Kimono wearing class on November 5th!

After long time absense (because it was too hot), I will re-open my kimono wearing class from next month. Please come and join us! Members are English speaking so let's  talk about kimono in English. This is great fun!

from young to old

any nationality

From young to matured and any nationality will be welcomed. But for ladies only, sorry! If you would like to join, please send me email

my new summer kimonos

I got two summer kimonos. Kinu basho and ro komon. Kinu basho is silk tsumugi weaven like Okinawa bashofu (real bashofu is pretty rare and expensive!). Ro is see-through and light summer silk for July and August. However, since recent Tokyo summer is crazily hot, where and when I can wear them?

I wore kinu basho at Tsukiji sushi diner. Chef was so pleased to see my kimono and asked me to have a photo with him.

Sushi directly from Tsukiji fish market was nice but I was so sweaty...
So I brought them to my Alaskan cruise tour.

I love this summer linen bingata obi sash, too!

Danced for the ocean in ro comon.

However, as you see on the photos, Alaska was dark and cold. Pieces of icebergs floating on the sea...even in summer. I was freezed in see-through kimonos!

 

Let's dance like a maiko!

As one of my kimono club activities for summer, we planned a Japanese dance lesson. It was for fun but the really serious thing, since we invited professional dance teacher!

What we lesseoned was Gion Kouta, a maiko's song who longed for her secret love. You can see real Gion Kouta here, real maiko and geisha dancing. Ours may be similar!

How to tie hanhaba obi sash as tsunodashi

I have never seen this way of tying hanhaba obi sash.  It must be nice if you would like to show hanhaba as nagoya. I must try it! it is too hot to tie obi today though...

5 minutes kimono wearing!

To show my special welcome to my old friend visited my house from Oregon, I made his wife wearing kimono. It was my honor I could help her first kimono experience!

Since they didn't have much time, she wore kimono over her shirts and tied hanhaba sash. I made it in 5 minites...this was my first experience, too!  it was so exciting experience.

The colors of kimono and obi sash really match her, right?

First kimono kitsuke party in 2012

Today's my handmade oyatsu snack was sweet potato cake with honey lemon sauce. For our kitsuke party!

It was a bit crowded but was a great fun! because we welcomed a new member on board.

This party's details are on her blog. Please read how she was excited on her first kitsuke!.

Shamisen banjo new year party

We are preparing

Shamisen stage!

Now it's my turn...I am nervous...

So many people are on the stage. Hei, don't hit me with your shamisen neck, please!

We are playing nagauta which accompanies the kabuki theater. It is very long (one song is over 20 min). My issue is not the technique but my legs....I can't sit on the knees so long!

Anyhow, we finished. Cheers for happy new year!

What to Wear to Kabuki and Sumo?

One of kimono class students asked me what to wear to the kabuki theater and sumo tournaments. It seems many people wearing homongi (formal for going out) she doesn't have.

My opinion is there is no regulation. But these are the best places to watch beautiful kimonos so you might be watched.

The homongi wearers you may see at the entrance of the theater are kabuki actors' wives. So you don't need to wear like them if you are not a wife of a kabuki actor.

Koshiro's wife and Somegoro's wife

Danjuro's wife and Ebizo's wife

At sumo tournaments, you may see beautiful kimono women sit and watch sumo behind wrestlers.  

Most of them are madam of bars wrestlers often visit.

Most of customers are like below. But be careful, they always watch what others wear. 

When you go to bathroom at the theater, there is always a long line. After you finish your job and get out from a restroom stall, somebody must say from your behind. 

"Your tare ( obi's trail) is rolling up!"

Don't be shy or nervous. Just turn around to her and reply quietly. "I know ma'am, I will fix it after I wash my hands" 

Kimono and boots trip in Europe

With facebook friends' advice, I walked around cities in kimono and boots.

In London, as well as a wool cap. It was cold and cloud over...

In Rome. Orange shawl over haori was perfect to protect from cold and pickpockets.

In Genoa. I wore my uncle's haori.　My grandmother sewed to her son about 50 years ago but no one has ever worn, and both were passed away already. It was fond last autumn as just a brand-new. so I wore it! It's nicely warm.

I showed the Mediterranean sea to my new shibori obi,  Higashi-san  made for this kimono. Kimono was renewed by Lyuta . The color red was really a good match to the ocean, I believe.