Originally a workman's livery coat. A short wrap-around coat worn at festivals. The happi or matsuri hanten ('festival short-coat') is often paired with a hachi-maki headband. In Tokyo hanten are often decorated on the back with the crest or symbol (daimon) of the local mikoshi group (-gumi, -ryu, -ren or -kai). The mikoshi-bearer's outfit is modelled on the dress of Edo period firemen (tobi).
A Popular Dictionary of Shinto. Brian Bocking.