While collecting Japanese Kimonos can certainly be a worthwhile adventure into the traditional handicrafts of a proud people, it can also be quite an expensive one. As well as the actual kimono fabric itself, many collectors also enjoy the haori overcoat jackets that can be fit over the rest of the clothing.

Specialty clothing, like the jin-haori tabards worn by armored samurai, are highly collectable. Likewise, the samue clothing that is preferred by Zen Buddhist monks are as popular with collectors as they are with shakuhachi musicians.

One of the more promising aspects of the market is the growing second-hand kimono market within Japan, which can offer used garments for as low as around ¥500. This is a real boon considering how expensive a traditionally made garment can cost, though one should naturally expect importers to charge for their services. Still, they can help to bring down the cost on certain types of garments.

No matter how low a price, though, there is one aspect of collecting Japanese Kimonos that will never be that low in price. A women’s obi is quite expensive and the level of craftsmanship that is required to make them drives up the price. Even used examples can be pricey on the collector’s market.

Nevertheless, there are extremely plain women’s obi available that can cost around Â¥1,500 in Japan, and may carry with them less of a mark up on the foreign collector’s market. The obis worn by men are narrow and far less decorative, so collectors of Japanese Kimonos for men should have as much of a problem.