kamishimo; samurai ceremonial costume
A formal Edo-period outfit consisting of a sleeveless jacket (肩衣) and matching trousers (袴), worn by samurai on official occasions.
In period dramas, you often see scenes where samurai wear kamishimo.
top and bottom; up and down; high and low
Only when written 上下
Original meaning of the kanji 上下, now almost always read じょうげ. This reading かみしも is archaic and rarely used outside historical contexts.
In old documents, 上下 is sometimes read as かみしも to indicate high and low social status.
The trousers worn as the lower part of the kamishimo, also a general term for traditional Japanese pleated trousers.
Standard kanji for the samurai ceremonial costume. This is a 国字 (kokuji) created in Japan.
Also used for the costume sense, but can be confused with the common reading じょうげ (top and bottom).
裃 is a 国字 (kokuji) combining 衣 (clothing) and 上下 (up and down), reflecting the two-piece nature of the costume. The reading かみしも comes from 上 (かみ, upper) and 下 (しも, lower), referring to the jacket and trousers.