Mino is a raincoat made of straw and was used by people, especially farmers in the past to protect themselves from rain. Not only farmers, however, but also people of higher status are said to have used Mino as a raincoat.
The historical origin of Mino has not been clarified yet. It is said, however, that Mino appeared in Nihon Shoki, the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history, written in 720, so it must have existed in the old past in Japan. It seems that some people in Japan still used Mino until the 1950s, but now it is not widely used in Japan.
One of the main characteristics of Mino is its breathability. Mino is woven loosely so it intakes air well. People wearing Mino, therefore, do not get sweaty and work comfortably.
Mino is made of straw, which is light and fluffy, so it is easy to wear, and it works as a cushion when those wearing it carry things on their back.
Mino in the Tohoku area
It is said that Mino used in the Tohoku area usually comes with a hat to protect people from a lot of snow.
Folk Craft Pictorial Book⑰ Straw Raincoat (Mino)
(Japanese only)
Making Mino (Japanese only)
Mino-related Organizations in the Tohoku area
Misato Wara no Kai is an organization in Misato City, Akita. This organization works on inheriting Wara(Straw) traditions to younger generations.
Misato Wara no Kai often holds workshops related to Wara. To know more about these workshops, go check its website!
It also has a museum exhibiting historical folk crafts including Wara products. If you are interested, find more detailed information on this website.
https://www.tamagawa.ac.jp/museum/archive/1997/075.html
http://www.so-bien.com/kimono/%E7%A8%AE%E9%A1%9E/%E8%93%91%E5%B8%BD%E5%AD%90.html#:~:text=%E8%82%A9%E8%93%91%E3%81%A8%E9%A0%AD%E5%B7%BE%E3%82%92,%E3%81%AB%E7%94%A8%E3%81%84%E3%82%89%E3%82%8C%E3%81%BE%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%80%82