Daichi Hakama - Black

大地 (daichi): "the earth, the ground underfoot."

Sanjūsangen-dō in Kyoto is one long temple hall, about 390 feet from end to end, built to hold a thousand standing statues of Kannon. In the Edo period archers competed to shoot arrows the full length of its outer veranda, and in 1686 one of them, Wasa Daihachirō, sent 8,133 through in a single day and night. Every January the temple fills with archers again, rows of them in kimono and hakama shooting at targets about 200 feet away.

Black is the strictest of the five colors: one deep shade from waistband to hem, with the faint slub of cotton-linen keeping it from looking flat. The tie belt matches, so nothing breaks the line, and from the side the pleats fan out in one long sweep from hip to ankle.

Wear it all black, tee to sneakers, for the sharpest shape, or with a white tee and white shoes, as in the photos. Among the wide-leg Japanese pants it's the most formal. One strong silhouette beats three loud colors, and black makes that easy.

• Fabric: cotton-linen blend, light and breathable
• Waist: elastic with a long wrap tie belt
• Front: deep pleats
• Leg: very wide, relaxed through the hip; ankle length on most heights
• Sizes: jeans-style waist sizes 30 to 48 (10 sizes)
• Size reference: 6 ft 2 in, 172 lb wears 32; 5 ft 11 in, 198 lb wears 34

Measurements for every size are in the size guide.