Cotton Kimono-- Yukata

Cotton Kimonos are commonly known as yukatas. The name Yukata comes from "YU" meaning bath and "Katabira" meaning under-clothing. Over one thousand years ago court nobles wore linen Kimonos or "yukatabira" which were draped loosely over the body after taking a bath.   Yukatas gradually became worn by the warriors, who would also use the yukata like a towel to dry after a bath. The general public began to wear cotton kimonos about three hundred years ago when the Japanese public bath became popular. These kinds of light weight cotton kimonos were worn everyday as casual clothing after taking a bath -- bathrobes! Now the yukata is widely used for everything from traditional Japanese dance and  casual wear in the summer, to simple night attire.