浴衣
Yukata
浴衣は入浴時に着用する麻地の着物を起源とし、19世紀頃には暑い季節に家の中・外を問わず着用されるようになりました。現在では木綿地の単の着物を指し、6月から9月にかけて普段着として着用されています。シンプルな色合いのものが多く、白または紺地に花模様や幾何学模様が型染めされたものが一般的です。夏に行われる盆踊り・花火大会・縁日などには、浴衣に下駄姿で出かける人もたくさんいます。浴衣はまた寝間着としても着用され、日本の旅館やホテルにはたいてい宿泊客のために浴衣が用意されています。
The yukata is an informal kimono of unlined cotton that is for summer wear. It was originally a finely woven cotton kimono worn while bathing. Around the 19th century the yukata became summer wear that could be worn both indoors and outdoors. Today yukata refers to an unlined cotton kimono that is worn from June through September. Yukatas are ordinary clothes and usually have simple coloring such as floral or geometric patterns dyed or printed on a white or indigo blue background. In the summer many people can be seen wearing yukatas and wooden clogs at seasonal events such as Bon Festival dances, fireworks displays, and festivals at temples and shrines. As yukatas are also worn as nightclothes, most hotels in Japan including ryokan (Japanese-style hotels) and Western-style hotels provide their guests with yukatas.
下駄
Geta (wooden clogs)
下駄は浴衣を着たときに素足のまま履く木製の履物です。底の裏側に2本の歯があり、鼻緒を足の親指と人差し指の間に差し入れて履きます。素足のままで履けるため足元が涼しく、木の感触が素足に心地良く感じられます。このため、夏の履物として人気があり、多くの人に愛用されています。桐でできたものが高級品とされています。
Geta are worn without any socks. Usually people put on geta when they wear yukatas (informal summer kimonos). Each wooden clog is supported by two pieces that are attached under the sole and there is a thong on the top of the sole. This thong goes between the big toe and the other toes just like with thong type sandals. When you wear wooden clogs without socks, your feet do not get sweaty and the wood feels cool and comfortable. Wooden clogs are popular with many people for this reason. They are usually worn in the summer season. Geta made from paulownia wood are generally considered to be the highest quality geta available.
草履
Zori (Japanese sandals)
下駄が普段着の浴衣を着たときに履く履物であるのに対して、草履は着物を着たとき(正装時)に履く履物です。下駄と同様に鼻緒が付いていて、それを足の親指と人差し指の間に差し入れて履きます。下駄が素足のまま履く履物であるのに対して、草履は白足袋を履いて履きます。高価な牛皮製から安価なビニール製まで色々な素材が使われ、美しい刺繍を施した高級品もあります。昔はわら・イグサ・竹の皮で編んだ草履が日常の履物とされ、これらは特に草鞋(わらじ)と呼ばれていました。
Japanese sandals called zori are worn with formal Japanese kimonos unlike the wooden clogs called geta that are worn with yukatas. Like geta, the sandals have thongs that are put between the big toe and the other toes. Japanese sandals are worn with white Japanese socks called tabi while wooden clogs are worn without socks. Various materials ranging from expensive ox hide to relatively cheap vinyl are used for Japanese sandals. There are also deluxe beautifully embroidered sandals. Long ago sandals were made of straw, rush, and bamboo. They were called waraji and were used as daily footwear.
