What Is a Haori?

The haori (羽織) is a hip-length jacket worn over a kimono — the Japanese equivalent of a blazer or cardigan for formal kimono coordination. Originally a men’s garment, the haori became fashionable for women in the Meiji era and today is one of the most versatile pieces in the kimono wardrobe.

What Is a Haori?

A haori is an open-fronted hip-length jacket worn over a kimono. Unlike Western jackets, it has no buttons — the two front panels hang open, held together only by a decorative cord called the haori-himo that loops through small rings sewn into each panel and ties in a flat knot at the chest. The haori is never tucked into the obi or tied closed.

The most distinctive feature of many fine haori is their lining (ura): while the outside may be subdued — navy, grey, black — the inner lining is often extravagantly decorated with landscapes, tigers, dragons, erotic scenes, or abstract patterns in vivid color. This hidden opulence is quintessentially iki: the sophistication is there, but it is not displayed to everyone. You would see it when the wearer removes the haori or when a fold of the hem turns back.

Men’s Haori vs Women’s Haori

Men’s haori have their roots in the jinbaori — a sleeveless surcoat worn by samurai commanders over their armor during the Sengoku period. By the Edo period, the haori had evolved into a formal garment for upper-class men. Women’s haori became fashionable in the Meiji era through the influence of geisha, who adopted the garment as a layer of stylish warmth for outdoor occasions.

The Haori-Himo: Its Decorative Cord

The haori-himo (羽織紐) is the ornamental cord that holds the haori closed at the chest. It passes through two small metal rings (kan) sewn to the inside of each front panel and ties in a flat square knot visible at the front. The choice of haori-himo is a significant coordination decision — its material, color, and style should complement the haori’s fabric and the overall ensemble.

Traditional haori-himo are made from flat silk braid in subtle colors for men, and from more decorative materials for women — silk braids with woven patterns, glass beads on a silk cord, carved bone or ivory toggles (netsuke style), even simple gold chains. The knot itself should lie flat and smooth; a puffy or misaligned knot is a sign of poor quality or incorrect tying.

Haori in Modern Fashion

The haori silhouette — an open-front, T-shaped jacket that falls straight from the shoulders — has been a direct influence on several major Japanese designers. Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons and Issey Miyake have both cited traditional Japanese garment construction, including the haori, as fundamental to their design vocabularies. The unconstructed shoulder, the flat cut that ignores the body’s contours, the deliberate asymmetry — all of these are haori characteristics that reappear throughout avant-garde Japanese fashion.

In contemporary street styling, vintage haori worn over Western clothing — jeans, t-shirts, dresses — has become a recognized aesthetic choice, particularly in Tokyo neighborhoods with strong vintage kimono markets (Shimokitazawa, Koenji). Vintage kimono shops (furugi-ya) and online platforms specializing in secondhand kimono often have extensive haori selections at accessible prices.