The Sukumizu is the term used to refer to the swimsuits or bathing suits used in Japanese schools. This word is the abbreviation of School mizugi (スクール水着) where the word mizugi literally means bathing suit. These suits are usually worn in swimming classes and are traditionally colored dark blue. The dark color prevents the swimsuit from becoming visually transparent when wet.
Most female sukumizu have a name tag attached to the chest to identify the students wearing them. A sukumizu usually comes in the form of a one-piece swimsuit or in two pieces. Men wear only a one-piece in the style of shorts/briefs. The material is generally a blend of synthetic fibers with nylon and polyester.
Despite being a simple swimming uniform, the sukumizu has gained fame outside of schools, even carrying a sexual connotation. It is very common to find fans and people with a fetish for girls wearing these bathing suits, as we can see in anime, manga, and even in adult or idol magazines.
How did Sukumizu originate?
The original bathing suit emerged in the late 1950s due to the greater availability of nylon for manufacturing, allowing for more flexibility and style. This became a lucrative business, which soon formed a direct relationship with schools. The suits were made from a material that was simple to produce, with few changes over the years.
Most bathing suits are just one piece with the top part styled like a skirt, the first version left the back part slightly exposed. A new model used in 1985 combined the swimsuit as a normal piece without looking like a skirt. The versions of sukumizu used in competitions are made with a thinner material and with smaller supports.
The influence of school bathing suits in Japan
Many times the sukumizu is memorable for boys, as this was one of the first times boys saw part of girls’ bodies during swimming, right at the time of strange puberty and raging hormones.
School bathing suits in Japan are quite characterized in anime and manga, mainly in a moe way. In some cases, the sukumizu is used to emphasize immaturity since the bathing suits in high school and outside of school are more provocative bikinis.
The sukumizu gained so much sexual appeal that if you search for sukumizu on Google, you will end up landing on various sales sites that actually show a sensual bathing suit instead of the traditional sukumizu. There is a mizugi released in 2014 with an opening right in front of the breasts that became popular in the moe world and otaku culture. This created various memes, fanart, and references to this sensual piece of clothing. This style of clothing became so popular that there are many variations of the sukumizu.
The Sukumizu is a Japanese bathing suit that has become so popular and deserves attention. What do you think of this bathing suit (mizugi)? Would you like to wear one? Share with your friends and leave your comments.
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