I Love Yukata as much as I Love Kebaya

Do you know yukata? Hell no, it's not an Indonesian national costume of course. I'm sure you all already know that this beautiful patterned traditional cloth is a part of Japanese culture. Yukata is casual summer kimono or we all just can say, the much simpler version of kimono. It literally means bathing clothes because back in Heian era (794-1185), many Japanese high status men wearing this robe when they they took a steam bath in Sentō (sauna). They did it to avoid direct contact with hot steam (which could be very very hot) and in order to covered their body because they didn't want to be naked in public bath, even when they were in the bathtub! That's what I call public awareness! ;)  So those robes are called yukatabiru where 'yu' means 'hot water' and 'katabira' means 'single gown/robe', so yukata or yukatabira means a 'bath gown/robe.' The name was shortened to just yukata in Edo era when ordinary people started to wearing them as after bath clothes. Fast forward to the future, in modern society, people wearing yukata in summer time, when they go to see fireworks, bon-odori festivals, and many other summer festivals. Modern yukata are made of cotton or synthetic fabrics.The young people usually wear bright colors and bold patterns yukata, where the girls usually wear the flower patterns one. It's cool, casual, and gives adorable traditional look and I love it, as much as I love kebaya! :D

This Non-Japanese girl tried to look good in yukata ;)

And she tried once again.... 

And again.....