To Wear, To Connect, To Dance Together The Evolving Shape of Kimono Culture in Los Angeles

Photo by MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS / *Rafu Shimpo*
Contestants for Miss Kimono L.A. are lined up in Weller Court on New Year’s Day 2012. Kimono culture has blossomed in Southern California, reaching well beyond the Nikkei community.

By TOMOKO NAGAI

Within the Japanese American community in Los Angeles, kimono are far more than traditional garments. They are memories, identity, and part of a cultural legacy that continues to evolve with time.

As the season of Obon festivals approaches, summer in Los Angeles once again fills with the sounds of taiko drums and dancing circles. Just as eye-catching as the dancing itself are the outfits worn by participants. Visitors expecting scenes similar to summer festivals in Japan are often surprised not only by the energy and scale of the events, but also by the wide range of styles on display. Alongside yukata, many people incorporate haori jackets, happi coats, and Japanese-inspired fashion into their outfits.

For the past 11 years, Chiharu Teil Nakajima, founder of the Southern California vintage kimono business “Kimonoya LA,” has been a vendor at Japanese American community events throughout the region. Initially, she hoped to introduce yukata to young Americans interested in anime culture. In reality, however, many of the customers she encountered were Japanese and Japanese Americans who became interested in kimono and yukata through Obon festivals.

A young festival-goer wears a floral yukata at a Bon Odori event. For many families, Japanese clothing serves as an accessible way for children to connect with their cultural heritage.

Unlike in Japan, opportunities to inherit kimono from family members are relatively rare in Los Angeles. As a result, many younger participants attending Bon Odori begin by searching for and choosing their own outfits. That reality is one reason vintage kimono and yukata have found a growing audience.

Nakajima found particularly memorable how frequently Japanese American customers asked whether she carried “happi coats.” She realized that the term was being used not only for happi coats, but also for haori jackets, reflecting a localized understanding of Japanese clothing traditions.

Originally from Shizuoka Prefecture, Nakajima lived in France before settling in Los Angeles. For her, this kind of localization does not feel strange. Rather, she sees it as proof that the culture has taken root in its new environment.

Instead of formal kimono styling that requires obi, accessories, and traditional dressing techniques, many people prefer easy-to-wear pieces that can simply be layered over Western clothing. With that in mind, Nakajima says she has also started referring to happi coats and haori as “kimono jackets,” emphasizing styles that are approachable and practical for festivals like Obon.

Indeed, at Bon Odori gatherings held at temples and community centers in the summer throughout Los Angeles, visitors can be seen layering haori over yukata or combining Japanese elements with modern Western fashion. At the same time, there are also participants dressed in fully traditional kimono attire. Tradition and reinterpretation coexist naturally within the same space.

While there is certainly kimono fashion “translated into English,” Los Angeles also maintains demand for more traditional styles among people studying tea ceremony, Japanese dance, and other cultural arts. In recent years, opportunities to study kimono dressing in English have expanded, and it is no longer unusual to encounter Americans with deep knowledge of kimono culture. Meanwhile, new styles influenced by anime and Harajuku fashion continue to broaden the possibilities of kimono expression.

One of Los Angeles’ unique characteristics is its climate and cultural environment. Yukata are traditionally summer garments in Japan, but in Southern California they are worn year-round. In addition, because there is no widespread tradition of parents preparing kimono for their children, young people actively seek out kimono and yukata on their own. In that sense, kimono culture here is not something simply inherited — it is something consciously chosen.

Against this backdrop, Nakajima’s activities gradually expanded beyond individual sales into community-building. Inspired by the idea of giving unused kimono a second life through decluttering and garage-sale culture, she launched what eventually became the Japanology Fair, now held at multiple locations throughout Southern California.

Originally centered on vintage kimono sales, the event has evolved into a gathering space featuring a variety of vendors. At its core are three guiding principles: the spirit of recycling represented by vintage kimono, support for local small businesses, and the creation of community connections.

“In an age when anything can be bought online,” Nakajima says, “we intentionally create physical spaces where people gather and conversations happen — much like Bon Odori itself.”

Kimono were once everyday clothing in Japan. Western fashion only became widespread after the 1950s following World War II. Today, kimono occupy many different roles in Japan, ranging from ultra-luxury formal wear to vintage fashion pieces appreciated for style and individuality.

At the same time, kimono culture in Japan can still feel constrained by rigid expectations regarding “correct” ways to dress. Social pressure — sometimes jokingly referred to as the “kimono police” — can discourage experimentation.

Photo by TOMOKO NAGAI / *Rafu Shimpo*
Chiharu Teil Nakajima of KimonoyaLA showing a haori coat at the Japanology Fair. She notes that Bon Odori festivals have become places where people enjoy diverse Japanese-inspired fashions, incorporating haori jackets and antique kimono alongside traditional yukata.

In contrast, there is no single “correct” way to dress for Bon Odori in Los Angeles. People enjoy Japanese fashion elements in ways that feel comfortable and personal to them. That freedom is part of what makes Los Angeles unique.

Kimono fashion, as a symbol of Japanese culture, becomes a bridge connecting Japan, Japanese American identity, and community itself. The important thing is simply to join the Bon Odori circle in one’s own style and enjoy that connection to a culture born in Japan.

Produced by Nakajima, the Japanology Fair began as a sales event dedicated to showcasing the beauty and appeal of Japanese and multicultural traditions. Events are scheduled at various locations through Aug. 15, which is the last weekend before the Nisei Week Japanese Festival’s street ondo dancing and closing ceremony.

The vendors may vary but always include Kimonoya LA along with many others. For those hoping to find vintage kimono or affordable Japanese accessories for Bon Odori, the fair offers a welcoming place to explore. Event details are available via QR code and online.

Event Schedule