Under the _kimono_ a woman wears much the same clothing as a man; but unlike him, she wears two loin-cloths. The lower one, which is the loin-cloth proper, is a piece of bleached cotton wound round the hips and coming down to the knees. It is called in Japanese the “bath-cloth,” as it was formerly, and still is in some parts of the country, worn when a woman takes a bath. The upper loin-cloth, called the “hip-wrap,” is more ornamental; it is tied round the hips like the bath-cloth, but comes down to the feet. It is usually made of _mousseline de laine_ or crêpe, and is red for girls, of a gay colour with fanciful patterns for young women, and white for matrons. This hip-wrap is replaced in winter by what we call a “long chemise,” which is practically a _kimono_ made without the tuck and of the exact height of the wearer. Over the neck-band is sewn an ornamental band called “half-band,” which is usually of crêpe, though some other light silk may be used, red for young girls and of various colours, white, black, violet, blue, or grey for grown-up persons. Flowers, birds, or landscapes are embroidered on it with gold or silver threads or with silk. This ornamental half-band is worn on the chemise or other underwear next to the _kimono_. The _kimono_, the upper one if two are worn, which is for home wear, is usually covered over the neck-band with an over-band of satin. Women wear, like men, _haori_ of various descriptions, the crested _haori_ of black crêpe, the uncrested made of silk, striped, spotted, or of other pattern, and the long _haori_, which though often less wadded than men’s, reaches like theirs below the knees. A woman’s _haori_ differs from a man’s, like the _kimono_, in having sleeves open on the inner side and a loop-hole under the arm. The _hakama_ is worn by school-girls and their teachers, and by some of the court ladies. The girl’s _hakama_ differs from man’s in not being divided. It is simply round like the European skirt; but it has plaits which are not, however, so deep or so marked as men’s. It is open, like theirs, at the sides near the _obi_ and tied in the same way. The Japanese woman’s pride, however, is the _obi_. It is often the most costly of all her apparel. It is about thirteen feet long and thirteen and a half inches wide. The _obi_ for ordinary wear is made by sewing together back to back two pieces of cloth, of which the face is commonly of stiff stuff like satin and the lining of crêpe, or other soft silk or cotton. But the _obi_ worn on formal occasions consists of a single piece of double width, which is folded in two lengthwise and seamed; it is made of taffety, satin, damask, or gold or other brocade. The Chinese satin has at one end the name of its loom in red thread; and imitation satins and sateens have similar names at the same end; and this end is always exposed to view when the _obi_ is worn. When sewn, the woman’s _obi_ is padded like men’s.