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What It Is
Hakama is a
type of traditional Japanese clothing similar to a spacious, pleated skirt.
Hakama has seven pleats, two on the back and five on the front. These pleats
correspond to the seven fundamental samurai virtues. The historical
formal outfit would consist of a proper kimono, hakama, and a sleeveless
jacket with exaggerated shoulders called a kataginu. Historically hakama was
a samurai and court-men dress. Thus, only men had privilege to wear it. This
has changed, and now both men and women can dress in it. In many styles of
aikido, hakama use is reserved for shodans and above, while some permit all or female
practitioners to
wear a hakama regardless of rank.
Types
There is
umanori – a divided "horse-riding" hakama.
There is also a gyoto hakama -- an undivided one.
Both types are identical in outside appearance.
Field or forest workers traditionally wore the third type. It was freer in
the waist and slimmer in the legs.
In place of hakama, a very long hakama, called naga-bakama, was a required
dress for samurai visiting the shogun at court. It is very similar to
regular hakama, although its remarkable length in the front and in the back,
forming a train that was one or two feet long, hindered the capacity of a
free walk, thus aiding in avoidance of a sudden assault or assassination
attempt. Naga-bakama are now only worn in theatrical performances,
particularly noh plays.
How to Wear Hakama
Men,
Women
Men wear the hakama slightly below the waist. They are
typically made of black and white, or black and grey, stiff and striped
silk. They are accompanied by black montsuki kimono – with one,
three, or five family crests on the back, chest, and shoulders, by white
tabi – divided-toe socks, as well as by white under-kimono and woven
straw sandals. In colder weather, a montsuki haori – a long jacket,
together with a white haori-himo would complete the outfit.
Yukata – a weightless cotton kimono commonly used for relaxing,
sleeping, festival or summer outings is the only kimono over which, one
cannot wear a hakama.
Black, grey, or white striped hakama, as a rule, accompany a formal kimono.
When stripes are in other colors, they can be worn with a less formal wear.
The same goes for solid or gradated colors.
Historically, hakama was a mandatory piece of men's clothing. Today, they
wear hakama purely during exceptionally for traditional, official reasons,
tea ceremonies, weddings, and funerals.
Hakama is a part of wardrobe of many martial artists. Kendo, iaido, aikido,
and kyudo are all arts that carry this tradition. Sumo-wrestlers, do not
dress in hakama while practicing their art. Whenever they appear in public
though, they are expected to honor traditional Japanese dress code. This of
course involves hakama.
Men may tie the hakama in many ways.
1. Tie the obi in a special knot at the rear.
2. Starting with the front, bring the ties around the waist and cross over
the top of the knot of the obi.
3. Bring the ties to the front and cross below the waist, then tie at the
back, under the knot of the obi.
4. Tuck the toggle behind the obi, adjust the stiff board, and bring the
rear ties to the front and tie them.
The most formal method results in a knot that resembles two bow-ties in a
cross shape.
Women's hakama diverge from men's on many levels, going
far beyond the design of the fabric and method of tying.
Except as part of martial arts wear and graduation ceremonies, women rarely
wear hakama. It is rare for women to wear hakama at a tea ceremony.
Women's hakama usually consist of single-color or gradated fabric. They wear
it at their true waist accompanied by men's obi.
Women's hakama is tied in a less convoluted knot or bow.
1. Bring the front ties first to the back, then to the front,
2. Tie in a knot at the back.
3. Then bring around the back himo to the front
4. Now, they may be tied with a bow at the left hip, in front of the
opening, with the ends at equal lengths.
5. For more secure fastening, wrap the ties may once at center front, then
tie them inside at the back.
Folding
As with other
traditional Japanese clothing, proper folding and upkeep of hakama is
imperative to avert destruction, as well as to extension of its longevity.
This applies above all to the silk gourmets. Hakama has numerous pleats.
Through time and usage, they tend to lose their creases. Re-creasing of the
hakama in extreme cases may entail hiring a professional.
To add to the problem, many see proper folding of hakama as
challenging and hard to learn. Hakama’s pleats and its long ties need to be
carefully smoothed and assembled, before one ties them in detailed patterns.
In aikido, as in many other martial arts, hakama folding is a vital piece of
the etiquette routine.
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