What happens when TOURISTS wear kimono

sometimes emulating and admiring others cultures can be taken too far and therefore seen as disrespectful whether it was intended or not other cultures are cool but there's a fine line between appreciation and appropriate I think it's really a leftist agenda to divide us it's accused of demeaning its culture Kim Kardashian is slammed for cultural appropriation *various news headlines about cultural appropriation* *various news headlines about cultural appropriation* oh boy let's get into it The issue of cultural appropriation has become a controversial topic that sees a huge divide in opinions from around the world it's hard to have the discussion because you're so afraid of somebody being offended or not even knowing how you might offend somebody that's when it becomes a problem one culture that's no exception to that is Japan there are many different types of traditional clothing in Japan as the yukata hakama happi hiyoko uchikake fundoshi, nemaki and Haori just to name a few but none of them have become as famous overseas as the kimono kim kardashian announced her new shapewear line called kimono oh no I I meant like actual kimono the kimono dates as far back in history as 794 yes that is an actual year as a garnment made of straight cuts of fabric to suit a huge variety of bodies it was worn by every Japanese person and it became an identifier to make it obvious who was Japanese and who were foreigners you know in just in case we didn't stand out enough as it was in the Meiji period they changed the name to kimono which literally just means thing to wear but they also encourage people to wear more western style clothing as well they did this for a number of reasons but the main reason was how long it took to put on so it takes about 30 minutes or so to put it on so let's get started the 30 minutes it took to put on I count to ten individual pieces that went into the final work and everything had a significant purpose Now when I say that it's difficult to put on I literally mean have a snack and some water before you get started and then when it's done good luck with doing so much just putting on your socks because it is tight and now comes the difficult part of filming the rest of the day whilst also dressing like this makes it very hard for you to bend down and as if I don't get stared at enough I'm gonna step out in a kimono excellent ready for the stares so we have been such a huge culturally significant piece of clothing you'd think that they'd want to keep it that way right well yes they do kimono these days is basically only worn to special events and formal functions and things like that but it's also worn for fun at things like festivals as kind of like a way to experience and appreciate your own culture and just have fun with it and as far as I can tell they want foreigners to do the same thing now for some people the question posed in the title of this video is pretty obvious but in the crazy world that we live in nowadays where people are trying not to offend another person while they're trying not to get cancelled I have seen the question pop up from a couple of foreigners recently saying that they would like to come to Japan to try on a kimono but they don't want to be a part of Culture Appropriation so what is cultural appropriation well to paraphrase Lindsey Ellis the term itself is actually neutral it's defined as the adoption of elements of one culture by members of another culture so yes technically me wearing a kimono is a form of cultural appropriation but please don't spread the word because that term has got a completely different meaning nowadays this is literally racist I say no to inappropriate cultural appropriation if you a white girl don't understand how wearing a native headdress is inappropriate you need to read a book educate yourself bitch this this is not cute or funny it's racist and culturally appropriate, CA is part of the cultural homogenization and eventually extinction, Halloween is nearly here and picking a costume can be tricky, this is disrespectful you can't walk around acting like it's a fashion statement Aussie cultural appropriation and y'all still stan her okay this one literally doesn't make any sense I don't know what is like culturally Australian about her outfit unless it's the trousers? but maybe they're talking about the kangaroo I don't know quite honestly the further I dive into this topic the more I realize how complex it is there's a reason that no one can seem to agree on this topic and that's because there's no way to simplify it this video could be an hour long and we'd still have no definitive answer I do think though that there's a lot to be said about the people involved the context and the intent behind it but even then that's no formula for an agreeable answer so instead of trying and failing to understand and explain what is okay and what isn't in terms of cultural appropriation in the context of the world although feel free to discuss that in the comments instead I'm just going to focus on this video's topic what do Japanese people think about foreigners wearing kimono I think it's really beautiful! you don't feel any kind of like like disrespect or anything like that? no not at all by that I think it's a little bit complicated for foreigners to wear the kimono they should have someone who knows how to put it on So that they can wear it properly? yeah right right right So for non-Japanese people trying Japanese culture it's really nice thing I love it but if they kind of well you know wear it some different way I wanna let them know like well that's a bit different Do you know anyone who doesn't like foreigners wearing Kimono? to say that they also aren't some Japanese people whose opinions differ from these however they would almost certainly be the exception not the rule so far as I can tell from what I've learned from asking my friends and things like that about issues that people may have with foreigners wearing kimono is if they're wearing it incorrectly literally just like two minutes ago I was setting up my camera there and then a Japanese lady walked past and kind of kind of without even asking she just came up behind me and said sumimasen, chotto naoshimasu ne like I guess I may have like crushed a little bit when I was in the taxi the taxi so do you feel as though the only time that people really care about it is if it's worn incorrectly or one without enough care to kind of give justice to the beautiful piece of significant clothing that it actually is so both the times that have won the kimono and all of many many many times that I've won yukata I've never never ever never ever ever ever have I ever received any kind of negative remark not even so much as like a an unhappy face looked in my direction and often Japanese people want to want to try and get photos with me wearing it or something like that and I think that it is because for Japanese people to wear kimono is to experience and appreciate their culture and when they see a foreign are doing the same thing that's what it is I can't speak for everybody's experiences like other people were any kimonos and things like that but even for a lot of my foreign friends when they've won kimono your cuffs or anything like that I've never even heard of any of them receiving any kind of negative remarks from a Japanese person for wearing it which is why the Karli Kloss kimono controversy shocked me when I first heard about it Vogue magazine and supermodel Karlie Kloss is once again under fire for a recent photo shoot gone wrong photos inside the mag featured Karlie Kloss dressed as a Geisha aka a traditional Japanese entertainer she wasn't dressed like a Geisha what who said that Karlie received so much criticism for being a white woman cast in a Japanese theme spread that she was forced to release an apology via Twitter so all of this backlash was for cultural appropriation but unsurprisingly the people accusing her of it weren't actually a part of the culture in question it's in this bag oh that's white guilt right well we've all got a bit of that so what a Japanese people have to say about it I'm Japanese but this doesn't make me angry if someone asks if this is authentic Japan I would answer that it's not but I don't feel any insult I'm Japanese but I think this is just odd work I don't know why it matters this is beautiful next time why don't you try dressing as a Michael ninja samurai or general almost all Japanese are pleased that foreigners are involved in Japanese culture most Japanese people will just say it's not discrimination please don't say sorry I like it it's beautiful thank you for your interest in our culture these are beautiful it feels really cool thank you for wearing it everyone's too sensitive about these things none of the people criticizing her a Japanese so why do people that have nothing to do with it criticize her where is the racism are you crazy I mean we could probably just end the video right there to be honest. so I'm not making this video to speak on behalf of anyone or any culture and especially not to just you know point my finger at people that accuse cultural appropriation even when it's not that's not at all what my intention is and I'm certainly not trying to oversimplify an issue that is inherently complex I am making this video however for foreigners that are coming to Japan and they really want to get involved in Japanese culture and they want to try on a kimono maybe you go to a matsuri and a photo shoot have fun with their friends that kind of thing it's okay no one is going to think it'll of you for trying to experience and see Japanese culture I know that this is actually quite a serious topic and a sensitive one for some people and some minorities and I certainly can't speak for you while your experiences I believe that me having lived in Japan for about five years and actively doing my best to learn the language and about the culture and the traditions and the people I truly believe that if Japan held on to their traditions and their cultures and their and activist gatekeepers saying like no this is this is just for Japanese people you don't get to experience this I really think that if that was the attitude that I felt from the people when I came here I won I wouldn't have felt as welcome as I do in this country and too I wouldn't have learned as much as I have learned that's one of the wonderful parts about being in this country is how open and warm and welcoming all of the people are here and they really do love it when foreigners try to appreciate their culture and want to learn more about it and I've really believed that that kind of open attitude has helped me to come to know what it truly means to appreciate a culture oh I'm sweating I know if it's because it's like a hut and I've got ten layers on right now or if it's just because I gave my opinion for once on my channel Oh imagine thank you so much for watching this video if you liked it give it a thumbs up wanna see more subscribe I would love to hear what your experiences are maybe not necessarily about you know foreigners in Japan in kimono but you know the cultures or you know what it's like in your country and that kind of thing it's a super interesting topic it's like a really big conversation starter that I actually like really like having this kind of conversation with people in person you know I'm such a crowd pleaser that been said only that's the end of the video thanks for watching guys Look at it, look at it! and the sleeves act as like a giant pocket it's amazing my phone is in here So pretty! You know what, I feel like? I feel like kylo Ren in Star Wars and he's just turns around like *BOOM* just like like thick as a fridge. Haha that's how I feel like kylo Ren good job Hannah nice

Channel: Currently Hannah

Views: 1,715,836

Rating: 4.9399981 out of 5

Keywords: kimono, japanese traditional clothing, traditional japanese clothing, japanese kimono, cultural appropriation, foreigners in japan, tourists in japan, tourists in kimono, can foreigners wear kimono, can tourists wear kimono, japan cultural appropriation, kimono cultural appropriation, kimono kim kardashian, karlie kloss controversy, kimono controversy, japan travel, travelling japan, nezu shrine

Id: YG_hloEVFGY

Length: 12min 36sec (756 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 14 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/marnieeez]

I feel like it's only offensive if you dress up as a chinese/japanese for halloween. It's not a costume.

I had trouble at first and was very scared of being accused of cultural appropriation but the women in my boyfriend's family were so eager to lend me a cheongsam, I realized there truly was nothing wrong with me wearing one, and will definitely be wearing one for our chinese wedding and tea ceremony :)
Looking into buying one for CNY and family weddings too.
My (future) in-laws are always super happy when I show interest in Chinese culture.

I'm glad because cheongsams are sooo pretty! haha

[u/HeartMyKpop]

Cultural appropriation seems only to be a thing in the U.S. Go to Asia and people love to have you dress in traditional clothing.

[u/Grootabega]

This term has been so overused and abused that it's damn near lost all meaning. People can wear other cultural articles of clothing as long as they're respectful about it and not claiming to be a member of an ethnicity or culture that they're not part of. More people need to clap back against this bullshit and wear clothing of other cultures and defy these overly privileged, basement-dwelling, social media whiners.

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And if you are the WIFE of an Asian man, you ARE part of his family culture, now. That's a completely different situation, to begin with. You are family. I don't blink an eye when I see the non-Asian wife of an Asian man participating in the culture, wearing the clothes, etc. It's natural.

[u/Cherrrieeeesss]

I’m super scared to wear hanfu because people always say things about cultural appropriation. I just want to wear something beautiful.

[u/[deleted]]

I don't see anything wrong with someone occasionally wearing Asian clothing if they think it looks nice on them and they respect the dress and culture.

[u/Seta1437]

The above video is more recent but

https://youtu.be/kwoSYWIgV9Y?t=226

Here's a similar video done by Rachel and Jun at an earlier time

[u/Swtang78]

I think this goes both ways. Suits and ties is a western dress culture. So Asians wearing a suit and a tie is cultural appropriation? I remember one of the disciples of Wong Fei Hong (can't remember his name) wore a suit and tie back to China as he was English educated and he got ridiculed for it.

[u/[deleted]]

Honestly as long as they are being respectful of the culture, they can wear ethnic clothing.

[u/Kenzo89]

I think it’s fine if the person respects the culture and appreciates it. Especially if they’re dating an Asian guy. My policy is, if they dress like an Asian woman, they need to date Asian men like an Asian woman 😝