Wafuku (わふく) ---- Traditional Japanese clothing

By Eos Lan

Different from Qipao, one of the traditional Chinese clothing, Wafuku still has been widely used in Japanese’ daily life. In many festivals, Japanese people will dress up with Wafuku, which usually a family will make one Wafuku in good quality as family symbol to pass on the next generation. Wafuku has various functions with different designs, which are used in distinctive situations.

Wafuku used to be called gofuku (ごふく) before the late 19th century. The name of wafuku began officially used after the Meiji Restoration (one of the most influential revolution in Japan, making Japan have a great improvement over that time).

(Traditional and formal wafuku, picture from http://jp.jiahewh.com/content/ribenchuantongwenhua/2010-01/114281.shtml)

Designs of wafuku among men and women have significant differences. Men’s wafuku prefers using simple colors, usually black, which also has fewer designs compared to women’s wafuku and focuses on comfort and convenience. However, women’s wafuku is colorful and with many accessories. Depending on different occasions, Japanese people will choose different wafuku, showing respects. For example, the wafuku wearing in weeding, formal balls, banquet or ceremony and so on differ a lot.

(wafuku worn with different positions in palace, picture from http://jp.jiahewh.com/content/ribenchuantongwenhua/2010-01/114281.shtml)

        Noways, many designers also start mixing some fashion ideas into traditional wafuku. They used more lighter cloth to made wafuku and add some details onto it, which shows how modern and classic perfectly match with each other. Also, many world-famous named-brand also choose some significant characteristic od wafuku made into fashion clothing.
(Picture from http://fashion.enorth.com.cn/system/2006/03/16/001256747.shtml)