A yukata (浴衣) is a light cotton robe without a lining, tied at the waist with a sash. People in Japan wear it through the hot summer months. At first glance it looks a lot like a kimono. But it is easier to put on, much cooler to wear and far less formal. It is more a relaxed summer outfit than dress for a special occasion.
From bathhouse robe to festival outfit
The name reveals where the yukata came from. Yu means "hot water." The robe began as something to wear in and after a bath. First people wore it in old-style steam baths. Later it became a light robe for relaxing at home or at a hot-spring inn. Cotton breathes well and dries fast, so the yukata suited the humid summer long before it became festival wear. Over time it moved outdoors. Today people link it with summer festivals, fireworks shows and cool evening walks, not with the bath that gave it its name.
A summer uniform for everyone
At a summer festival, you see yukata everywhere. Women wear bold floral or geometric patterns, and men wear quieter stripes or checks. Everyone wears wooden sandals called geta, which click on the pavement with every step. A yukata takes far less skill to put on than a full kimono. There are no complicated under-layers and no long lessons in folding. You need just the robe, a sash and a little practice with the knot. Every summer, convenience stores sell cheap yukata sets and simple sandals. Rental shops near festival grounds let visitors wear one for a single evening.
Words & idioms to take away
Idioms & proverbs to carry away
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帯 (obi): the sash around the waist that holds a yukata or kimono closed. On a yukata it is simpler and narrower than on a formal kimono.
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下駄 (geta): wooden sandals on raised blocks, the traditional footwear with a yukata.