Rwandan and Japanese clothing styles: Similarities within cultures.

Sophia the human Robot, wearing Umushanana during the Transform Africa Summit 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Article written by Joyce, Eric and Honoré (JRYC Members)

                                                                  Countries around the world possess varieties of cultures, with traditional clothing styles as a main indicator of those cultures. Clothing styles across the world have many things in common and other specific and attractive varieties everyone should enjoy to experience. 

Rwanda and Japan also have their specific traditional clothing styles ranging from UMUSHANA, INSHABURE, INKANDA, and INYONGA in Rwanda. In Japan, the most commonly known traditional clothing style is KIMONO; but other styles include YUKATA and the HAKAMA.

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In this article, we are going to highlight some similarities and differences between the Rwandan and Japanese clothing styles.

Rwandan traditional clothing styles

• UMUSHANANA

UMUSHANANA is the traditional dress for women in Rwanda. It consists of a wrapped skit bunched at the hips and sash draped over the shoulder, typically worn over a tank top or bustier. It is ceremonial clothing, women and men wear it in church services, weddings or funerals not a daily cloth.

Umushanana for boys and for girls

• INSHABURE

The INSHABURE were clothes for ladies. They used to wear them in daily activities including fetching water, sewing, grinding and other home activities. It is compared to mini skirts of these days due to the fact that it was worn just to cover genital organs.

Inshabure in ancient Rwanda

Japan Traditional clothing styles

• KIMONO

The kimono, labeled the national costume of Japan, is the most formal and well known traditional fashion. Japanese kimonos are wrapped around the body, sometimes in several layers and are secured in place by slashes with a wide obi to complete it.

Traditional Kimono

• YUKATA

YUKATA is a popular Japanese traditional dress which is usually made of cotton or synthetic fabric. It is worn by both men and female especially in summer, and compare to kimono it is easier to wear and less expensive.

Yukata

• HAKAMA

HAKAMA are traditionally garment worn over KIMONO. They are tiered over the waist and extend down to the ankles. HAKAMA may be open as a skirt or may have legs like pants. They were historically worn by men: workmen, farmers, samurai, academics, and aristocrats, but today even women can and are allowed to wear them.

Evolution of the Hakama over the years

Traditional clothing styles are still used today, you can meet Rwandans wearing UMUSHANANA in traditional ceremonies or Japanese wearing KIMONO. Other clothing styles are no longer used but can be accessed from museums as a part of history. Don’t miss museums visits once you come in Rwanda or Japan to explore more about clothing styles.

courtesy of Wikipedia