Can you give us some insight as to what InuYasha's outfit or the components of his outfit are called? I've seen so many terms thrown around from kimono to suikan to yukata to haori, not to mention obi and hakama and whatnot. I've looked a little bit into it myself, but you seem more knowledgeable and I really liked your analysis on Kagura's outfit and even Sesshomaru's fluffy bit!
A joint effort by tekka-wekka and vorpalgirl
I’m glad you’ve liked our articles so far! tekka-wekka did most of those (though regarding Sesshōmaru’s fluffy thing, credit is 100% due to the wonderful inu-fanon!), but we’ll answer yours together, because I had thoughts on the matter. Like you, I’ve seen a lot of terms, some of them wildly inaccurate, used for Inuyasha’s clothing. Tekka even more so, since she went through the trouble of researching Sengoku period clothing, so it’s become something she always notices. You mention the term haori for instance; Inuyasha doesn’t wear one at all, but I recall one of my favorite fics using the term for the Robe of the Fire Rat. Since it was clear from context what the author meant, I didn’t think twice until quoting it to Tekka and getting corrected on it.
To be honest, you see this happen all the time. Most of Western fandom for Japanese media is not aware of the terminology surrounding traditional Japanese clothing beyond common terms like kimono, yukata, obi, and maybe furisode. Heck, even my own knowledge is barely beyond that, and it’s only as good as it is because of Tekka’s research! So even a good fic might have an error slip through simply because none of the readers noticed it, and it’s easy to mix up terms that are literally foreign to you. To make matters more confusing, even what we consider traditional clothing is modern compared to the clothing in InuYasha.So that explains the why. But of course, you asked the “what.” And the good news is, that’s pretty easy to answer, thanks to one of Tekka’s favorite sources: Hakagure Productions. Visit that link, and you’ll find a fantastically complete discussion of Japanese clothing in history that gets right down to when what fabrics became available, followed by a complete breakdown of most of the Inu-tachi’s clothing. Since you asked specifically about Inuyasha’s though (and since his is the most frequently mis-labeled from what I can tell - you really saw yukata!? Egads!), here’s the deets on his:First, I’m happy to hear you heard the term suikan, because that’s actually what the (red in his case) jacket is called. I’m going to be a total mooch here, and use Hakagure Pro’s own graphic to illustrate.
According to the writer at Hakagure Productions, a suikan is “a sort of hunting jacket with squared shoulders and wide sleeves. The sleeves are slit open above the shoulders, and the cuffs have a string woven through them called a sode-kukuri.” These sode-kukuri (literally, “tied sleeves”) function as a drawstring.So basically, suikan are the Japanese equivalent of a sportcoat; something guys in the old days used to wear while hunting or doing other outdoor activities but now look kinda weirdly formal and old-fashioned to modern eyes. Actually really, really formal and old-fashioned, in the case of his suikan, because it definitely reads as feudal-era clothing to a Japanese reader.
Now, Inuyasha’s not the only character wearing a suikan. Hakudoshi sports one as well:
As you can see, Hakudoshi and Inuyasha tie the cords holding their suikan shut differently. Inuyasha wears his suikan like a warrior, because he is one. Hakudoshi wears his suikan like a noble, because he’s a pretentious little shit.
Over his suikan, Inuyasha wears what Hagakure terms nenju, and what the anime calls Beads of Subjugation. The nenju is made up of mala beads (the round ones) and magatama beads (the claw-shaped ones).
Underneath his suikan, you will notice, is a white shirt, the collar of which shows from underneath the collar of his suikan. This is an undershirt, which can be referred to as a hadagi, hadajuban or shitagi; but these terms are not interchangeable. You’re probably best off referring to it as his hadagi, his hadajuban, or simply his “undershirt.” A man’s hadagi ”typically would extend to mid-thigh and is secured with a thin obi or short ties sewn into the waist of the garment.” This is why you see white fabric peeking through the vents of his hakama; it’s his hadagi making another appearance.
An obi, by the way, is simply a sash used to hold clothing shut. You could call it a sash or a belt if you want to make it clear to your readers what an obi does.
Now, let’s move on down to the garments of the lower body.
The term hakama isn’t inaccurate, but it is generic; hakama just means a garment covering the lower body, such as a pair of pants or a skirt. So when you refer to Inuyasha’s “hakama,” you’re literally just saying his “pants,” as opposed to the specific type of pants. Inuyasha wears hakama called both nu-bakama and sashinuki, just like Sesshōmaru. So it’s fine to refer to his pants as hakama, as it’s exactly the same as referring to someone’s shorts as their “pants” or their miniskirt as a “skirt.”
A pair of hakama, according Hagakure, ”is secured at the waist or belly by four wide cords (hikigoshi), which wrap around each other and are usually secured with one knot at the front and one knot at the back.” In Inuyasha’s case, he ties his hikigoshi in front, then slides Tessaiga between them.
If you look at the crotch of his hakama, you’ll notice the seams are overlapped, rather than sewn shut. From Sengoku Daimyo: ”Many hakama were made “crotchless” — that is, the underneath seam was left unclosed. This was to allow one’s natural bodily functions (at least the “smaller” ones) without having to disrobe. This was structurally easier to do with the more full hakama, of course. Others had overlapping gussets making a fly, or were just sewn shut with a normal gusset.”
If for some reason, your fic includes a scene where Inuyasha must answer the call of nature, he could pull the seams apart and take care of business without undressing.A note on the material of Inuyasha’s hakama: When he gives Kagome his suikan in the Yura of the Hair chapters, he describes it as being made from “Fire-Rat fur,” making it better than most Sengoku-era armor. This is a reference to the Robe of the Fire-Rat, a famous item from Taketori Monogatari, a.k.a. “Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter” or “The Tale of Princess Kaguya” and similar titles. Because canon sources often call his clothing the “Robe of the Fire-Rat,” many times people assume the term only refers to his suikan, his most robe-like garment. However, it’s likely his hakama is made from the same material, as it seems just as durable as his suikan andlooks like it’s made of the same cloth; it’s obviously a matching set. (Sidebar: like most clothing in the series, it appears to be self-repairing. It also appears to grow along with Inuyasha, given he is drawn in it even in flashbacks to his childhood. Awkward lack of continuity, or really handy magic? You decide!)
As for underwear…well, unless he goes commando, he likely wears one of these (images taken from Wikipedia, license here):
It’s called a fundoshi, by the way. And yes, it’s basically a thong in the back.
Sources (Click for Links!)
Hagakure Productions, a Wonderful Resource for All Things InuYasha
Sengoku Daimyo, A Source For Sengoku Clothing, Armor, Language, Etc.
The Suikan: English Resource, Japanese Site with Multiple Pictures
