straw raincoat
Traditional Japanese raincoat made of straw or rush, worn especially by farmers and travelers in pre-modern times. Now mostly seen in historical contexts, festivals, or as a cultural item.
In the old days, farmers wore straw raincoats when working in the rice paddies on rainy days.
The farmers put on straw raincoats and went out to the fields in the rain.
この祭りでは、参加者が蓑と笠を身につけて踊る。
At this festival, participants dance wearing straw raincoats and conical hats.
The traveler wrapped himself in a straw raincoat and walked the mountain path.
蓑 covers the body like a cape, whereas 笠 is the conical hat worn on the head, and the two are often mentioned together as a matching set.
arrival at ... · counter for suits of clothing · nth place (in a race) · counter for moves (in go)
cover; front; guise · Dendropanax trifidus (plant) · straw raincoat of invisibility (folklore)
bagworm; bagworm moth
straw skirt; grass skirt
old turtle with seaweed on its back
sedge hat and straw rain cape
Standard kanji form; commonly used in news and literature.
Kana spelling; used when the kanji is obscure or for clarity.
Variant kanji form; less common than 蓑.
Rarely used kanji form.
The word みの is native Japanese, with the kanji 蓑 specifically created for this item. The exact origin of the reading is uncertain, but it may be related to the verb 見る (to see) or 身 (body), though these are speculative.