Juban (undershirt for kimono) (襦袢)
Juban; undershirt for kimono (it is also called juhan, jiban), is one of the undershirts for wafuku (Japanese traditional clothes).
Summary
Juban' was originally the term which is phonetically copied from the Portuguese word, 'gibão,' and Chinese characters, which phonetically equivalents to gibão, are applied to it.
A short-length hanjuban (a short undergarment) was originally used. Later, a silken nagajuban (a long undergarment) was made.
If juban is categorized into 'undershirt,' it is an exceptional example of wearing undershirts in that showing juban is recognized as a formal style.
Hada-juban (an undershirt with tie strings worn beneath kimono)
It is an undershirt worn beneath a nagajuban. Since it is worn next to the skin, it is made of cotton such as sarashi (bleached cotton). It is characterized by Tsutsusode (kimono with tubular style of sleeve) and thin collars.
Nagajuban
It is worn between hada-juban and nagagi; full-length garments (kimono). Its shape is similar to that of kimono. There are two kinds of nagajuban; Kansai-tailored type with a gusset-like stand-up collar, Kanto-tailored type with a toshieri collar. Like tsuitake (full length of height), and nagagi (full-length garments), some nagajuban are tailored so that it can be tucked up. Before wearing it, haneri (neckpiece [on a kimono]) is sewn on the part of a collar. Apart from hitoe (a single layer of kimono) and awase (lined garment), there is donuki (juban undergarment) tailored type without lining. These days, nagajiban in full length of height, without lining, and with muso sleeves (a piece of cloth is used for the garment and lining of a sleeve) have been mainly used.
Until through the early Edo period, hanjuban (to be described later) was considered a formal juban, while nagajuban is commonly used today. Originally, nagajuban was designed by yujo (a prostitute). It was used as a wear similar to a room wear at yukaku (a red-light district). It was worn by affluent merchants, but was never worn by court nobles or the members of samurai family.
Nagajuban for furisode (kimono with long, trailing sleeves)
It is a nagajuban for furisode (kimono with long, trailing sleeves). Its feature is the long and round tamoto (sleeve), which is different from other juban.
Hanjuban
It is a juban shorter than nagajuban in length. As the body part of hanjuban is made of sarashi (bleached cotton), it is easy to wash. Usually, hada-juban and nagajuban are worn beneath kimono, but hanjuban, which has the same collar as that of nagajuban, is worn instead of nagajuban, together with susoyoke petticoat or suteteko (men's underwear). It may be called the 'usotsuki (liar) juban,' which means it is a substitute for nagajuban.
In the early Edo period, hanjuban was considered a formal juban, not nagajuban. Hanjuban in the early period was a white sleeveless hanjuban and was used together with koshimaki (waist wrap) as a set.