumo wrestlers battling it out the ring. A sophisticated cuisine, unique social customs, and refined performing and visual arts also contribute to a culture which has become attractive, and sometimes fashionable, to many foreigners.  []

 The Japanese have a rich history of their own unique cultural fashion. Traditional Japanese clothing includes many different types; fundoshis, furisodes, hakamas, hantens, happis, jinbeits, gūnihitoes, kimonos, obi (sashes), samues, sokutais, tomesodes, uwagis, and yukatas. These garments are made to suit the seasons in which they are worn. Clothing that has rustic hues and patterns, such as those that feature russet leaves, are preferred for autumn wear. However, floral designs, such as those that feature cherry blossoms, and more vibrant colors are more common during the spring time. For winter, people who are dressed in kimonos like to wear darker fabric and more layers. Sometimes, people may wear ten layers of clothing. One of the most popular garments of traditional Japanese clothing is the kimono, which is worn by both men and women. Unlike the kimono that is worn by women, men's kimonos are much simpler and usually include only five pieces, not counting footwear. A few inches of the sleeves are left unattached at the bottom of the sleeves. The sleeves are also not nearly as deep as the sleeves of the women's kimonos. This is to make room for the obi that goes around the man's waist directly underneath the sleeves. On the woman's kimono, sleeves are able to hang on top of the obi and not interfere. []