** Japanese school uniform garments






Japanese School Uniforms: Garments


Figure 1.--The boy at some schools seem to have had traditional uniforms for special occassions. We are not positice about this, but it seems to have been the case based on the photographic record. The portrait is undated, but was probably taken in the 1910s. We note that even with traditional garments the boys wear cadet-style caps. Put your cursor on the image for an enlargement.

Japanese school uniforms vary depending on age, type of school, and gender. We notice both traditional an Western clothes, depending on the chronological period. Traditional garments were commonly worn in the late-19th century after the Menji Restoration and the creation of a modern educational system. After the turn of the 20th century they became less common. They basically wear uniform garments adopted from western countries, although in some cases styles that are well over 100 years old. Many public elementary schools do not wear uniforms, but just their ordinary clothes. Most other school children do wear uniforms. Some of the garments are quite similar to schoolwear in Western countries. Japan is a very traditional country and some schools have distinctive uniform items, especially caps, or styles that were formerly worn by European school children. Details on some of the principal garments worn by Japanese school children are available here.

Traditional Garments

We have no information yet on the traditional clothes worn by Japanese school children before the Meiji Restoration or in fact much about the schools. We do no know that until the Meiji Restoration only a relatuively small number of boys from well-to-do families. We do not know of any specialized school wear, but our information is very limited at this time. Traditional garments were still commonly worn in the late-19th century even after the Meiji Restoration and the creation of a modern educational system. After the turn of the 20th century they gradually became less common in the cities, but were still worn in rural areas. Some schools had uniforms of kimonos done in the same material like a uniform. We are not sure how common that was. But wearing kimonos and other traditional garments was very common. After World War I, schools increasingly adoptef western-style uniforms, especially city schools by the 1930s. The boy at some schools, however, seem to have had worn traditional garments for special occassions--but almost always with the European cadet caps. We are not positice about this, but it seems to have been the case based on the photographic record. We note that even with traditional garments the boys wear cadet-style caps. And we continue seeong traditional garments in fural aeeas at the schools until after World War II.

Western Uniform Garments

Japanese school uniforms vary depending on age, type of school, and gender. They basically wear uniform garments adopted from western countries, although in some cases styles that are well over 100 years old. Many public elementary schools do not wear uniforms, but just their ordinary clothes. Most other school children do wear uniforms. Some of the garments are quite similar to schoolwear in Western countries. Japan is a very traditional country and some schools have distinctive uniform items, esoecailly caps, or styles that were formerly worn by European school children. Details on some of the principal garments worn by Japanese school children are available here.








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Created: 2:19 AM 4/10/2009
Last updated: 1:36 AM 1/29/2011