Tomesode - formal kimono

It refers to the sleeves of a furisode that have been shortened by shortening them, and also refers to the long kimono worn with a tomesode. A tomesode long kimono is a plain black tomesode with five crests and an Edo-zuma pattern, and is the formal attire for married women. The fabric is made of crepe, and a white habutae undergarment is layered over it, with a fukuro obi sash fastened. The long juban (undergarment), half collar (collar), and obiage (sash sash) are all white, and the obijime (sash sash fastener) is white with round sleeves or white with gold or silver braiding. At the Imperial Court, even married people do not wear black, and colored tomesode is the formal attire. In the private sector, colored tomesode is the formal attire for older unmarried people, and for married people, it is worn at weddings and receptions for people other than family members. Up until the mid-Edo period, kosode did not have any eight-mouth openings or mid-mouth openings, and were called waki-tsume kosode because they were closed at the sides. However, kimonos for infants had open eight-mouth openings to prevent body heat from being trapped inside, and were called waki-ake kosode. When women reached the age of 18 and reached adulthood, they had their furisode shortened and the full length of the sleeves attached to the body, hence the name tomesode. By the end of the Edo period, obi sashes became wider and sleeves generally longer, so that furisode came to have a form with furi regardless of age. Therefore, the only difference between tomesode and furisode in terms of sleeve style is the length of the sleeves.

[Kazuko Okano]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

振袖の袖丈の長いのを詰めて短くした袖のこと、また留袖の長着をさす。留袖の長着は黒留袖五つ紋付江戸褄(えどづま)模様の無垢(むく)のことで、既婚女性の礼装となっている。生地(きじ)は縮緬(ちりめん)を用い、白羽二重(はぶたえ)の下着を重ねて袋帯を締める。長襦袢(じゅばん)、半衿(はんえり)、帯揚は白を用い、帯締は白の丸裄(まるぐけ)、または白に金・銀をあしらった組紐(くみひも)を用いる。宮中においては既婚者でも黒地は用いず、色留袖を正装としている。民間では色留袖は、年齢の高い未婚者の正装、また既婚者の場合は身内以外の者の結婚式、披露宴の際などに用いられる。江戸中期までの小袖には、八つ口（振り）、身八つ口がなく、これを脇(わき)ふさぎ、脇詰め小袖と称した。しかし幼児の着物は体温を内に込めないように八つ口をあけ、これを脇明(わきあけ)小袖といった。女性が18歳の元服を迎えると振袖の丈を詰めて、袖丈いっぱいを身頃(みごろ)につけて仕立て直したことから留袖の名がおこった。江戸末期になると、帯幅が広く、一般に袖丈も長くなったので、年齢にかかわりなく振りのある形態になった。したがって袖型からみた留袖と振袖の違いは、袖丈の長短だけとなっている。

［岡野和子］

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