A type of nihongami; a traditional Japanese men's topknot haircut. Commonly depicted on samurai, and still used by sumo wrestlers. It was traditionally tied with a motoyui.
The chonmage came to an end during the Meiji era, when men were ordered by decree to cut their hair short, in what was known as the Dampatsurei Edict.
A variant called wakashumage (若衆髷) refers to the hairstyle worn by boys before coming of age (around 15 years old).
The wakashumage hairstyle was also adopted by women during the early Edo period.
For the hairstyle that sticks upright rather than being folded over against the scalp, see chasenmage.
