Kaede

Background
Kaede(楓) is Kikyo's younger sister and assists her with various tasks such as gathering herbs or holding her arrows. After Kikyo's death, Kaede becomes a miko in her own right and defends the village against demons. When Kagome arrives, Kaede recognizes her as the reincarnation of Kikyo. After Kagome frees InuYasha, Kaede puts the "Beads of Subjugation" onto him to give Kagome the power to control him with a spoken word. Kaede is well-respected and held in high regards by the villagers and the members of InuYasha's group, which she often advises about demons and other spiritual anomalies. Though InuYasha is easily annoyed with her, he listens to her when necessary and doesn't hesitate to protect her from a threat.

Kaede loses an eye sometime during her life. In the manga, her eye appears to be freshly bandaged and bleeding shortly before Kikyo's death, suggesting that the wound occurs when "InuYasha" (really Naraku in disguise) attacks the village to steal the Shikon Jewel; supplementary information states that she "lost her elder sister and her eye in an incident fifty years ago." The anime simply says that she lost it during a demon attack on the village.

Kaede's Outfit
Kaede's clothing is identical to Kikyo's. She is wearing the tradional dress of a Miko, which has remained essentially unchanged to this day.

Kaede wears a white jacket with sode-kukuri (cords) through the sleeves and the open shoulders similar to Inuyasha's and Jaken's. Strings called muna-himo are attached to each lapel, and are tied in front to keep the garment in place.
 * Jacket

Kosode (literally: "little sleeve") were originally worn as underwear but by the Kamakura era, became accepted outer layer garments; more dressy with less sculpted sleeves. Kosode of the Heian and Kamakura Periods were always white. Inuyasha's kosode would be very much like a modern Kendo or Naginata Keikogi, with the sleeve fitting somewhat closely like a modern loose shirt, and extending to slightly past the wrist.
 * Kosode

The slits in the side of the hakama show the white kosode, and the openings at the sleeves and shoulders of the hitoe show it as well. This is a deliberate fashion effect.

Kaede wears bright red hakama, which include the small board at the lower back. A Miko is one of the few women who would wear hakama.
 * Hakama

On her feet, Kaede wears common tabi (socks with a split for the big toe) and rice straw sandals.
 * Tabi

During a battle prior to Kikyo's death, Kaede lost an eye. She now wears an iron Tsuba (sword guard) as an Eye-Patch.
 * Eyepatch

Abilities
1/2 demon inuyasha