Gaiters - Kyahan

These are worn around the shins for work, travel, and protection from the cold. They are made from navy blue cotton. When women go on pilgrimages to Shikoku, for example, white cotton is used. Men also wear white for mountain worship, as it emphasizes purity. An old example is a picture of a servant wearing them in the Muromachi period picture scroll "Boki Ekotoba." In the Edo period, there were three types of gaiters: Otsu gaiters, Edo gaiters, and Tsutsu gaiters. Otsu gaiters are made like shin guards, and are tied with quilted strings at the top and bottom. Edo gaiters are made by cutting the cloth to fit around the shins, and the fasteners are quilted strings at the top and a kohaze drape around the calf. The tube leggings were used in Kyoto, as well as in Shugendo and Kyogen, and were made cylindrical with lacing at the top and bottom. The purpose of the leggings was to prevent the legs from getting tired on a long journey. Even after the Meiji period, the former army produced leather leggings, and some students wore them on school commutes and school trips.

[Takeshi Endo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

労働、旅、防寒のために脛(けい)部にあてて用いるもの。紺木綿でつくられる。女性が四国巡礼などに出向くおりは、白木綿が用いられる。男性も山岳信仰の場合は清浄を重んじて白である。室町時代の絵巻『慕帰絵詞(ぼきえことば)』のなかで、小者(こもの)が着装している図が古い例であろう。江戸時代には、大津脚絆、江戸脚絆、筒脚絆の3種があった。大津脚絆は脛巾(はばき)のようにつくり、脚絆の上部と下部に絎(く)け紐(ひも)をつけて結ぶ。江戸脚絆は布を脛部に当てて裁断し、留め具は上部を絎け紐、ふくらはぎをこはぜ掛けとしたものである。筒脚絆は、京都のほか修験道(しゅげんどう)、狂言などに用いられ、円筒形に仕立てて、上部、下部を絎け紐としたものである。脚絆は長い旅で、脚が疲れるのを防ぐ意味をもっており、明治以降も旧陸軍では革脚絆がつくられ、学生の間でも通学や修学旅行に用いたところもある。

［遠藤　武］

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