What Is Samue?

・Unlike kimono and yukata, samue was originally a work outfit for Zen monks, making them highly functional, and are the closest Japanese garment to Western clothing.
・A variety of artisans in Japan wear samue to this day, such as monks and head priests in temples, those who create Japanese cuisine, including sushi, soba, udon, and ramen chefs, carpenters, potters, and Japanese gardeners. Samue is a garment suited to Japanese culture and climate and is one that is loved by Japanese artisans.
・Samue is often used in a variety of Japanese cultural practices, including Zen, bonsai, Japanese cuisine, Japanese music, pottery, flower arrangement, calligraphy, tea ceremonies, judo, kendo, and archery.
・With the functionality that comes from being created as a work outfit, and because it was born from Zen ideals, it is a garment that helps the person wearing it to relax as they stretch themselves out and prepare for physical activity, and recently, samue have been used more as relaxing wear by the average consumer, such as dressing gowns and casual wear.
・It is a garment that is perfect for returning to Japanese style including concepts such as “Wa (harmony)” and “Iki (chicness/style)” into our Westernized lifestyle.
・Samue consists of tops and bottoms and can be worn by anyone by simply tying the strings together.
・Samue has many styles and can be worn all year around, with spring, summer, autumn, and winter types available.
・There are a variety of fabrics used in samue, and most of those made by WASUIAN can be washed in the washing machine in your home, as you would with Western clothing, making them easy to care for and maintain.