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Japan Designed Unique Kimonos for Every Country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

By Margherita Cole on August 9, 2021

Japan Makes Kimonos for Every Country at Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Poland

At each Olympics, we are reminded of the interesting and varied countries on our planet. So, as the host country of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Japan wanted to do something special to highlight the history and culture of each nation. That is why in 2017, the Japanese international outreach association Imagine Oneworld began the Kimono Project—an initiative with the goal of creating a unique kimono for every country in the world.

While the intention was for all of these garments to be displayed in some fashion during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the COVID-19 safety restrictions sadly canceled this plan. Despite all of the difficulties, however, Project Kimono was still finished, and all of the striking results can be viewed online.

Each kimono draws inspiration from different aspects of the country, including flag colors, geography, architecture, and wildlife, just to name a few. The USA kimono, for instance, features all of the official state flowers, the American bald eagle, motifs of baseball and football, as well as a glimpse into outer space. Additionally, the Greece kimono pays homage to the birthplace of the Olympics with imagery of ancient architecture, olives, acanthus flowers, and flying doves.

Scroll down to see more of these stunning kimonos, and visit the Kimono Project to learn more about this initiative.