“The eri? The okumi? The miyatsuguchi?” — Listening to a kimono explanation, you’ll often run into unfamiliar words. In truth, most of these are simply terms for parts that don’t exist on Western clothing, so once you learn them, they’re not so difficult. Use this article as a “parts-name dictionary” you can open anytime you’re unsure.
🌸 Start here (for those in a hurry)
A kimono is broadly made up of five parts: the eri (collar), sode (sleeve), migoro (body), okumi (front panel), and suso (hem). Learn just these five, and you’ll be able to follow along in shops and kitsuke (dressing in kimono) conversations.
Let’s look at a kimono from the top down
The part that wraps around the neck and crosses over at the front chest
The part the arm passes through. It has detailed sub-names like katayama (shoulder fold), sodeguchi (cuff opening), and furi (the open under-arm section)
The central section covering the body, divided into the front migoro and back migoro
A long, narrow strip of fabric sewn onto the front migoro. It adjusts how the front overlaps
Everything from the hips down, or the very bottom edge of the kimono
Quick-reference dictionary of part names
From here, we’ve grouped together the terms you’ll often hear in shops and during kitsuke. If you come across a word you’re unsure of, feel free to come back to this page.
| Term | Meaning / location |
|---|---|
| Eri (collar) & chest area | |
| Eri (collar) | The part that wraps around the neck |
| Kakeeri | A strip of fabric layered on top of the eri |
| Erisaki | The lower tip of the eri |
| Kensaki | The upper tip of the okumi; the corner where it meets the eri |
| Shoulder & sode (sleeve) area | |
| Katayama | The highest point of the shoulder; the fold line of the sode |
| Katahaba / Katayuki | The width across the shoulders / the length from the center of the neck to the cuff opening |
| Sodeguchi | The opening in the sode through which the hand passes |
| Furi | The open section of the sode below the sodetsuke (where the sleeve is sewn to the body) |
| Migoro (body) area | |
| Mae-migoro / Ushiro-migoro | The sections covering the front and back of the body |
| Miyatsuguchi | The open section under the arm (found on women’s kimono) |
| Mitake | The overall vertical length of the kimono |
| Senui | The center-back seam where the left and right back migoro panels are sewn together |
| Okumi (front panel) & suso (hem) area | |
| Okumi | The long, narrow strip of fabric sewn onto the front migoro |
| Tsumasaki | The corner where the erishita (below the collar) and the hem meet |
| Suso | Everything from the hips down, or the very bottom edge of the kimono |
| Tailoring-related terms | |
| Douura | The lining on the inside, upper-body section of the kimono |
| Hakkake | The lining around the hem of the kimono, which can sometimes peek out from the front |
*The definitions of these terms may vary slightly depending on the type and tailoring of the kimono
A closer look at three especially common terms
Where exactly is the miyatsuguchi?
It’s the open section under the arm on a woman’s kimono. It lets air through and makes it easier to move the arms. Men’s kimono generally don’t have one.
What is the furi?
It’s the open section of the sode below the sodetsuke (the part where the sleeve is sewn to the migoro). The “furi” in furisode (a long-sleeved formal kimono) refers to exactly this section, tailored extra long.
Where is the kensaki?
It’s the corner at the chest where the eri and okumi meet. If you’re told to “line up the kensaki” during kitsuke, use this corner as your guide.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Do all kimono have an okumi?
A. Some kimono, such as yukata (a light cotton summer kimono), can be made without an okumi, using a style called “bou-eri” tailoring. You can safely assume that a standard kimono includes an okumi.
Q. Do part names differ between men’s and women’s kimono?
A. Some parts, such as the miyatsuguchi, are specific to women’s kimono. The basic parts — eri, sode, migoro, okumi, and suso — are shared by both.
Q. Is there a trick to remembering the order?
A. As shown in Fig. 1, it helps to learn them from top to bottom: eri → sode → migoro → okumi → suso. Come back to this page whenever you need a refresher.
If you’d like to see these part names on real garments, the V&A’s exhibition book is one to keep on the shelf: it brings together more than 200 kimono, historical and modern, in large photographs. Please check the product page for current details.
Summary
- A kimono’s five basic parts are the eri, sode, migoro, okumi, and suso
- Detailed terms are easier to remember when you group them by which part they belong to
- Miyatsuguchi, furi, and kensaki are especially common terms — knowing their locations makes kitsuke conversations much smoother
If you’d like to start from the basics of kimono types and formality, take a look at our quick-reference guide to kimono types and formality 🌸 Once you’ve learned the part names, the next step is gathering what you actually need. Be sure to also check out our checklist of everything you need to wear a kimono — a beginner’s preparation guide.