An unbelted woman's outer garment worn over the *kosode 小袖 on formal occasions. It originated in the Kamakura period among women of the samurai 侍 elite, and in the early Muromachi period was worn from early May to early September; from the end of the Muromachi period it was part of formal winter attire, and made of such thick materials as karaori 唐織 and nuihaku 縫箔.
From the mid Edo period it was constructed with white, black, and red figured satin rinzu 綸子, and fully embroidered with multi-colored threads. A kosode worn under an uchikake was called an aigi 合着 and an obi 帯 under an uchikake was called a kakeshita-obi 掛下帯. In the 18th century, padding was added to the hem of the uchikake. The uchikake is still worn over a white kimono着物 in the traditional wedding ceremony.