There is the proverb of which the essence is that people are encountered by their dress. My impression that ‘kimono’ had been left in the Edo era wasn’t true. This discovery fascinated me on my first visit to Japan as I met people of all ages dressed in kimono!
I can’t say that kimono is casual wear as most of the people are dressed in western style – classic suits for work, uniforms for school, sportswear for trips. In Tokyo people wearing kimono are mostly spied on their way to wedding ceremonies at shrines, but if you head to Kyoto you can see a lot of people in traditional kimono or yukata (a light weight and casual version of traditional dress) in late spring and summer. My Japanese friend has explained to me that kimono is very expensive and not easy to put on without the help of an expert.
In Tokyo, besides all kinds of people in casual wear, I observed young people in interesting and unusual fashions on the streets quite often. Youth fashion is widely represented in Shibuya, Tokyo Dome City and on Takeshita Street. Of course, you can try on or buy kimono or fashionable outfits in Japan!
