The Japanese kimono faces an uncertain fate in the wake of economic instability.

January 18, 1999
Web posted at: 6:13 p.m. EST (2313 GMT)

TOKYO (CNN) -- The kimono is a treasured symbol of Japanese heritage and culture dating back centuries. Now, amid unstable economic times, this rich cultural tradition is in danger of simply becoming a part of history.

There are many different types of kimonos, with special designs for every occasion. In earlier times, the color of the garment signified a person's class and standing.

Originally adapted from a Chinese gown, the kimono has evolved over 1,300 years into something uniquely Japanese. Kimono-making is considered an art form because every gown is handwoven and embroidered.

With such intricate details, a kimono can take as long as a month to make, and the cost can range anywhere from $2,000 to $52,000. It's a price that at one time, people in a thriving Japanese economy could afford to pay.

But with Japan in the middle of its worst recession in five decades, there are few buyers.

Many Japanese fear that if the economic conditions continue to worsen, the artists who make these extraordinary gowns will just disappear.

In Tokyo alone, the number of artisans who make kimonos has dropped by two-thirds.

Teiyo Ogura is one artisan who remains dedicated to his craft. He inherited the trade from his father 35 years ago.

Ogura has served a long and varied clientele, including Empress Michiko, but even he has begun to feel the effects of the recession.

"The industry is in a total stop," he said. "There is no movement at all. That pressure falls on artisans."

But Ogura remains optimistic that when people let go of their anxiety, they will come back to the art of kimono.

One group that might keep the industry alive until then is the geisha, the traditional Japanese hostesses who dress only in kimonos. But being a small group of women, the geisha can't singlehandedly support the kimono craft.