I am a trans-Pacific 'transplant' Japanese American.  As such, I depend on eBay as a source of all things Japanese.  Last spring, I developed a fondness for authentic Japanese kimono.  (No doubt watching 'Last Samurai' and more recently 'The Memoirs of a Geisha' probably had something to do with it.)  Beautiful silk kimonos are gorgeous, but almost impossible to put on all by yourself and equally if not more so to have it professionally cleaned here in the US.  So I compromised.  I decided to buy the less formal and easier-to-care-for cotton yukata instead.  After all, yukata is a casual form of kimono and can be put on all by oneself.  And the garment is washable!  I figured that shopping for one would be easy.  Just log onto eBay and type in 'yukata' for the search and a list would pull up.  Simple, right?  Well, not exactly.  So to share my experience with other like-minded people or American women who are looking to buy an authentic Japanese yukata (as worn by actual Japanese women and girls today at summer festivals and such), here's my guide.

     On average, if you type in 'yukata' in the search box, it will pull up hundreds of listings (Of course, it could be more or less depending on the day, week, month...).  And if you extend the search to the eBay stores (treasures to be had abound...), the number can easily triple.  This equals to pages after pages of looking for you to do.  You might think adding 'Japanese' or 'authentic' might help narrow the search, but not by much.  A lot of sellers falsely include these words in their listings that have nothing to do with yukata.  I have seen yukata, silk robe, yukata book, yukata pattern, doll in yukata, yukata for dolls, art print (?), geta, kinchaku purse, anime cosplay costumes, postcard of women in yukata, etc.  You get the picture.

     There are a lot of silky robes listed as 'kimono/yukata' as many Americans call sleeping robes 'kimonos', like all copier machines Xerox and all facial tissues Kleenex.  Many are listings by sellers from China and Taiwan.  If you are looking for authentic Japanese yukata, you want to stay away from the silky robes.  First of all, it's the wrong material.  Secondly, they are not the same style.  If you look at them closely, the sleeves are not the same shape.  Also, the use of the fabric (most notably in the collars and sleeves) is different from that of Japanese yukata.  Only a single piece of fabric (original dimension of the bolt/roll being about 15 inches wide and 13 yards long) is used to make a yukata.  Collar and sleeves should all be of the same fabric.  And the material of choice for Japanese yukata is cotton.  Obi (for yukata worn by the Japanese today) is usually made of woven polyester or printed cotton.

     To make your search easier and more relevant, I recommend that you use the "advanced search" feature on eBay.  There is an "Exclude These Words" field, where you can type words you want to omit from the search result, and this comes in very handy to eliminate the apparent "fake" silky robes being offered as "yukatas" as mentioned above.  Type into this field those words often used in the listings, such as : 'Junoesque', 'Haori' (Haori is a type of kimono, but in real life, it would never be used within a description of a yukata.), 'noblest', 'noble', 'vintage' (One of the most overused and misused words on eBay.  Brand new items or items that are only few years old should not be described as "vintage".), 'silk' (No real yukata is made of this fabric.), 'satin' (Again, yukatas are never made in this material.), 'fabric' (You want to eliminate this word from your search because you'd be looking at scrap fabrics for quilts/crafts.), 'yd' (This would be a part of the description of either a scrap fabric or a bolt of yukata fabric.  Either way, not a finished garment you can wear.), 'costume' (Most likely for a doll -- Licca, Momoko, Barbie, etc.), and 'photo'.

     If you are looking for an actual "vintage" yukata, please check the descriptions carefully.  Most responsible sellers from Japan would list stains or other flaws with a photo, if any.  Also, the measurements of "vintage" yukatas tend to be smaller than those of contemporary yukatas that are listed as "one size".  This would not be an issue if you're looking to purchase a yukata for display, but if you're looking for one to wear, please avoid disappointment by paying close attention to the descriptions. 

     Another thing to watch out for is the seemingly rediculous low price on some of those item listings.  A new yukata made in Japan (rare these days) or made for sale in Japan (the fabric is made in Japan while actual sewing is done in China -- more common) would have a wholesale price of about $15.00 USD minimum.  If a seller is willing to sell a brand new item for less, then chances are the item is not an authentic yukata (or the seller is desperate for a transaction...).  Another thing to note with such listings is the inflated shipping charges.  Although this practice of listing an item at much lower price and inflating the shipping & handling charge to cover the difference is against the eBay policy now, many sellers from Asia can still be spotted doing this.  It is always a good idea to check what the shipping & handling fees will be before you place your bid or agree to purchase an item.

     With regard to shipping charges, I have recently noticed the availability of expedited mail service called EMS, which is much more expensive (and offers insurance) than regular air mail.  In my experience, parcels using EMS and Japan Postal's air mail arrive at about the same speed to a US address.  EMS system may be able to handle the package faster within Japan, but once it gets to US, it's the same US Postal Service that delivers it to your mail box.  So, unless you definitely want to insure your package, the extra cost may not be worth it.  (Another shipping option offered by Japanese sellers is SAL.  SAL service is cheaper than regular air mail, but it can be a lot slower.  This is because the Japan Postal chooses whatever method readily available out of sea, air, or land carriers to deliver the package.  It can be as quick as 10 days to US or as slow as 3 weeks or more.)

     In my experience shopping for yukata, I have found some outstanding sellers from Japan.  And I mean they are OUTSTANDING in their customer service, friendliness and speed of handling transactions.  It may not be such a big deal in Japan (in a country full of polite people...), but for someone who comes from there and has gotten used to the widespread spirit of non-service and sloppiness here in America, great customer service is still something I can totally appreciate.  Here is a list of my favorite sellers of yukata and yukata accessories.

     kyotocollection (eBay store): Gary-san is the English-speaking man who sells beautiful collections of yukata/obi sets, yukata (girls', women's and men's), obi (women's and men's), a large selection of geta (girls' size, standard size and larger size for taller Westerners), kimono accessories, hand-dyed silk scarves (a must-see), and more.  Always courteous and knowledgeable, and provides the excellent and speedy customer service.  What he charges for shipping & handling is the same that he pays to Japan Postal.  No inflated charges here.  All of my items have reached me (CO, USA) in 5 days from Kyoto, Japan via air mail.  Excellent value and quality.

     zipangu treasures (eBay store): Masataka-san is the man behind the store ID.  He is pretty decent at English and promptly replies to your e-mail.  Nice products at reasonable prices.  The wrapping you get, though, sets them apart from other Japanese sellers.  He told me it's his wife who does the wrapping of the items for shipping.  It feels like it's your birthday when you open your package from them.  Nicely done!  This is another seller that doesn't inflate the shipping & handling cost.  Shippping from Japan is fast.  Beautiful kanzashi, geta, kushi, lots of other goodies and some very nice yukata, too.

     hannari-ya (eBay store): Lovely store full of Kyoto stuff.  This store specializes in the beautiful products from the ancient capital of Kyoto.  From maiko/geisha make-up to beautiful home decor, this store has some really great accessories.  I bought a cherry blossom rub-on perfume to go with my yukata here.  Speedy shipping and courteous service.

     ryujapan-99 (eBay seller):  Great seller of antique/used kimono and yukata.  Many bids start at just $9.99.  Honest and detailed description help you shop for the perfect find.  Multiple photos also depict the item honestly.  Garment will be shipped fully pressed and triple wrapped to keep the moisture and bugs out.  Very friendly seller.  He doesn't speak perfect English, but tries really hard and you have to appreciate that.  Great customer service.

     These are all sellers that impressed me one way or the other.  They all go the extra mile to make the shopping experience on eBay special.  Personally, I have always felt the magic of mail from foreign countries.  Just the fact that something has traveled so far somehow brought the extra charm to me.  I love shopping from eBay sellers in Japan.  Being surprised in a positive way does not seem to happen as often as being disappointed (or just plain meeting expectations) and I would always take note of it whenever it happens. 

     I hope this guide helps those who are looking to buy authentic Japanese yukata.  If you find some helpful information on this guide, please take a moment and vote "yes" at the end of the article when they ask, "Was this guide helpful?"   I'd appreciate your vote very much.  And I sincerely hope the experience of shopping, waiting for the package, opening the package, and enjoying the item will all be special for you.  When your yukata and obi arrive in mail, be sure to remember to check out my other eBay guide titled, "How to Wear Yukata & Obi -- A Beginner's Guide" (with instructional photos for obi tying process).