Routledge Selling the Kimono - Ethnography of Japanese Fashion

Explore the complex world of traditional Japanese attire with Selling the Kimono. This book provides a deep look into the industry behind an iconic cultural symbol. Based on twelve months of in-depth ethnographic research, the text offers a rare perspective on the people who keep this tradition alive. Readers gain access to the stories of retailers, customers, wholesalers, writers, and craftspeople. The narrative tracks the struggle to adapt to difficult economic conditions and the declining demand for kimono since the 1970s. It examines how the industry manages a period of significant change while attempting to preserve its heritage. This work is essential for those interested in Japanese culture, fashion history, and the economic realities of traditional crafts. It moves beyond the surface to reveal the actual experiences of those working within this shifting landscape, offering a detailed account of crisis, creativity, and hope in a modernizing world.