Японский фундоси: традиционное нижнее бельё и его современное использование.

Traditional Japanese undergarment

ふんどし/褌; Fundoshi is a traditional Japanese undergarment for males and females, made from a length of cotton. Before World War II, the was the main form of underwear for Japanese men and women. However, it fell out of use quickly after the war with the introduction of new underpants to the Japanese market, such as briefs, boxer briefs and panties. Nowadays, the is mainly used not as underwear but as festival clothing at or, sometimes, as swimwear.

The is first mentioned in the classic Japanese history text, the They are also depicted on clay figures, The was the underwear of choice of every Japanese adult male and female, rich or poor, high or low status, until after the Second World War, when Americanization popularized elasticized undergarments. There are several types of , including , , and are not typically worn as everyday clothing. is mainly worn on specific, traditional occasions, particularly when participating in During February, nearly 10,000 men will gather at Saidaiji Temple in Okayama wearing only to participate in the festival in hopes of gaining luck for the entire year. are often worn with a or (a short cotton jacket with straight sleeves) during summer festivals by men and women who carry (portable shrines) in Shinto processions. Outside Japan it is perhaps best known from the drumming groups Ondekoza and Kodo, who appear dressed in only a white and a headband. is sometimes used as traditional swimsuits. In some high schools, boys swim wearing Incumbent Emperor of Japan Naruhito also swam in in his childhood. In the pools and beaches of Japan, wearing swimmers occasionally can be seen, as in the case with divers in the past. In late 2008, the Japanese firm Wacoal began marketing for women and have had greater than expected sales. The loincloths for women come in seven different colors and two designs—plain and chequered.

The Japanese idiom "fundoshi o shimete kakaru" ('tighten your loincloth') means the same as the English phrase "roll up your sleeves" or even more accurately "gird up your loins"—in other words, get ready for some hard work. The Japanese idiom "tanin no fundoshi" (literally, 'anyone else's fundoshi') is often used in a cautionary context about borrowing or using tools or materials belonging to someone else, the meaning extended to that of profiting at another's expense or taking risks with someone else's money.