Clothing

The traditional dress of Japan is the kimono (kee-moh-noh). Kimonos, which are generally made of silk, have large sleeves and reach from the shoulders all the way down to the heels, and are tied together with a wide belt. Kimonos are now usually worn only on special occasions, such as festivals, weddings, and graduation ceremonies.

In the business world, formal attire is a must – usually a dark suit of some form. In school, uniforms are worn at the Junior and High School levels. In everyday life, people tend to prefer clothing such as t-shirts, jeans, polo shirts, and sweat suits – that is, clothing much like you see in the U.S.

Slippers

Shoes are not worn inside the home – shoes are taken off when entering. This is due to a Japanese emphasis on cleanliness – not wanting to bring outside dirt into the home. Moreover, different slippers are worn for the toilet, yet again making a distinction between clean and dirty areas of the home. The wearing of slippers takes place in many areas outside the home as well, most notably in schools, shrines, some restaurants, etc. This seems to be consistent with ideas of cleanliness that permeate throughout much of Japan.

Partial Information Gathered From:

Explore Japan

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2004