Fundoshi
Fundoshi (ふんどし/褌) is a traditional Japanese undergarment for males and females, made from a length of cotton.
Before World War II, the fundoshi was the main form of underwear for Japanese men and women.[1] However, it fell out of use quickly after the war with the introduction of new underpants to the Japanese market, such as briefs, boxer briefs and panties.[2] Nowadays, the fundoshi is mainly used not as underwear but as festival (matsuri) clothing at Hadaka Matsuri or, sometimes, as swimwear.[3]
Cultural comparisons[edit]
The Japanese idiom "fundoshi o shimete kakaru" ('tighten your loincloth') means the same as the English phrase "roll up your sleeves" or even more accurately "gird up your loins"—in other words, get ready for some hard work.[1] The Japanese idiom "tanin no fundoshi" (literally, 'anyone else's fundoshi') is often used in a cautionary context about borrowing or using tools or materials belonging to someone else, the meaning extended to that of profiting at another's expense or taking risks with someone else's money.