Nihongami

Nihongami
is the term used for a number of traditional Japanese hairstyles considered to be distinctive in their construction and societal role.
Traditionally, the construction of most hairstyles consisted of two "wings" at the side of the head, curving upwards towards the back of the head to form a topknot or ponytail, with a long loop of hair below this also drawn into the topknot. Styles were accessorised with traditional hair accessories, though typically only by women; the combination of both style and accessories formed hairstyles that distinctively varied based on gender, age, job role and social standing.
Most styles of were hardened and shaped with wax, known as , and were styled with specially-carved combs made of either bamboo or boxwood, with heated tongs used to straighten the hair before styling. Hair styled in this manner was typically restyled weekly, and in some cases would necessitate sleeping on a pillow raised from the floor, known as a .
are no longer commonly worn, and today are most often seen on , geisha and sumo wrestlers. A number of different styles of are also worn by courtesan re-enactors and modern , and many styles once common in the Edo period are seen faithfully reproduced in kabuki plays, which themselves also commonly date to the Edo period. Though some styles of are well documented, others have, over time, fallen into obscurity, with little in the way of documentation in regards to their appearance, name, origin and method of styling.
History
Many hairstyles now labelled were developed during the Edo period, when a preference amongst women for long, flowing hairstyles transitioned towards more elaborate, upswept styles, featuring buns at the back of the neck and 'wings' at either side of the head. This trend, originating amongst courtesans and kabuki actors, soon spread to fashionable merchants' wives, before becoming a general fashion trend seen throughout Japan.
During this time, a number of widely-varying hairstyles were developed and worn by Japanese women, with hairstyles commonly worn based on age, social class and occupation. One such hairstyle that developed during the Edo period was the , which was commonly worn by girls in their late teenage years. The became the basis for a number of popular hairstyles, such as the , which developed in the mid-Edo period; featuring wide wings at the side of the head, its name was said to refer to the fact that the area behind a person could be seen through the wings of a hairstyle, akin to being able to see through a lantern. The experienced wide popularity, and was commonly depicted in ukiyo-e prints by artists such as Utamaro.
Other hairstyles, such as , and the were also worn by young women; the hairstyle was typically worn by girls during the Edo period, with being worn by newly married women during the later Edo period and Meiji period.
Historically, traditional hairstylists, known as , were almost entirely women, a trend which continued up until the 1970s, when the last hairstylist servicing the in Kyoto died, leading to hairstylist Tetsuo Ishihara taking the role. The boxwood and bamboo combs used to create the hairstyles were, and continue to be, handmade by craftspeople; however, though as many as 200 craftspeople made combs near Osaka in the mid-19th century, few craftspeople exist to produce traditional combs in the modern day.
During and after WWII, wigs (known as ) being worn by geisha; this allowed geisha to go weeks without needing to restyle their hair, over the once or twice weekly required when not wearing a wig. The hairstyles worn by also changed following WWII, though continued to mostly use their own hair instead of a wig. Previously, had worn hairstyles relatively similar to the style worn by geisha, with each section of the hairstyle appearing longer and less voluminous in style. In the postwar period, the number of hairstylists with the knowledge to create this hairstyle dwindled significantly enough that the hairstyles of were redeveloped.
In the present day, there are still relatively few traditional hairstylists, with just five in 2004 in Kyoto servicing the entirety of the geisha and communities.
Styling
Though a number of different hairstyles exist, most styles follow a relatively similar construction method. Knowledge of the styling methods for as many as 115 different styles of survives to the present day.
The hair is first divided into five sections:
The front 'bangs' (in British English 'fringe') section
The two side wings, or
The bun/topknot section, called the
The nape section, which forms a long loop of hair underneath the topknot, called the
Each section is styled towards the at the top of the head; variations in the volume and shape can denote a different hairstyle entirely. The hair is then styled using traditional boxwood or bamboo combs (known as and respectively), and is kept in place with the addition of wax, the thickness of which varies based on factors such as weather and humidity. Parts of the hairstyle are supported by the addition of waxed hair extensions, typically yak hair, before being secured with wire cords known as and kept in place with hair accessories and combs. Separate hair combs, featuring small, short teeth, are used to gently touch up the hairstyle once styled, keeping it free from dirt and dust.
Geisha
Post-WWII, geisha began to wear wigs (known as ) instead of styling their own hair, a trend which continues to this day. Geisha generally wear -style wigs known as , or . This style is distinguishable from the that brides wear by its generally flatter and thinner appearance; the are smaller and less rounded, the is placed further back on the head, and the is longer and thinner; the is also typically not as full. Geisha are styled to suit each individual's face, meaning that no two geisha appear alike, whereas bridal are typically rented and pre-styled, leading to less variation than is seen in the geisha wear.
The style of worn by older geisha to special events is known as the . This style of , worn by older women in previous centuries, is the flattest form of the , with the pushed relatively far back off the head, appearing somewhat squashed with the usually-open loop of the crushed to form two smaller, tighter loops of hair.
Brides
For traditional Japanese weddings, a style of known as the or is worn by the bride, which appears extremely similar to the worn by geisha.
The worn by brides is typically a pre-styled wig hired for the day, featuring full, rounded , a set relatively high on the head, a fuller and a shorter, fuller at the back. This is usually worn with a set of matching hair accessories, which can be gold, silver, tortoiseshell or faux-tortoiseshell.
wear a number of different hairstyles throughout their apprenticeship to become geisha, many of which vary by region and individual geisha district. The hair accessories worn by vary by season and occasion, and are considerably larger than most worn by women. Some are particular to a certain district or event; for instance, from Gion Kobu wear a special hairstyle for the Miyako Odori.
Typically, the average will go through five changes in hairstyle throughout their apprenticeship. These are:
– the hairstyle worn by every senior during the Gion Matsuri. The resembles the in both shape and construction, featuring the same in either red, pink or blue (for very senior maiko) tied under the . On either side of the , (silver flower ) are placed in the gap formed by the itself. It is said that this hairstyle was created using the hairstyle from the Edo period.
– the default hairstyle for senior . Like , also appears similar to , however, instead of a bun split into two equally-sized wings, the is left unsplit, with a (triangle of typically -dyed silk) pinned to the outside, forming a triangle of silk from the base of the that is pinned to the centre. As graduate in seniority, the colour of the changes from red, then to pink, and then finally different colours.
– the last hairstyle worn by before graduating to geishahood. is worn for two weeks before graduation (known as ). It is the most elaborate and expensive of hairstyles, decorated with formal tortoiseshell , and a unique designed by the herself, featuring auspicious animals such as cranes and tortoises. The is tied in a complex manner, and features a hanging strip of waxed hair; the night before a 's , the proprietress of the and the and geisha of the house cuts the strip of hair and the ties holding the hairstyle together.
– the hairstyle worn by junior for the first 2–3 years of their apprenticeship. The appears structurally similar to the hairstyle, with the hairstyle featuring a flatter , that taper towards the bottom, a smaller, chunkier and a that lies further towards the back of the head in its fullness.
The is formed by shaping a typical -style , before being split into two wings with a long strip of waxed hair. A hair ornament is placed in the middle of the wings, before two padded rolls of -dyed red silk – known as a – are inserted at the top and bottom, giving the appearance of a doughnut-shaped red ring with two wings of hair on either side. The is worn for a 's formal debut, known as , where it is also decorated with formal made of tortoiseshell, silver and red (dangling silver strips placed underneath the ), and two ("fluttering" or "dangling") .
– the hairstyle worn by senior for (the start of the new year), (summer Thanksgiving in Gion Kobu only), and for performing tea ceremony at (dances). The is constructed similarly to the basic style, with a two-part at the back, identifiable for this style by the string of beads wrapped around its centre and the single-bead placed in the middle of this string, known collectively as the . In winter, the is typically coral with a single jade bead , and in summer, the colours reverse to be mainly jade with a single coral bead. The also features a long, padded tube of silk (a ) tied through and underneath the , usually in red silk, though it can be a number of colours.
and
Historically, (all high-class courtesans) and (the highest rank of courtesan) wore a number of different, typically elaborate and heavily-dressed styles of . These included, but were not limited to:
, which incorporated elements of the and hairstyles in the and respectively
, an informal style worn by lower-ranking courtesans, and not seen on townswomen or samurai women in the Edo period as in some hairstyles
, a type of appearing similar to the with a simply-formed and accessorised with a smaller, colourful cord tied around it; historical versions of the appear to show a more elongated and more prominently-looped
and , both featuring prominent and intricately-styled
, similar to the worn by senior and differing in the longer, looser and in the style of used
, named after one of the heroines in the Tale of Genji, featuring wide and a gold cord wrapped around the intricately-styled
Other styles worn by had less-elaborate counterparts commonly worn by townswomen, and women of the samurai class. These included:
Other
Other Japanese hairstyles include:
See also
Hairstyles of Japanese women
List of hairstyles
References
External links
How to style (in Japanese)
Geisha
Hairstyles by culture
Japanese words and phrases