Japanese construction workers wear the funkiest of clothes! When I first saw them I have to say that I was more than a little bemused by their choice of fashion. Apart from the interesting designs that captured my attention and they are very different from anythingyou may see in the West, it was more the vivid and often what seemed to me to be ‘feminine’ colors. I had never seen a construction worker in the UK, North America or Australia sporting a bright cerise outfit and to my recollection I haven’t seen many straight man wear an ensemble of lilac, mustard or bright blue-green either. But these colors are quite commonplace on the construction sites of Japan. Imagine a short jacket, a kind of blouson style jean jacket, and high waisted, hip-hugging pants that balloon out at the knees, cal
ves or ankles depending on the type… all in one of those eye-catching colors.Then best of all, Ninja boots which are really called Tabi. Tabi come in many different types and styles
depending upon the needs of the wearer: long or short legged tabi, waterproof tabi, steel toe-capped tabi to name a few, and they are even available in gold or silver!The balloon legs on the pants supposedly act like cats’ whiskers warning the wearer when they brush up against anything without him having to look down. They also allow for free movement when climbing and don’t stick to the body in hot weather. The narrow lower
legs not only stop the fabric from catching on anything but are said to aid the blood circulation making it easier to stand up all day.I love watching Japanese construction workers break down the scaffolding on tall buildings after the work has finished.
