At the end of September, the Queretaro Summer Festival, organized by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Mexico, A.C., was held for the third consecutive year here at the FUJITAYA Hotel. Where you may have come to enjoy the festival.
And speaking of festivals, besides “Yukata”, “Happi” coats are also indispensable garments in these events. Do you know their origin or why they are usually used?
This time we would like to introduce you to the history behind happi coats.
It is said that happi coats originated during the “Edo period”, when warriors dyed their family crests on their “haori” that they used to wear. For, at that time, happi coats could only be worn by those of high rank, prohibiting their use by commoners or common people.
The happi used to have a folded collar, while the “haten” did not have a folded collar.
By the end of the Edo period, the distinction between the happi and hanten coat had almost disappeared; so the people gradually began to wear them as work clothes, used mainly by artisans, merchants and firemen in the city. No distinction was made between happi and hanten coats.
Nowadays, they are known only as happi coats, and are used during festivals, sporting events, rummage sales and many other occasions. As well as a wide variety of designs that can also bear the name of the team or store they represent; everything will depend on the occasion, although happi coats worn at festivals usually have the letter (kanji) “祭” written on them, which means party.
At FUJITAYA you may find our staff wearing “yukata” or happi coats while working, depending on the days when Japanese and Mexican holidays are celebrated. So we invite you to talk to them when you see them.
Comments