Clothes - Yofuku

Japanese: 洋服 - ようふく

Western-style clothing. The term Western clothing became popular in the early Meiji period, and was shortened to Western clothing. The first time Japanese people saw Western-style clothing was in the 16th century when Nanban clothing was worn, but its influence was merely felt in individual items of clothing, and it was only after the Meiji period that Western clothing was actually adopted into daily life. In order to quickly establish a modern national system, a policy was adopted to first adopt Western clothing, and the Meiji government promoted this by institutionalizing it. Over the course of more than 100 years since then, Japanese clothing has followed a history of Westernization, but it goes without saying that the decline of Japanese clothing was due to major changes in culture, lifestyle, and society.

[Masumi Tsuji]

Early Meiji Period

At the end of the Edo period, when trade treaties were signed, foreign trading houses were lined up in the open ports, and foreigners' lifestyles and clothing could be observed with their own eyes. This is described in detail in "The Yokohama Port Opening Observations" (1862), edited by Hashimoto Gyokuransai, and "Western Clothing, Food, and Living" published in 1868 (Meiji 1), which included detailed illustrations of Western clothing. Samurai were the first to adopt Western clothing, which was highly mobile, and Western-style military uniforms consisting of long sleeves and momohiki pants became widespread. They wore Western-style trousers made of wool with a topknot, a requisition haori coat, and a sword. The Meiji government, which adopted European military uniforms, also adopted Western clothing for the Dajokan (Grand Council of State), and in 1872, it was decided that all formal attire should be Western-style. Western clothing was also established for postmen, policemen, and railway workers, and the accompanying accessories such as uniform caps and shoes quickly spread among the general public, and in the early days, a mixture of Japanese and Western clothing, with Western accessories attached to Japanese clothing, was common. Uniforms were available in large quantities, so ready-made clothing was increasingly used, and ready-made clothing stores were born from businesses that handled military uniform surpluses. Although it was forced from above, Western clothing had excellent functions as professional clothing, and the westernization of men's clothing progressed rapidly.

In contrast, Western clothing for women first appeared at the Rokumeikan in 1884, but it was social attire limited to some upper-class ladies. In 1886, it was decided that Western dress would be the norm, and European clothing was adopted, with mante de cour (major formal wear), robe décolleté (medium formal wear), and robe montant (everyday wear). These clothes were made by artisans who frequented the settlement, and women's clothing tailors were known as metofukuya (women's clothing tailors). As all the fabrics were imported, they were very expensive, and among ordinary women, Western clothing was only seen in a few cases among students and teachers at women's normal schools.

[Masumi Tsuji]

Late Meiji Period

The Rokumeikan also fell into decline within a few years, and the enthusiasm for Western clothing waned with the rise of nationalism, and the uniform of female students with tied hair and ribbons, Japanese clothes and shoes became the norm. At the end of the Meiji period, women also worked in banks, department stores, telephone operators, nurses, and other professions, but with the exception of nurses, all of them wore Japanese clothes and tied hair.

[Masumi Tsuji]

Taisho period

The economic boom during World War I led to the construction and expansion of new factories, and as the number of office workers increased, Western clothing began to take hold. The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 (Taisho 12) had a particularly large impact, and the subsequent urban reconstruction brought about changes in living conditions and customs, leading to an increase in the number of people wearing Western clothing in town, and especially in children's clothing. Due to financial difficulties caused by the recession, women began to take up jobs such as bus conductors and typists, and it was these working women who adopted Western clothing that led to the first widespread popularity of Western clothing, but at home, Japanese clothing continued to be the central focus of lifestyle.

[Masumi Tsuji]

First half of the Showa era

Modern girls with short hair and short skirts appeared in Ginza, Japan's first style books were published, and female department store clerks were encouraged to wear Western clothing. Furthermore, the appappa, a simple dress that had become popular from the Kansai region, was a straight-cut one-piece dress that anyone could make, and quickly spread among housewives as a summer outfit. However, this movement towards Western clothing stagnated due to the tightening of clothing controls under the wartime regime leading up to the Pacific War in 1941, and a khaki-colored stand-up collar national uniform for men was established in 1940, and a standard uniform for women in 1942. Standard uniforms consisted of a one-piece Western uniform and a two-piece work uniform with monpe pants.

[Masumi Tsuji]

Post-World War II

After the war, the history of westernization of clothing came to a rapid end. The dissolution of the upper privileged class, the sudden change in the value system, and the envy of American culture led to the rejection of past lifestyles, and after the postwar period of chaos, all energy was directed toward westernization. Women's western clothing, which had been slow to develop, quickly became established, and a dressmaking boom occurred, with copies of foreign fashions flooding the streets. The development of synthetic fibers led to the era of ready-made clothing in the late 1950s, and Western clothing became abundantly available. Looking at the trend in the proportion of clothing expenses in household budgets, it peaked in 1963 (Showa 38) and has been declining since then, and it is estimated that the family's necessary clothing was roughly purchased in the 1950s. Also, looking at the proportion of clothing expenses in clothing expenses, it has been increasing year by year, with Japanese clothing expenses equivalent to about one-third of Western clothing expenses, and it has been declining since 1970. The decline in fabrics and threads reflects the decline of home dressmaking, and the increase in clothing expenses is thought to be due to the purchase of ready-made clothing. Due to the consumer revolution brought about by rapid economic growth and the distribution revolution brought about by mass sales, it is thought that basic clothing for Western wear had spread nationwide, including to the elderly, by 1965. After the demand had been met, what was required was a higher level of quality, and clothing life could be said to have entered a new stage.

[Masumi Tsuji]

"The History of Japanese Western Clothing" by Takeshi Endo and Akira Ishiyama (1980, Bunka Publishing Bureau)" ▽ "The Showa History of 100 Million Japanese Women, Vol. 1, 2 and 3 (1981, Mainichi Shimbun) edited by the Mainichi Shimbun" ▽ "The Japanese Clothing Industry" by Shozo Nakagomi (1975, Toyo Keizai Shinposha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

西洋様式の衣服のこと。西洋服という語が明治初期に普及し、これを略して洋服と称した。日本人が初めて西洋様式の衣服を目にしたのは16世紀の南蛮服であるが、その影響は単に個々の服装品のうえに残されたにすぎず、実際の生活に西洋服そのものが取り入れられたのは明治以後のことである。近代国家の体制を早急に整えるために、まず西欧の衣服を採用する方針がとられ、明治政府はそれを制度化することで推進していった。以来100年余りをかけて、日本人の衣生活は洋装化の歴史をたどるが、和服が後退していった背景には、文化や生活様式や社会の大きな変化があったことはいうまでもない。

［辻ますみ］

明治前期

通商条約が締結された幕末の開港地は、外国の商館が建ち並び、異国人たちの生活や服装を目の当たりに観察することができた。そのようすは橋本玉蘭斎編『横浜開港見聞誌』（1862）に詳しく、また1868年（明治1）に刊行された『西洋衣食住』では、西洋服が細部に至るまで図解された。機動性に富んだ西洋服をいち早く応用したのは武士で、筒袖(つつそで)に陣股引(ももひき)という洋式軍装が普及した。ちょんまげに羅紗(らしゃ)製の段袋(だんぶくろ)（西洋ズボン）をはき、レキション羽織をはおって刀を差すという風体であった。軍装にヨーロッパの軍服を採用した明治政府は、太政官(だじょうかん)の制服に洋服を採用し、72年には礼服をすべて洋服に定めた。また郵便夫や邏卒(らそつ)（巡査）や鉄道員にも洋服が制定され、その際に伴った制帽や靴などの付属品が、一般人の間にも速やかに普及し、和服に洋装小物をつけるという和洋混合の服装が初期には多かった。制服類は数量がまとまっていたところから既製服化が進み、軍服の払下げ品を扱う業者から既製服屋が生まれていった。上からの強制ではあったが、洋服が職業服として優れた機能をもっていたことから、男子服の洋装化は急速に進められた。

　これに対して女性の洋装は、1884年の鹿鳴館(ろくめいかん)に出現するが、一部上層婦人に限られた社交服だった。86年に礼服が洋装に決定して、ヨーロッパの服装が取り入れられ、マント・ド・クール（大礼服）やローブ・デコルテ（中礼服）やローブ・モンタン（通常服）を着用した。これらの洋服を仕立てたのは、居留地に出入りしていた職人たちであり、婦人服の仕立屋は女唐服(めとうふく)屋とよばれた。生地(きじ)はすべて舶来品であったから、非常に高価なものになり、一般婦人の間では、わずかに女子師範の学生や教員に洋服がみられたのみである。

［辻ますみ］

明治後期

鹿鳴館も数年で衰退し、国粋主義の風潮とともに洋装化の熱は冷め、女子学生も束髪にリボン、和服に靴という制服が定着していった。明治末期には、女性も銀行や百貨店や電話交換手や看護婦などの職業についたが、看護婦を除いて、いずれも和服に束髪というスタイルだった。

［辻ますみ］

大正時代

第一次世界大戦の好況により工場の新設拡張が相次ぎ、サラリーマン層が増えて洋服が定着し始めた。とくに1923年（大正12）の関東大震災による影響は大きく、その後の都市改造がもたらした生活環境や風俗の変化により、町には洋服姿が増え、とくに子供服の洋装化が進んだ。不況による生活難から、女性がバス車掌やタイピストなどの職種に進出し、これら職業婦人が洋服を取り入れたことによって、初めて大衆化が進んだが、家庭にあっては和服中心の生活は崩れなかった。

［辻ますみ］

昭和前半期

断髪にショートスカートのモダンガールが銀座に現れ、日本で初のスタイルブックが登場し、百貨店の女店員にも洋服が奨励された。さらに関西地方から普及してきた簡単服アッパッパは、直線裁ちのワンピースでだれにでもつくることができたから、夏向きの服として家庭婦人の間にまたたくまに広がった。しかしこうした洋装化の動きも、1931年（昭和6）の満州事変から、41年の太平洋戦争へと向かう戦時体制下での衣料統制の強化によって停滞し、40年にはカーキ色の詰襟の男子の国民服が、42年には女子の標準服が制定された。標準服には、一部式の洋服と、もんぺを伴う二部式の活動服があった。

［辻ますみ］

第二次大戦後

戦後になり、洋装化の歴史は急速に終結期に向かう。上層特権階級の解体、価値体系の急変、アメリカ文化への羨望(せんぼう)などが過去の生活様式を否定させ、戦後の混乱期が過ぎると、欧米化に向けて全エネルギーが傾けられた。遅々として進まなかった女性の洋装も、またたくまに定着し、洋裁ブームを迎えて、外国モードのコピーが町にあふれた。合繊の開発が進んだ昭和30年代後半からは既製服時代に入り、洋装衣料品が豊富に出回っていった。家計に占める被服費の割合の推移をみると、1963年（昭和38）がピークとなって、それ以後は下降しており、昭和30年代に家族の必要衣料がだいたいそろえられたと推定される。また被服費に占める洋服費の割合をみると、年々増加しており、和服費は洋服費の約3分の1に相当し、しかも1970年からは下降に向かっている。生地・糸類の低下は家庭洋裁の衰退を表しており、洋服費の増加は既製衣料の購入によるものと考えられる。高度経済成長による消費革命や大量販売の流通革命により、洋装のための基本衣料は、1965年までに老年層も含めて全国的に浸透したと考えられる。必要量が満たされたのちに求められるのは、質の高級化であり、衣生活はまた新しい段階を迎えたといえる。

［辻ますみ］

『遠藤武・石山彰著『日本洋装史』（1980・文化出版局）』▽『毎日新聞社編『一億人の昭和史　日本人　三代の女たち』上中下（1981・毎日新聞社）』▽『中込省三著『日本の衣服産業』（1975・東洋経済新報社）』

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