IntroductionKimono is a Japanese word, it means clothing and is simply pronounced kimono (Kee-Mo-No). Kimonos are traditional Japanese silk robes worn on special occasions by men, women and children. (Salter) "To produce 1 kg of silk, 104 kg of mulberry leaves must be eaten by 3000 silkworms. It takes about 5000 silkworms to make one pure silk kimono." A kimono is the main dress; there are other things that make up a kimono. The kimono is a robe, with wide sleeves and a very wide V-neck. She has an obi, a sash-like belt, because it has no buttons or strings to hold it together. Silk is introduced to Japan The Nihon-Shoki (Chronicles of Japan) was recorded by a Korean representative at the time silk was first introduced to Japan. Japan in the 2nd century, to Empress Jinju Kogo by the king of Silla. Silla is now North and South Korea. The Nihon-Shoki also reports that in 286 AD the king of Baekche presented a silk craftswoman with 120 silk workers to help spread the teaching of silk making. In 330 AD, the king of Silla gave Emperor Nintoku approximately 35,040 yards of silk. (Chung) Japanese rulers began sending diplomats to China to encourage trade. In 239 AD, Queen Himiko sent diplomats to the Chinese kingdom of Wei. King Sei of Wa sent representatives to the Chinese state of Qin in 413. These two contacts promoted the adoption of Chinese and Korean dress. (Chung) The History of the Kimono To understand the kimono it is necessary to look back to the 5th century, when diplomatic relations between China and Japan improved more and more as time passed. The Chinese and Japanese began to share and exchange cultural and political ideas. They began trading fashionable ideas in the late 8th century. In the center of the sheet......virtual/kimono/index.html>.Kimono, fabric for kimonos and Japanese clothing. Network. December 6, 2009. "Kimono". Wikipedia. Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger, December 3, 2009. Web. December 6, 2009. .Munsterberg, Hugo. The Japanese Kimono. Ed. Nigel Cameron. New York: Oxford UP, 1996. Print.Ravenwood, Emily. "Way of wear." The Great Lakes kimono revolution. July 7, 2009. Web. January 6, 2010. Rutherford, Scott, ed. Japan. Singapore: APA Publishing, 2005. Print.Salter, Dr. Christopher L. “Japan and the Koreas.” Eastern world. Indiana ed. Austin: Holt McDougal, 2010. 590-615. Print.Sato, Eriko. Japanese for dummies. Trans. Eriko Sato. Indianapolis: Wiley,, 2002. Print. For dummies.Yamanaka, Norio. The Kimono Book: The Complete Guide to Style and Clothing. Japan: Kodansha International, 1982. Print.