Western clothes anniversary in Japan

You may know the word for clothes in Japanese as "youfuku", also written yohfuku or yofuku, 洋服. But "youfuku" was initially the word used to describe only clothes from the West, with its origins in European clothing. The "you" (pronounced yo) 洋 of youfuku denotes "Western". The "fuku" means clothing or garment. Meanwhile "wafuku" 和服, describes traditional Japanese garb such as kimono. Over time yofuku became the common word to describe all clothing and in modern Japan it simply refers to 'clothes'.  

Today, and November 12th annually, is the anniversary of the Taiseikan Proclamation. The Taiseikan Proclomation was issued on this day in 1872, in which it stated that "Western clothes shall be adopted for formal attire". It is a historic day when the clothes for official occasions changed drastically from kimono to western style clothes. 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Clothing Merchants and Industry Cooperative Association reveres the legacy of Emperor Meiji, who was the one who decided to change formal attire from kimono to western clothing, and visits Meiji Shrine on this day every year, and holds a commemorative ceremony at the Meiji Shrine Assembly Hall.