What we call kiomons today were originally a kind of underwear called kosode worn under longer robes in the Heian period. It was at the end of the Muromachi period when women started to wear them without the robes. In the middle of the Edo period, kimonos became more decorative and the sashes called obi were made wider. The bottom of kimonos used to drag along the ground until women started to adjust their length by tying them at the waist using sashes. Obi were wrapped around the waist twice and tied in the back with a beautiful bow. For most women today, kimonos are only worn on special occasions such as during the New Year’s season and for receptions. Some foreign people think obi bows are used for carrying objects, but of course this is not the case.
