Touch of the Old East
Walk around Little Tokyo on any given day and you might find a few locals dressed in full kimono ensembles, right down to the tabi, or traditional Japanese socks. The robe-like garments date back three millenniums, and they’re still seen in parts of town today, standing in stark contrast to the contemporary world. Mitsuhiro Nakamura counted on this continuing affection for Japan’s national garb three years ago when he helped launch Kimono-Ya, an L.A.-based company offering an array of vintage kimonos.
But as it turns out--and much to Nakamura’s delight--a great deal of the company’s business comes from outside the Japanese community. Angelenos of all ethnicities have shopped at the three stores, snapping up kimonos--some nearly a century old--to wear as robes, jackets or creative alternatives to party dresses. “The Western world is embracing kimonos,” says Nakamura, who’s the general manager and a native of Kyoto, Japan.
Kimono-Ya, a subsidiary of Japanese kimono wholesaler Tokyo Yamaki, boasts the largest collection of vintage kimonos this side of the Pacific. Nakamura frequently travels to Japan in search of impeccable used pieces for Kimono-Ya’s outposts in Century City, Santa Monica and Little Tokyo. While new kimonos can cost thousands of dollars, Kimono-Ya’s selections range from $25 to $350. “Once people buy their first kimono, they’ll usually want another one,” Nakamura says. “With vintage, they can afford it.”
Kimono shapes have remained fairly constant for thousands of years; design variations come in the patterns of the fabric, usually a silk. And because “everything in Japan has a meaning,” kimono colors and imagery symbolize a change of seasons. Spring garments often feature cherry blossoms, while dragonflies flutter across summer attire. At the Century City location, racks display a milky white silk kimono with painterly scenes of a snowy village; a cherry-blossom pink robe embossed with tiny cranes; and another exquisite silk sprinkled with pink peonies, a popular Japanese wintertime bloom.
Kimono-Ya shops also carry haori, short kimono jackets; furisode, a style with floor-length sleeves worn by unmarried young women; and uchikake, luxuriously thick wedding gowns with sparkling stitching. Nakamura estimates that more than half of the clientele at the Santa Monica and Century City locations are non-Asians, while Little Tokyo customers tend to be Asians who wear the garments in traditional settings. “Our hope is that people will enjoy kimonos however they want,” Nakamura says. “You don’t always have to wear it the traditional way. There are many options.”
Twice a year, the company pools its stock for “festivals” at venues such as the New Otani hotel downtown. Obis fly as attendees browse through thousands of kimonos and learn the proper techniques for donning a complete get-up. The next event, a “Kimono Carnival,” is this Friday through Sunday at the New Otani hotel. Kimono-Ya also has a party service: For $10 per person, employees will bring two kimonos for each guest to try on. At supplemental rates, they also can arrange for traditional Japanese dancers, music and, of course, sushi. “Americans seem to have more parties than the Japanese,” Nakamura says. “Why not a kimono party?”
Business has been brisk, but what of the day when kimonos fall out of fashion? Nakamura isn’t worried. “People are always searching for something different to wear.” And after 3,000 years, the kimono may safely be termed a classic.
For information on Kimono-Ya stores, festivals or parties, call (213) 617-1135.
