What do people get wrong about koromogae (the seasonal wardrobe change)?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Twice a year, Japanese households swap the contents of their wardrobes — winter clothes into storage, summer clothes out, and back again in autumn. Schools and offices used to switch uniforms on fixed dates. It looks like tradition; it is closet management for a small home.
How it is done
| Step | Detail | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pick the day | Dry, sunny day, when temperatures have settled (late May/June; late September/October) | Store clothes dry |
| 2. Wash or clean everything going away | Even if it looks clean — sweat and skin oil are what moths eat and what yellows | Moth and stain prevention |
| 3. Dry completely | Air a full day; ironing is optional | Humidity is the enemy in storage |
| 4. Sort | Not worn this season → out (sell, give, recycle) | The main decluttering moment of the year |
| 5. Store | Breathable boxes or drawer units; moth repellent on top; desiccant at the bottom | Repellent vapour sinks; moisture sinks |
| 6. Rotate the closet | Off-season to the top shelf or under the bed; current season at eye level | Space |
- The school convention: summer uniform from 1 June, winter from 1 October, with a transition period either side; many companies followed for office wear, and Cool Biz (May–September) loosened it.
- Storage in the oshiire (bedding closet) or under-bed boxes is the norm; vacuum bags are used for bulky items but damage down and wool if left compressed for long.
- Repellent types must not be mixed (see the moth-repellent article): paradichlorobenzene, naphthalene and camphor can melt together and stain.
[Verify] Cool Biz dates with the Ministry of the Environment; storage practices are widely shared conventions.
Misunderstanding 1｜It happens on 1 June and 1 October
Those are institutional dates. Households go by the weather, and many now do it in three stages as autumns lengthen.
Misunderstanding 2｜Clean-looking clothes can go straight into storage
Invisible sweat and oil are what moths target and what turns yellow by autumn. Everything gets washed or cleaned first.
Misunderstanding 3｜Vacuum bags are the ideal
Good for cotton and synthetic bedding for a season; bad for down, wool and anything with loft, which lose resilience when compressed for months.
Misunderstanding 4｜Moth repellent goes at the bottom of the box
Repellent vapour is heavier than air — place it on top. Desiccant, which fights moisture that sinks, goes at the bottom.
Misunderstanding 5｜It is a Japanese quirk
It is a response to closet size. Anyone living in a small flat does a version of it; Japan just named it and built the storage products around it.
---
Sources
- Ministry of the Environment — Cool Biz and Warm Biz (office dress conventions)
https://ondankataisaku.env.go.jp/coolchoice/coolbiz/
- Consumer Affairs Agency — Care labelling and storage (洗濯表示)
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/representation/household_goods/laundry_symbols.html
- Japan Household Insecticide Industry Association — Using clothes moth repellents safely
https://www.jhpia.or.jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Always follow the instructions on any product you use, and never mix cleaning products. If you rent your home, check with your landlord before making any changes.
Sources
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