衣替えってなに？Why Do Japanese People Change Their Clothes in October?

Why do many people in Japan change their clothes around October? Misaki and Nozomi begin with 衣替え, the seasonal change from summer clothes to winter clothes, and follow the old word 衣 through court customs, kimono, school uniforms, and even the crisp coating around tempura.

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What You’ll Learn

You will learn what 衣 means and why it remains in words such as 衣服, 衣装, 衣食住, and 衣替え even though 服 is more common in everyday conversation. You will also trace 衣替え from seasonal clothing customs at the Heian-period imperial court to detailed changes of kimono in the Edo period and modern school uniform changes around June and October. Finally, you will see how the image of something covering the outside connects clothing with the 衣 around tempura and other fried foods.

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Transcript

It is October—have you put away your summer clothes?

Misaki ねえ、ノゾミ。もう10月じゅうがつだね〜。

English: Hey, Nozomi. It is already October.

Nozomi ね〜。今年ことしも、あっという間まに終おわりそう！

English: I know. This year feels like it will be over before we know it!

Nozomi 最近さいきん、寒さむくなってきたし、いい加減かげん、夏服なつふくをしまわなきゃ。

English: It has been getting colder lately, so I really need to put my summer clothes away.

Misaki 私わたし、昨日きのう、やっと衣替ころもがえしたよ！

English: I finally changed over my wardrobe yesterday!

Nozomi さすが、ミサキ！ 私わたしも今度こんどの休やすみにしようかな〜。

English: That is so like you, Misaki! Maybe I will do mine on my next day off.

Nozomi ていうか、今いまさらなんだけど……「衣ころも」って何なに？

English: Actually, this may be a little late to ask, but what does “koromo” mean?

Nozomi なんで「服替ふくがえ」って言いわないんだろう？

English: Why do we not call it “fukugae,” changing clothes?

Misaki ノゾミ、すばらしい。それ、今日きょうのテーマ！

English: Nozomi, wonderful. That is today’s topic!

Nozomi えっ、そうなの？

English: Really?

Misaki そう。今日きょうは、「衣替ころもがえ」の「衣ころも」について話はなしてみよう。

English: Yes. Today, let’s talk about the word “koromo” in “koromogae.”

Nozomi なんか急きゅうに、漢字かんじの授業じゅぎょうみたいになってきた。

English: This is suddenly starting to sound like a kanji lesson.

Misaki 大丈夫だいじょうぶ。途中とちゅうで天てんぷらも出でてくるから。

English: Do not worry. Tempura will appear along the way.

Nozomi 天てんぷら？ 衣替ころもがえの話はなしだよね？

English: Tempura? We are talking about changing clothes, right?

Misaki うん。どうつながるのか、一緒いっしょに見みていこう。

English: Yes. Let’s find out how they are connected.

Misaki ということで始はじまりました、Late Night Japanese Chat。私わたしたち、ミサキと……

English: And with that, welcome to Late Night Japanese Chat. We are Misaki and…

Nozomi ノゾミがお届とどけします。今夜こんやも楽たのしく話はなしていきましょう。

English: Nozomi. Let’s enjoy another conversation tonight.

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Is koromo an old word for clothes?

Misaki まず、「衣ころも」は、体からだに着きるもの。つまり、服ふくを表あらわす昔むかしからの言葉ことばなんだよ。

English: First, “koromo” means something worn on the body. In other words, it is an old word for clothing.

Nozomi じゃあ、意味いみは「服ふく」と同おなじ？

English: So does it mean the same thing as “fuku,” clothes?

Misaki 近ちかいね。でも、今いまの会話かいわで「今日きょう、新あたらしい衣ころもを買かった」とは、あまり言いわないよね。

English: They are close. But in conversation today, we do not usually say, “I bought a new koromo today.”

Nozomi たしかに。「新あたらしい服ふくを買かった」って言いう。

English: True. We would say, “I bought new clothes.”

Misaki 「衣ころも」は、今いまも「衣服いふく」「衣装いしょう」「衣替ころもがえ」みたいな言葉ことばの中なかに残のこっているんだね。

English: “Koromo,” or the character 衣, remains today in words such as ifuku, isho, and koromogae.

Nozomi あ、「衣食住いしょくじゅう」の「衣い」も同おなじ字じだ。

English: Oh, the “i” in ishokujū—clothing, food, and shelter—is the same character.

Misaki そうそう。着きるもの、食たべるもの、住すむところ。生活せいかつに必要ひつような三みっつだね。

English: Exactly. What we wear, what we eat, and where we live: three necessities of daily life.

Nozomi 古ふるい言葉ことばだけど、今いまもいろんな言葉ことばの中なかで使つかわれているんだね。

English: So it is an old word, but it is still used inside many words today.

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Did koromogae begin in the age of kimono?

Nozomi じゃあ、「衣替ころもがえ」も、着物きものを着きていた時代じだいからあるの？

English: Then has “koromogae” existed since the days when people wore kimono?

Misaki うん。平安時代へいあんじだいには、宮中きゅうちゅうで季節きせつに合あわせて着きるものを替かえる行事ぎょうじがあったんだって。

English: Yes. In the Heian period, the imperial court had a custom of changing clothing with the seasons.

Nozomi 宮中きゅうちゅうって、天皇てんのうや貴族きぞくがいたところだよね。

English: The imperial court means the place where the emperor and nobles lived, right?

Misaki そう。当時とうじは、今いまのカレンダーとは違ちがうけど、春はると秋あきの決きまった日ひに衣ころもを替かえていたの。

English: Right. Their calendar differed from ours, but they changed clothing on set days in spring and autumn.

Nozomi 暑あつくなったから、今日きょうは半袖はんそでにしよう、みたいに自分じぶんで決きめるんじゃないんだ。

English: So it was not simply an individual decision like, “It is hot today, so I will wear short sleeves.”

Misaki うん。季節きせつの行事ぎょうじとして、みんなで替かえていたんだね。

English: Right. People changed clothing together as a seasonal custom.

Nozomi 服ふくを替かえることが、行事ぎょうじになるの、おもしろいね。

English: It is interesting that changing clothes became an annual custom.

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Clothing changes became more detailed in the Edo period

Misaki それが江戸時代えどじだいになると、着きるものを替かえる時期じきが、もっと細こまかく決きめられたこともあったんだって。

English: In the Edo period, there were times when the dates for changing clothing were set in even more detail.

Nozomi 春はると秋あきの二回にかいだけじゃないの？

English: It was not just twice, in spring and autumn?

Misaki うん。裏地うらじのある着物きもの、裏地うらじのない着物きもの、綿わたを入いれた着物きものみたいに、季節きせつに合あわせて替かえていたんだよ。

English: No. People changed among lined kimono, unlined kimono, and padded kimono according to the season.

Nozomi 今いまみたいに、同おなじ服ふくの上うえにセーターを一枚いちまい足たす、という感かんじじゃないんだね。

English: So it was not quite like today, when we might simply add a sweater over the same clothes.

Misaki そうだね。着物きものそのものを、季節きせつに合あわせて替かえていたんだね。

English: Right. The kimono itself was changed to match the season.

Nozomi それなら、「衣ころもを替かえる」という言葉ことばがぴったりだね。

English: In that case, the phrase “change one’s koromo” makes perfect sense.

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School uniforms change together

Nozomi 昔むかしは宮中きゅうちゅうや着物きものの話はなしだけど、今いまも決きまった日ひにみんなで替かえることってある？

English: That explains the imperial court and kimono in the past, but do people still change clothing together on a set day today?

Misaki 学校がっこうの制服せいふくが分わかりやすいね。日本にほんでは、一般的いっぱんてきに6月ろくがつごろに夏服なつふく、10月じゅうがつごろに冬服ふゆふくへ替かえる学校がっこうがあるよ。

English: School uniforms are an easy example. In Japan, some schools generally change to summer uniforms around June and winter uniforms around October.

Nozomi あった、あった。ある日ひから、みんな一斉いっせいに半袖はんそでになったり、上着うわぎを着きたりするの。

English: Yes, I remember. From a certain day, everyone would suddenly wear short sleeves or put on a jacket.

Misaki でも、季節きせつの変かわり目めは、暑あつい日ひも寒さむい日ひもあるでしょう？

English: But during a change of season, there can be both hot and cold days, right?

Nozomi うん。冬服ふゆふくになったのに、昼ひるは暑あつい日ひもあった。

English: Yes. There were days when it was warm at midday even after we changed to winter uniforms.

Misaki だから今いまは、夏服なつふくと冬服ふゆふくのどちらを着きてもいい「移行期間いこうきかん」を作つくる学校がっこうもあるんだって。

English: That is why some schools now have a transition period when students may wear either the summer or winter uniform.

Nozomi 日付ひづけだけじゃなくて、自分じぶんの体からだや、その日ひの天気てんきに合あわせられるんだね。

English: So students can consider their own bodies and the weather, not only the date.

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Why does tempura also have koromo?

Nozomi ところで、最初さいしょに言いってた天てんぷらは？

English: By the way, what about the tempura you mentioned at the beginning?

Misaki 忘わすれてなかったね。

English: You did not forget!

Nozomi そこが一番いちばん気きになってた。

English: That was the part I was most curious about.

Misaki 天てんぷらの外側そとがわについている、小麦粉こむぎこや卵たまごなどを混まぜたものも、「衣ころも」って言いうよね。

English: We also call the mixture of flour, egg, and other ingredients on the outside of tempura “koromo.”

Nozomi うん。「衣ころもがサクサクしている」とか言いう。

English: Yes. We might say, “The coating is crisp.”

Misaki 天てんぷらだけじゃなくて、フライや唐揚からあげなど、揚あげ物ものの外側そとがわを包つつむものにも使つかうよ。

English: It is not limited to tempura. The word is also used for the coating around fried foods such as breaded cutlets and karaage.

Nozomi 体からだを包つつむのが服ふくの「衣ころも」。食たべ物ものを包つつむのが揚あげ物ものの「衣ころも」なんだ。

English: So clothing is the “koromo” that covers the body, and a fried coating is the “koromo” that covers food.

Misaki そう考かんがえると、同おなじ言葉ことばを使つかうのも分わかりやすいよね。

English: When you think of it that way, using the same word makes sense.

Nozomi 天てんぷらが服ふくを着きているみたい。

English: It is as if the tempura is wearing clothes.

Misaki それだけじゃなくて、お菓子かしや豆まめの外側そとがわについているものを「衣ころも」と呼よぶこともあるんだよ。

English: Not only that. The word “koromo” can also refer to something coating the outside of sweets or beans.

Nozomi 「外側そとがわを包つつむもの」というイメージが、服ふくから食たべ物ものへ広ひろがったんだね。

English: So the image of something covering the outside expanded from clothing to food.

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Preparing to welcome the next season

Nozomi ここまで聞きくと、衣替ころもがえって、ただ服ふくを片かたづけることより、もう少すこし大おおきな感かんじがするね。

English: After hearing all this, “koromogae” feels like something a little larger than simply putting clothes away.

Misaki うん。日本にほんでは昔むかしから、季節きせつの変化へんかに合あわせて、着きるものや暮くらしを整ととのえてきたんだね。

English: Yes. In Japan, people have long adjusted their clothing and daily lives to seasonal changes.

Nozomi 春はるになったから桜さくらを見みる。夏なつになったから、うちわや扇風機せんぷうきを出だす。秋あきになったから服ふくを替かえる。

English: Spring arrives, so we view cherry blossoms. Summer arrives, so we bring out fans. Autumn arrives, so we change our clothes.

Misaki そうそう。季節きせつが変かわったことを、生活せいかつの中なかで感かんじるんだね。

English: Exactly. We feel the change of season through daily life.

Nozomi 私わたし、衣替ころもがえって、面倒めんどうな片かたづけだと思おもってた。

English: I thought changing wardrobes was simply a troublesome chore.

Misaki それも間違まちがいではないけどね。

English: That is not exactly wrong either.

Nozomi でも、「次つぎの季節きせつを迎むかえる準備じゅんび」と思おもったら、少すこし楽たのしくできるかも。

English: But if I think of it as preparing to welcome the next season, it might be a little more enjoyable.

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Kimono in the past, Western clothes today

Misaki 今日きょうは、「衣替ころもがえ」の「衣ころも」から話はなしが始はじまったね。

English: Today, our conversation began with the word “koromo” in “koromogae.”

Nozomi 「衣ころも」は、服ふくを表あらわす昔むかしからの言葉ことば。平安時代へいあんじだいには、宮中きゅうちゅうで季節きせつに合あわせて衣ころもを替かえていた。

English: “Koromo” is an old word for clothing. In the Heian period, clothing was changed with the seasons at the imperial court.

Misaki 江戸時代えどじだいには、着物きものの種類しゅるいを季節きせつに合あわせて細こまかく替かえた。そして今いまも、学校がっこうで制服せいふくを一斉いっせいに替かえる形かたちに、その感覚かんかくが残のこっているね。

English: In the Edo period, people changed different types of kimono according to the season. Even today, that sense remains when school uniforms are changed together.

Nozomi それから、体からだを包つつむ服ふくだけじゃなくて、天てんぷらやフライの外側そとがわも「衣ころも」。

English: And “koromo” is not only clothing that covers the body. It is also the coating around tempura and fried foods.

Misaki 昔むかしは着物きもの、今いまは洋服ようふくだけど、季節きせつに合あわせて暮くらしを整ととのえるところは、変かわっていないのかもしれないね。

English: People wore kimono in the past and Western-style clothes today, but perhaps the practice of adjusting daily life to the seasons has not changed.

Nozomi みなさんは、もう衣替ころもがえをしましたか？

English: Have you changed over your wardrobe yet?

Nozomi そして、みなさんの言葉ことばにも、服ふくと食たべ物ものの外側そとがわを同おなじ言葉ことばで表あらわすものがありますか？

English: And in your language, is there also a word used both for clothing and for the outside coating of food?

Misaki ぜひコメントで教おしえてください。

English: Please tell us in the comments.

Misaki それでは、今夜こんやはこのへんで。今夜こんやも聞きいてくれてありがとうございます。

English: That is all for tonight. Thank you for listening this evening.

Nozomi 今日きょう話はなしたこととトランスクリプトは、サイトで公開こうかいしています。概要欄がいようらんのリンクから、読よんでみてくださいね。

English: What we talked about today and the transcript are available on our website. You can read them through the link in the description.

Misaki よかったらチャンネル登録とうろくして、また聞ききに来きてくださいね。おやすみなさい。

English: If you like, subscribe and come back to listen again. Good night.

Nozomi おやすみなさい。

English: Good night.

Vocabulary

Each word includes the original line from the transcript and one extra example. Use “See in transcript” to jump back to the conversation.

Cultural Notes

Koromogae was once a seasonal court custom. In the Heian period, clothing at the imperial court was changed on set days according to the season. The calendar was different from the one used today, so the episode focuses on the custom rather than treating the historical dates as modern dates.

Modern school uniform changes are not identical everywhere. June and October are common reference points for changing school uniforms in Japan, but schools do not all follow exactly the same dates or system. Some provide a transition period so students can choose summer or winter uniforms according to the weather.

Koromo can cover a body or a food. 衣 is an old word for something worn on the body and remains inside many compound words. It can also describe the coating around tempura, fried foods, sweets, or beans. The shared image is something covering the outside.