Kanzashi of The Month: February - Plum Blossoms
It’s another one of those entries where a single motif is synonymous with the month for its importance. As usual, all kanzashi are from Kazurasei.
Image courtesy of Kazurasei.
Ume (梅) - Plum Blossoms
Although a member of the Shōchikubai AKA The Three Friends of Winter, plum blossoms are the de facto symbol of the start of spring as they are among the first flowers to bloom in the new year. In Japan the beginning of spring and the traditional start of the new year is called Setsubun (節分), which takes place from February 2nd to 4th. During this time the first plum blossoms begin to bloom while practically every other tree or bush is barren. Their colors, ranging from white to pink to red, are a welcome sight in an otherwise bland winter landscape.
Image courtesy of Kazurasei.
The simple style of plum blossoms makes them a classic motif that’s even added to casual kanzashi worn by ordinary people that can be worn year round. Their silk count is quite low compared to other kanzashi as well since a single plum blossom requires only five pieces of silk. It’s also unique in that it “doubles” itself when making larger blooms; that is, a medium sized kanzashi, like the one above, will have two flowers acting as one while a large sized kanzashi, like the one below, can have four flowers acting as one! This is done in order to mimic real plum blossoms as larger sized blossoms will have more petals. It’s also done to differentiate them from cherry blossoms as the two can sometimes look nearly identical.
Image courtesy of Kazurasei.
Another important feature of plum kanzashi are the additions of small branches with red buds. This is meant to mimic real plum blossoms as they bloom profusely on old branches instead of new sprouts like most other flowering frees. Plum blossoms also bloom in stages, so once the first flowers have finished blooming the second set will be at their peak. Sometimes a golden branch is added, which makes the flowers appear as though they’re blooming directly on said branch and adds an extra bit of color.
Image courtesy of Shinnosuke164.
When it comes to maiko there are two public events that they can wear these to. The first is the dedication dances at Yasaka Shrine or Kitano Tenmangu for Setsubun, like Masayo (満彩代) of Kanoya (叶家) in Gion Higashi (below). The second is the annual plum blossom festival Baikasai (梅花祭) hosted by the maiko and geiko of Kamishichiken at Kitano Tenmangu on February 25th. It’s a very large event where guests are served tea outdoors so that they can admire the hundreds of plum trees that the shrine is famous for. Maiko, like Ichikoma (市こま) of Ichi (市) in Kamishichiken (above), tend to be the ones who present the tea to the customers as the geiko (and sometimes senior maiko) are the ones who prepare the tea since they have the most experience. By serving the tea this allows for the junior maiko to work on their manners in front of customers and gives them a chance to interact with many people from different backgrounds.
Image courtesy of Melissa Chase.
Like the majority of other kanzashi, plum blossoms also follow the rules of seniority, with juniors wearing small blossoms and shidare, new seniors or seniors with middle to high seniority wearing three blossoms, and the most senior wearing a single large bloom. While plum blossom kanzashi are very beautiful and generally loved by all, they are sadly worn for the least amount of time since February is the shortest month of the year. To make up for this these kanzashi make a bold yet elegant statement, especially the large ones worn by senior maiko like Kanako (叶子) of Kawahisa (川久) in Miyagawa Cho (below).
