Uchiginu (打衣)

Uchiginu is one kimono of many kimonos forming juni-hitoe (twelve-layered ceremonial kimono).

The name 'uchiginu (beaten clothes)' originates from the process of beating materials on kinuta (wooden or stone board especially used at this process) to increase its gross. Later that process was considered very troublesome, so the technique of 'itahiki' was introduced (craftsmen put a lot of paste on the material, stick it to a lacquered board to dry it, and when it hardened like a board, peel it off; after the whole process finished, craftsmen cut the material to make clothes). However, uchiginu made by 'itahiki' was still considered very luxury, so at the accession ceremony of Emperor Showa of 1928 when the juni-hitoe was prepared, the uchiginu was made of plain materials; since then uchiginu have been made of plain materials until the present.

Originally uchiginu was to adjust the shape of juni-hitoe, so its size was a little smaller than hitoe (a single layer of kimono) and uchigi (ordinary kimono).

[Original Japanese]