Seasonal wardrobe change in Japan
Seasonal wardrobe change (衣替え, koromogae, garments change) in Japan refers to the changing of one’s attire in accordance with the season. It also refers to changing the storage location of clothes for this purpose.
Overview
In a narrow sense, seasonal wardrobe change refers to swapping student or company uniforms (e.g., summer or winter clothes), matching the change in seasons. In most regions in Japan, everyone would carry out this change all at once on July 1 and October 1 each year. Usually, people take about two weeks to a month as a transition period to change their wardrobe.
Wardrobe change is not mandatory but rather a Japanese cultural practice. However, to express a sense of unity, many schools enforce a mandatory uniform change after the grace period concludes.
Regional differences in wardrobe-change timing
As mentioned above, the majority of regions perform wardrobe changes on June 1 and October 1, but the relatively colder Hokkaido region changes on June 15 (half a month later) and September 15th (half a month earlier). People of the Izumo region traditionally consider the time of the Suzumidono Festival, held at the Izumo-Taisha shrine around the beginning of June, as the time of seasonal wardrobe change.[1] Moreover, in the warmer climate regions like Ryukyu Islands, wardrobe reorganization occurs on May 1 and November 1, extending the time of wearing summer and non-winter clothes by two months longer compared to that of Japan’s mainland. In middle and high schools, new students may also begin wearing summer uniforms after school commences in April.
Seasonal wardrobe change in different professions
In the public sector, this is the case for police officers and firefighters who work outside the office, and in the private sector, this is also the case for major transportation companies and offices.
History
From ancient times to the Middle Ages
The custom of seasonal change of wardrobe started as an imperial court event during the Heian period (794-1185). Following the Chinese custom, changing between summer and winter clothes took place on April 1 and October 1 of the lunar calendar,[2] and this was called kōi (更衣),[3] meaning “change of clothes.”
However, the title for the imperial lady-in-waiting who helped the emperor change clothes was also called kōi, and later, this title was used to indicate the court lady that seconds the nyōgo (女御), who served in the emperor’s bedchamber. Therefore, the general public did not use the word kōi and instead used the word koromo-gae.
In addition to clothes, court ladys’ hand-held fans were also switched seasonally, from wooden fans during winter to paper and bamboo fans during summer. During the Kamakura period (the late 12th century-1333), the practice of changing items extended beyond clothing to include furnishings.
Edo Period (1603-1868)
In the Edo period, the variety of kimonos increased, and the Edo shogunate officially institutionalized the requirement to change clothes four times a year.
Samurai clothing was awase (袷), a lined kimono, from April 1 to May 4, katabira (帷子), an unlined single-fabric kimono, from May 5 through August, awase once again from September 1 to 8, and wataire (綿入れ), a cotton-filled quilted kimono, from September 9 to the end of March of the following year, to which the general populace followed suit.
Meiji Period (1868-1912)
During the Meiji Period, the government introduced Western-style uniforms for government officials, military personnel, and police officers. It also established the time when one should change into summer or winter uniforms.
On January 1 of 1873, the Gregorian calendar was adopted, and summer clothing started to be worn from June 1 to September 30, and winter clothing from October 1 to May 31 of the following year. Before long, this practice became established as the norm for the general public, government offices, businesses, and schools, which began changing their uniforms on the first days of June and October.
References
- Izumo Oyashiro-kyo Shinto Young Persons’ Association "Great God of Marriage and Ourselves". 1978. p. 70.
- Nishitsunoi, Masayoshi, ed. (1958). Encyclopedia of Annual Events. Tokyo: Tokyodo. p. 320.
- "Koromogae was once called kōi". NEWS ONLINE. Nippon Broadcasting System. June 3, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2020.