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Loincloth gives freedom for women |
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Fundoshi have been the traditional underwear for Japanese men since ancient times - whether Samurai, during festival (matsuri) and also Sumo wrestlers still wear them during competition.
Though it is common and has been since the 1940's to wear the Western-style pants or boxer style shorts. In the 1960's children were often required to wear them during swimming lessons as they were easy to lift out of the water if they were in any trouble. A very typical Japanese masculine idiom - fundoshi o shimete kakaru (be prepared by tightening your loincloth) means the same as the English phrase "roll up your sleeves" (be prepared to do some hard work). Though the male fundoshi has seen its concept modified for women wearers. The traditional black or white male loincloths have been replaced with cheques, flower motifs, plain colours and in a large variety of colours. One of the products, named Otome no fundoshi (Loincloth for maidens), consists of a long strip of cloth with one string in the same style as men's fundoshi. The sales of fundoshi are increasing to where other countries in Asia - Hong Kong, China, Korea are also seeing fundoshi for women. Will the concept be greeted with hesitation or enthusiasm for freedom of movement within Europe? Only time will tell!
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