What are those bandages?

[jinksys]

Ive noticed that in the feudal era, when people still wore kimonos and such, that they often have these bandage looking things wrapped around their bodies. Men have the bandages up to the middle torso and women have them up above their chest. Any insight as to what they are? It is like feudal underwear?

[Harisenbon]

晒し、さらし

They were apparently used for ease of movement while not being naked. Since kimono were big and bulky, if you were going somewhere like a gambling parlor, you didn't want to be hot and swinging your sleeves around, so you wore those.

[jinksys]

thanks a lot