@missmyloko / missmyloko.tumblr.com
Due to me making room for some new acquisitions, I've decided to sell one of my antique geiko hikizuri/susohiki. It hails from the Taisho Period (1912-1926) and it's in fantastic antique condition. If you're interested, you can check it out on my Etsy here ^^
Today's the day! The Guide To Kimono has officially released online and in bookstores worldwide! Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me on this journey of publishing the first English guide to kimono identification, dating, and pricing! I could not have done it without you! For those of you who have purchased a copy already, thank you! I'd love to hear your thoughts and reviews! For those of you who are thinking about purchasing a copy, thank you as well! I'm so happy that you'd even consider purchasing my work! Just a reminder that you can do so through the links up in the tab above, or go search through online or in person retailers in your country ^^
On The Ninth Day of Fun I present... a new kimono! Another series makes it to the double digit mark at last! Let's take a dive into the kimono that's gracing the cover of my upcoming book ^^
Name: Kichō No Yume (几帳の夢) - Partition Dream Type: Houmongi (訪問着) Time Period: Heisei Period (1989 - 2019) Condition: Excellent Material: Silk Motifs: Partitions, Clouds, Fans, and Flowers Execution and Techniques: Yuzen and Stencils Value: $200 - 250 USD When I originally went to purchase this piece I thought that it was shibori (tie dye), but I was very surprised when it arrived and found that it's all hand dyed instead! The entire piece, including the background, is either hand painted yuzen or stencil dyed with extremely small, intricate stencils! This gives the whole piece a very dreamy effect that makes you want to stare and pick out the all of the details. It's almost hard to believe that the black background or the blue clouds aren't solid colors. The main motif here are Kichō (几帳), which are partitions used by the nobility during the Heian Period (794 - 1185), and cypress fans, also used by the nobility during the Heian Period. The partitions would be set up in rooms and block the viewer from gazing directly upon the face of the other noble. Just like the partitions, these large cypress fans were used by court women to hide their faces in large rooms and when meeting with potential suitors. The partitions and the fans were both decorated with pieces of silk that accentuated their length and drew the eye of the viewer to their lovely designs. You may have noticed on the right hand side near where the hem meets the collar that there's a random white square among all of the color. This isn't there by accident, but it being blank is! This is the area where the artist would dye their signature. That it somehow got skipped and sold as-is is gives it an air of mystery as it was clearly a work of art made by a famous artist, but who? I haven't found any other markings on this piece, so I guess we'll never know ^^
On The Second Day Of Fun I present... a new kimono! The last time I presented a kimono it was karyūkai related in that it was a geiko’s hikizuri. This one is also karyūkai related, but in a slightly different way.
Name: Karyūkai (花柳界) - The Flower and Willow World Type: Kurotomesode (黒留袖) Time Period: Heisei Period (1989 - 2019) Condition: Excellent - Like New Material: Silk Motifs: Kyoto Scene With Maiko Execution and Techniques: Yuzen Value: $100 USD When I saw this for sale I knew I had to have it as it’s just so fitting to my interests and so unique to boot! I can honestly say in all my years of buying, selling, and researching kimono I had never come across one with maiko on it! You can occasionally find some obi, but kimono with maiko are extremely rare. Whoever designed or commissioned this kimono has specific knowledge of the karyūkai, with Gion Kobu in particular, as you can make out the noren of the Ichiriki down at the bottom. Overall it depicts the karyūkai at the height of its beauty in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom and the maiko are busy travelling from one ochaya to the next (or, in this case, possibly slowing down to take in the blossoms themselves). All of it is delicately rendered in the Kyō Yuzen style of painting. This piece is truly meant to be appreciated up close not only for its subject matter, but for the addition of copious amounts of gold paint that outline nearly everything on the kimono!
Even though it’s rare, it’s not very valuable as kurotomesode are among the least valuable types of kimono due to their overall plainness and the very limited times that you can wear them. This is why kurotomesode are often remade into other garments, such as dresses or skirts. I plan on keeping this one as is though ^^
On The Eight Day of Fun I present... a new kimono! This one is karyukai related, so hopefully you may appreciate it a bit more than just another show piece ^^
Name: Yuri (百合) - Lily Type: Hikizuri (引き摺り) Time Period: Mid Showa Period (1950s-1970s) Age: 50-70 Years Old (Vintage) Condition: Excellent - No Staining or Marking Material: Silk Motifs: Oriental Lilies Execution and Techniques: Yuzen and Embroidery Value: $500 - $750 USD Yes, this is the first hikizuri that I’ve covered under this series! For those that don’t know, hikizuri are the type of kimono worn by maiko and geiko known for their long skirts that are meant to be worn trailing on the ground. To tell whether a kimono is a hikizuri or not you need to examine the length of the skirt from under the collar to the hem; the total length should be between 55-60% of the entire garment. Hikizuri are often 30cm or longer than the average kimono too, so that also helps in determining the type of kimono. Since this one has short sleeves (kosode) then it was once worn by a geiko. The main motif here are lilies, specifically oriental lilies of the genus Lilium auratum, which are native to Japan. These types of lilies produce large, fragrant blooms with six petaled flowers on long stems. Popular varieties of oriental lilies derived from Lilium auratum include Stargazer and Casa Blanca. The flowers are painted with the yuzen technique and finished up with some small touches of embroidery on each one to add a bit of a 3D effect. So, when would this kimono have been worn? The lilies themselves often bloom around August, making them a summer flower. Since this kimono is also made of ro then it is a summer kimono. The single kamon on the back shows that it was worn for formal events sometime in the summer, possibly for a dance performance or even for formal rounds of greetings like Hassaku by more senior geiko.
On The Sixth Day of Fun I present... a new book review! Back in the fall I said that I had acquired 5 new books to review, but some of you may have caught on to the fact that only 4 were ever reviewed on here. So, here’s the fifth!
Book’s cover courtesy of Amazon Japan. Youkoso Kimono No Sekai He (Eiyaku Tsuki) - ようこそきものの世界へ (英訳付) - An Introduction to Kimono (in English and Japanese) by Iwao Nagasaki 長崎巌 (ISBN 978-4-8087-1155-9) Date of Publication: 2020 Language: English and Japanese Format: Softcover Availability: Can Be Purchased New Price: $25 Errors: 0 The first thing that I need to mention here is the translation. Not only is it spot on word-for-word from the Japanese to the English text but the English text sounds like it was written by a native speaker as compared to someone who was just translating it. So, it gets an A+ from me just based on that alone. For those of you expecting a long and detailed history on kimono, this isn’t exactly the book for you. This book covers the history of the kimono from when it became the kimono that we know today; that is, when the kosode that we recognize as being “kimono” came into being during the Momoyama Period. Mind you, that’s still 500+ years of history that’s covered, so if you’ve ever wanted to know how the kosode evolved from its early forms into its present then this is a great read! Besides being a fascinating look at the evolution of the kosode through 500 years of history, it’s full of actual examples from museums around Japan, so when they show you kimono from the early Edo Period that were worn by the samurai class or kimono from the later Edo that were worn by wealthy townswomen you get to see in detail exactly what they’re talking about, which is invaluable for all of you history buffs! I must admit, for a small book it really shows how knowledgeable to the author is in the topic and how great of a job they do in translating that knowledge into text that anyone can understand. The images are numerous and clear and it really is a nice little resource for kimono buffs or anyone just interested in learning more about the evolution of kimono. Rating: ✪✪✪✪✪ (out of 5)
On The Eleventh Day of Fun I present... something that’s been requested numerous times over the past year! Looking at many months of examples it’s not exactly the easiest to pinpoint down who wears what and when, but I’ve tried to do my best to present it to you here. The first thing to know is that there isn’t simply one way to do a pairing; many colors can be in season at a time and there’s no concrete way when it comes to pairing them together. For example, yellow and black is common in December, but it’s also common to see yellow and black paired with other colors during this time, so each color is valid in its own right and a group of maiko will always have colors that tie each other together. To explain it better, here’s a visual example of how everything’s added up:
Example image courtesy of Love_Child_Kyoto. Number of Maiko: 10 Most Popular Color: Purple (6/10, all or some) Most Popular Obi: Orange, Black, and Green (3 each) Primary Color Pairings: Purple and Orange (Orange gains +1 from kimono) The Monthly Breakdown
Image courtesy of Kyoto Flower Tourism. January Primary Pairing Colors: Purple and Orange Most Popular Pairings: Orange and Green
Image courtesy of Kyoto Flower Tourism. February Primary Pairing Colors: Pinkish Purple and Black Most Popular Pairings: Pink with Green for Juniors and Beige with Black for Seniors
Image courtesy of Kyoto Flower Tourism. March Primary Pairing Colors: Purple and Orange Most Popular Pairings: Purple with Green and Beige with Orange
Image courtesy of Kyoto Flower Tourism. April Primary Pairing Colors: Orange and Black Most Popular Pairings: Black for Seniors and Orange for Juniors
Image courtesy of Kyoto Flower Tourism. May Primary Pairing Colors: Blue and Yellow Most Popular Pairings: Blue with White for Seniors and Yellow with Green for Juniors
Image courtesy of Onihide-san. June Primary Pairing Colors: Purple and Blue Most Popular Pairings: Purple with Beige for Seniors and Blue with Orange for Juniors
Image courtesy of Kyoto Flower Tourism. July Primary Pairing Colors: Beige and Green Most Popular Pairings: Green with Beige
Image courtesy of Kyoto Flower Tourism. August Primary Pairing Colors: Blue and Beige Most Popular Pairings: Blue with Orange
Image courtesy of Onihide-san. September Primary Pairing Colors: Beige and Green Most Popular Pairings: Beige with Black and Blue with Black
Image courtesy of Kyoto Flower Tourism. October Primary Pairing Colors: Blue and Black Most Popular Pairings: Beige or Blue with Black
Image courtesy of Kyoto Flower Tourism. November Primary Pairing Colors: Beige and Green Most Popular Pairings: Green with Beige for Seniors and Orange with Green for Juniors
Image courtesy of Onihide-san. December Primary Pairing Colors: Green and Black Most Popular Pairings: Purple with Green for Seniors and Yellow with Black for Juniors You can check out my mini database here ^^ As a note, some colors were very hard to either describe or classify. White and beige are different colors, yet they could have been counted as the exact same color. The same could happen with pink and purple, and even some that were counted as orange that were actually closer to a peach color which could have been counted as beige. tl;dr: The karyukai uses a TON of various shades of colors, so even trying to put them into categories was not an exact science. Sorry if I got some wrong ^^;
On The Tenth Day of Fun I present... another addition in another series! Sorry for the graphics this time, but I’ll try to update it when I have a bit more time ^^
Peacocks (孔雀) - Kujaku Rarity: Uncommon Seasons: All What isn’t there to love about the enigmatic bird that is the definition of luxury and showing off? Peafowl have been farmed in Asia and around the world for centuries, as they’re surprisingly easy to care for and they don’t need to be killed to harvest their luxurious feathers! The male peafowl grows an entirely new set of tail feathers each year for mating purposes and sheds them at the end in order to grow an even larger set the following year. These feathers have become synonymous with beauty and power. Although known for their beauty, they are actually associated with Kanon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy for an entirely different reason: they eat snakes! Peafowl have long been kept for their ability to viciously kill snakes, especially poisonous ones, and protect their owners from harm. Because of this, they are symbols of protection and divinity ^^
I haven’t done this feature in a long time, but since yesterday was International Kimono Wearing Day I figured we’d take a look at another piece that has more than meets the eye behind its history and wear!
Name: Kasumi (霞) - Haze Type: Haori (羽織), Previously a Furisode (振袖) Time Period: Taisho Period (1912-1926) Age: 93-107 Years Old (Antique) Condition: Excellent - No Staining or Marking Material: Silk Motifs: Butterflies and Haze Execution and Technique: Yuzen Value: $500 - $750 USD To begin with, yes, it’s absolutely gorgeous and my phone camera can’t capture the depths of the colors properly. Second, it looks really odd for a haori, and that’s because it is! Somewhere between its conception as a furisode and my acquisition it was transformed into a haori. For this example I decided to show the front and the back just so we can get a better feel for its original state. The biggest giveaway is its sleeves as they are still furisode length (sitting at around 90cm)! If this was originally a haori then the sleeves would have been cut off just above the main butterflies on this piece and would only be about 50-60cm at most as kimono sleeve length was much longer during the Taisho Period than it is today. The other giveaway is the motifs itself; they’re very whimsical and girly! This isn’t to say that haori can’t have pretty motifs, but that they’re a coat meant to accent the kimono being worn or have more “refined” motifs. The motifs themselves are Butterflies (蝶) that have been beautifully rendered with skill and a very bright color palette using the yuzen dye resist technique. Combined with the haze it appears as though the piece is like looking at something out of a dream as these butterflies seem too beautiful to be real. The smaller white butterflies appear to be morphing into larger and more resplendent shapes and sizes, so maybe it’s the butterflies who are dreaming? Just a thought ^^ So, now that we know all of this, let’s look at the main issue here: why? Why would someone do this to a furisode? There’s actually a few reasons why it may have ended up in this state. The first, and probably the most likely, is that the bottom of the skirt got damaged and, not wanting to throw away a perfectly good piece (mostly), it was cut off to be re-worn as a haori. The second option, which could be just as valid, is that it was altered during war time in the 1940s. During this period many families had to use whatever kimono they had, including heirlooms and formal wear, to go work in the factories or just for wear overall since new kimono were not being made. In some areas people even competed to see who could have the most fashionable work clothes (Mineko Iwasaki even mentions this in her memoir), so it wouldn’t surprise me if this furisode was turned into a haori for use during this time but possibly being too late in the war to be worn in a factory. You may be wondering as to why it’s in such good shape if it was possibly altered during the war, and the answer is that it was purchased from someone who brought it back to America after the war and kept it in storage for decades. It’s possible that it was altered for use during the war but never worn as its condition is excellent. It’s still very much wearable and I have personally worn it a few times as it’s really breathtaking in person ^^
We’ve covered this topic before when it comes to modern usage, but we’ve never really talked about the historical roots! Anonymous asked: “At risk of sounding kinda dumb, what is a hagoromo? I Googled it and I mostly got results about a Naruto character lol” Hagoromo (羽衣), literally meaning “Feather Robe,” is a special cloak that the gods use to fly to and from heaven in Japanese mythology. It comes from the story of “Hagoromo” in that one day a celestial maiden was washing herself in a lake and a fisherman spotted her hagoromo. Enchanted by her beauty and knowing that she couldn’t return to heaven without it, the fisherman stole the robe, stranding the maiden on earth. Depending on who tells the tale, the fisherman either withheld the information that he had the robe or he used the robe to barter for the maiden’s hand in marriage. Either way, after years of being married to the fisherman the maiden finds her robe and flies back up to heaven. There’s a famous Noh play that was later adapted for kabuki called “Hagoromo In The Pines” (松羽衣) that tells this tale on stage. Now that we know the “why” of things, let’s look at the “what,” specifically what a hagoromo looks like:
Image courtesy of Kyoto Kimono Rental. For the most part it resembles that of a peacock or even a phoenix. You can tell that it’s a hagoromo because it has no head, instead replacing it with golden “hooks” that would tie around a god’s shoulders or neck. In contrast, the Noh outfit is always orange with golden feathers embroidered into it. Since it’s sometimes hard to see in pictures of the stage version we have this lovely wall scroll that perfectly illustrates the story:
Image courtesy of Jyu Luck Do. For the more kabuki version we have Hiroshige to thank for this wonderful depiction:
Image courtesy of Ukiyo-e.org.
This originally came in as a question, but since it doesn’t specifically ask a question (it just makes a request), I figured that I’d turn it into a full blown feature! Anonymous requested: “🎆🎇‘Tis the season for bright things that go boom~ and I was hoping you might could feature some of the geimaiko hikizuri and obi that showcase fireworks? I’ve seen a few different options, but never really got in to it and it’d be a fun treat to see?” Can I do that? Sure. Will I? ABSOLUTELY! There’s soooo many stunning kimono and obi that feature the titular explosions of light that I thought it would be nice to cover a few, such as:
Image courtesy of Chinatsu. This wonderful kimono, owned by Masuume (桝梅) in Gion Kobu, is a lovely dark blue that shows off exploding fireworks in various shapes and sizes; there’s the big round ones, the ones that explode into little, round things, and the ones that look like fountains. The dark blue makes it seem almost magical as it mimics the color of the night sky.
Image courtesy of T. Nakao. Hailing from the gorgeous collection of Komaya (駒屋) in Miyagawa Cho, this obi is actually woven with beautiful metallic threads that makes it sparkle like real fireworks! This is currently one of my favorite obi of the season due to its simple yet absolutely stunning execution of the fireworks it so wonderfully displays on an obi meant to mimic the night sky (see a trend yet?).
Image courtesy of Shigemori Okiya and Ochaya. As can be gleaned from the source, this lovely kimono belongs to Shigemori (しげ森) in Miyagawa Cho. I’ve been a huge fan of this one for a while due to the colors that seem to literally explode off of the kimono! They’re so fresh and vibrant, which is a really nice take on the motif. You may have noticed by now that fireworks are mainly found on colors that mimic the night sky; this is to immediately bring to mind memories of summer festivals that millions of Japanese people visit locally each year ^^
Image courtesy of Hide4630. Odamoto (小田本) of Gion Kobu has this wonderful kuromontsuki that they often show off for Hassaku that features a bridge at the bottom and the rest of the garment being covered in fireworks. The hiyoku is even meant to look like a stream, so it really makes you feel as though you’re watching live fireworks by observing this kimono!
Image courtesy of Tetsuto.jp. This stunning black piece from Daimonji (大文字) in Kamishichiken features stunning cascade-type fireworks that are almost magical to behold!
Image courtesy of David Calhoun.
Image courtesy of Profesión Backpackers. These two are together because they both belong to the same okiya! And who’s lucky enough to own both lovely pieces? That would be Nakagishi (中支志) in Gion Kobu! The obi is a bit plain compared to some of the other examples, but the kimono is far from ordinary! I love how the fireworks seem to make star patterns that help give them an extra pop! If you have any favorite kimono or obi that feature fireworks then let me know ^^!
This one got a bit image heavy, so I decided to make it into its own feature ^^ Anonymous asked: “What is the formality of kimono that are patterned like tomesode, as in the pattern is only below the waist, but have no crests? What would this type of kimono be called? I've seen examples labeled as tomesode, houmongi, or tsukesage, but all are no crest, solid colour, with only patterns along the bottom. Thank you for your help!” This can cause a great deal of confusion, and even many kimono sellers can get houmongi and tsukesage confused. So, let’s take a look at each style! I’ll be using some examples from Ichiroya to make this easier to understand ^^ Tomesode (留袖): Pattern will only be found below the waist and will always have at least one kamon. It is the highest formality of kimono.
Images courtesy of Ichiroya. Houmongi (訪問着): Will have a pattern across the entire garment, almost always unbroken that can also be found on the sleeves. Kamon may or may not be present. It is the second highest formality of kimono and is considered formal attire.
Images courtesy of Ichiroya. Tsukesage (付け下げ): Patterns will stay within their respective tan (the fabric strips that connect together to make a kimono), but will cross over on the two furthest to the left. They can have kamon, but it’s very rare. It is considered semi-formal wear.
Images courtesy of Ichiroya. So, going back to the original question, let’s look at what was being asked. To quote: “all are no crest, solid colour, with only patterns along the bottom”; this would make it a houmongi. Remembering what the rules are above can make it easy to narrow down. For example, here’s a piece from Ichiroya that matches exactly what was described:
Images courtesy of Ichiroya. The problem that can sometime arise when trying to identify different types is that most images only show the back of the kimono, which leaves out areas with additional motifs, such as the reverse of the sleeves and the parts that would show along the front of the chest. I’ve included them with the examples above so that you can see what I mean. However, if you can only see the back image then it can make things a bit confusing and/or hard to determine. I used this image the other day, but it’s a fantastic example! This is a houmongi that I own:
With just the back of the kimono showing you’d think that it was a tomesode (motifs only below the waist and the presence of kamon), but on the reverse there’s actually another chrysanthemum on the sleeve and a smaller one along the chest. So, try to find as many images as possible, and if not then try to remember the rules above to narrow it down ^^
It’s been a while since we did this feature as I was waiting on some good questions to come in, and they have! I’ve since been hoarding them so that I have a nice stack, so like the knowledge dragon that I am I’ll be sharing my wealth with all of you again ^^! 29goingon90 asked: “Hello! I have a few questions about Umeno’s green shibori hiki. A) The color shows quite a bit of variation in places across the garment, and I wondered if this is a regular characteristic of shibori? I’ve seen others with the color “running” like on Umeno’s, indeed, I have a shibori furisode in orange and green that displays it, but I had always thought it was a result of dye migration, discoloration or fading defect. It must be wrong for an okiya to showcase the piece so frequently? B) Why do we see so much of this hiki? Maybe since I know this one, I spot it right away? Or does it just get used that much relative to other hiki that that makes it recognizable to me?” Since it’s a two parter let’s tackle this in two parts! First, here’s the kimono in question:
Image courtesy of KWC Photo. Shibori like this is a bit complicated to make due to multiple colors involved. Most shibori relies on one main color that produces a gradation to look like multiple colors, but is simple(ish) in its execution. In the majority of cases when there are multiple colors involved they tend to be “spot” colors that are applied in small patches; this is most commonly seen with pieces like shibori yukata. When it comes to this piece, it requires a bit of a different approach in that color here has been applied in layers. The overall piece was first dyed in a light yellow color, which is why we see yellow seemingly coming out of everywhere. From there, the overall green sections were done with a simple geometric design of three/four lines that look a bit like folding fans. If this were a single color shibori piece then the light green areas would be white underneath, but since this was done in two stages they’re actually that sunny yellow. From there, the bold yellow sections were done to finish off the piece. Because there’s so much dye and so much physical exertion on the silk when shibori is made it can often look “roughed up,” so this is why we see a bit of a blotchy effect on the overall piece. This tends to become more obvious over time as the piece ages and is worn as dye can indeed migrate. Since yellow and green are close colors whose dyes can even be derived from each other it won’t seem as pronounced as if you had almost opposite colors like the OP has. However, we do know that many of Umeno’s better kimono, like this piece in particular, are upwards of 30 years old, so they’ve seen a great deal of wear! 30 years may seem like a long time, but shibori kimono are among the most expensive type of kimono that an okiya can own, so they are treated with respect and preserved for use for as long as possible. As for the second question, let’s look at some more visual aids to help us answer this:
Images are courtesy of Katsufumi. So, as an experiment, I want you to look at both images above and tell me which kimono stands out the most to you. For the first image, your eyes are going to go to Fumiyuki in the middle as the contrast between purple and white is very strong. Then, you’ll look at Katsuki on the right as your eyes continue to look around for something to attract you, and the marumon on black is very striking. However, your eyes don’t want to focus on striking for very long, so they’ll immediately then go to Umetae on the left. You may not notice it until a few seconds later, but your eyes have actually focused on Umetae’s kimono longer than the others. Not only is it easier for your eyes to focus on for longer since the colors are similar, but the pattern in the shibori almost tricks your eyes into wanting to follow it around. In the second, a very similar thing happens. You’ll first be drawn to Fumiyuki’s green obi, but then almost immediately switch over to Umetae’s kimono. Shibori is very pleasing on the eyes, so whoever wears it is bound to stand out. But, beyond all of that fun science-y stuff, we tend to see shibori kimono only from December through February as those are the only months when wearing shibori is considered appropriate. For nine months this kimono isn’t seen at all, so you aren’t really seeing it often overall, but are highly likely to see more images of it year round because it stands out so much. So, the overall answer is: The color is natural of the shibori process and nothing to be alarmed about. We see this kimono so often because it’s among the best that the okiya owns and it immediately draws attention to the wearer. Photographers really like images with shibori kimono, so they tend to be uploaded more than regular kimono ^^
On The Sixth Day Of Fun I present... another colorful entry in another ongoing series! Since tomorrow’s feature won’t have any images I figured I’d break up the time between reading walls of text and fixating on pretty images ^^v
Water (水) - Mizu Rarity: Common Seasons: All This is such a versatile motif that it can be used during any month, season, or event as it always has auspicious undertones. But, unlike many other motifs, the way in which it’s presented can drastically change its meaning. So, let’s look a bit closer by breaking it down into two categories! Waves (波) - Nami This is the type of water that you see churning, like the examples on either side of the visual above. Waves are considered signs of change as fast flowing water cannot help but make the landscape different. Although they can bring damage along with change, they are respected as member of the natural cycle of destruction and rebirth. Rivers/Streams (川) - Kawa Basically the blanket term for water that does not have any waves. It is almost the opposite of waves as rivers/streams represent calm tranquility with a change that is slow/stable but predictable. Additionally, the color of the water can have different meanings depending on the season. It’s very common to see orange colored waves during cold months, and this is no accident! It’s thought that the color blue is more appropriate for summer as it evokes thoughts of refreshing water that’s perfect for swimming or cooling off with during the oppressively humid Japanese summers. In contrast, orange is warm and evokes a sense of heat when worn in the snow ^^
I don’t share images too often (unless they’re for special events), but this one was too unique not to share! Maiko Kohana (小花) of Masuume (桝梅) in Gion Kobu shows off her beautiful kimono and obi that are the height of summer chic. What’s most interesting is that the uchiwa (round fan) on Kohana’s kimono has the kamon of the Masuume okiya, which matches her own uchiwa as maiko and non-jimae geiko in Gion Kobu use the crest of their home okiya. This small, personal touch on the kimono is a testament to the wealth and prosperity of Masuume, along with the great taste of its okasan. It must be a great honor to Kohana to wear such a personal piece that celebrates her status as a maiko of Gion Kobu from one of its most prestigious okiya and ochaya ^^ Image courtesy of Teafortwo0603.
This is a bit of a teaser image for what’s to come from Anime North 2018, but I felt that it should be shown first as its idea and conception were something that wasn’t planned but turned out better than expected. We were given a mannequin to dress up as we saw fit, and thankfully I brought a few extra kimono or this wouldn’t have happened. I did this kitsuke that day with no prior planning, and this is the result of using what I had on me. The obijime is actually a maiko obijime, and the obidome is an antique belt buckle, although we have used it on stage for maiko kitsuke in the past. Besides that, this irotomesode is one of the newer pieces in my collection and features mandarin ducks, pheasants, and a phoenix all carrying a branch of a plant. The obi is a multicolored checkered rainbow piece that I picked up last year for quite cheap. Now, why did this turn out the way it did? While setting up we had this black cloth that was just kinda laying around, and originally we had it hanging on the mannequin before we even put clothes on it. I asked one of my staff members, “what if we made a kitsuke that Muslim women could wear?” and she eagerly agreed to tie our random black cloth into a hijab. It’s not the actual size that a hijab should be (it’s slightly smaller), but it was tied correctly and did meet the requirements of how much skin and hair it had to cover. We could have tucked it underneath the kimono so that not even the skin on the chest could be seen, but by that point everything was in place and it was a bit difficult to move ^^; So, we ended up with a kimono ensemble that people from other cultures and religions can enjoy. If you are Muslim then please enjoy kimono! It truly is a garment for everyone whose style you can change to match your personal tastes and observances ^^! (Just a side note: This kitsuke did have ohashori, but due to the skinniness of the mannequin it disappeared under the obi. That’s why there’s a wrinkled section under the obi; I couldn’t get the ohashori back out unless I pulled really hard, and I didn’t want to damage the kimono in the process ^^;)
Details of the master. They can't be described by mere words. 一竹辻が花のディテール*面白い*(*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡ #kimono #textilemusuem #itchikukubota #tsujigahana #exhibit #久保田一竹 #着物 #辻が花 #トロント #toronto (at Textile Museum of Canada)
For Tumblr users: Click on the image to see the rest in the set. I uploaded 10 images that Tumblr doesn't feel like showing, so you can really get a better appreciation for it over on Instagram ^^
