Homongi (訪問着)

Homongi is kimono for Japanese females.

It doesn't have a long history, and it was initially made as a counterpart of 'visiting dress' of European dress code in the Meiji period. As it is a formal dress, at first kamon (crest) had been drawn on the back and sleeves, however that custom has fallen into disuse, at present homongi with kamon is rarely seen.

Its characteristic is the technique of drawing patterns called 'eba (or eba-moyo)'. A process used for Homongi that results in a type of kimono that differs greatly from Tsukesage (simpler, less formal kimono), eba is performed by the following steps: first, craftsmen cut the material into panels in accordance with the measurements; next, they sew the panels together to make the initial kimono; after that, they draw a pattern on the initial kimono that continues beyond its seams; next, they remove the stitches from the initial kimono to break it down into the original panels again; after that, they dye each panel; and finally, they sew them together again.

Homongi is to be worn at formal event such as wedding (except for relative's wedding), Japanese tea party, and other parties. And it is allowed to be worn by both married women and single women.

Tsumugi-homongi

Tsumugi-homongi is different from normal homongi in the material (it is made of plainly-woven silk), and it was introduced for sales promotion of kimono after the War.

Tsumugi kimono was originally regarded as casual wear, so however expensive the tsumugi-homongi is, it shouldn't be worn at formal congratulatory event like wedding.

[Original Japanese]