---
node: garment_haori
type: garment
slug: haori
title: "Haori"
lead: "The haori is a hip- or thigh-length jacket worn open over a kimono, tied at the chest with a pair of cords. It adds a layer of formality and warmth for both men and women."
published: 2026-08-09
updated: 2026-08-09
image_file: haori.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E9%BB%92%E5%B9%B3%E7%B5%B9%E5%9C%B0%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E5%9B%B3%E7%BE%BD%E7%B9%94_%E7%94%B7%E7%89%A9-Man%27s_Formal_Jacket_(Haori)_MET_DP330781.jpg"
image_author: "The Metropolitan Museum of Art"
image_license: "CC0"
---

## Overview

A haori is a straight-cut jacket that hangs over the kimono without wrapping closed, fastened only by a short braided tie (haori-himo) across the chest. It layers a further level of formality — and often a hidden flourish — over the robe beneath.

## How it is worn

Worn open over the kimono and obi, it is held by the himo cord alone, and its lining, unseen except in movement, was a favored place for bold or witty designs. A black haori bearing family crests is formal wear, while plainer ones are everyday.

## History

The haori spread in the Edo period, first among men and later, in the late Edo and Meiji years, among women — geisha of the Fukagawa district made the women's haori fashionable. It remains a common outer layer worn over the kimono today.