Maiko Henshin and Kitsuke

[aimeekitty]

(scroll down for Maiko Henshin photos...)

I got my sensei matcha from Tsuen Tea on my trip to Japan. The shop itself has been run for 22 generations by the same family in the same place. It's in Uji across the bridge from Byodo-in. It was pretty fabulous to go there and pick up some tea. They make the tea in Uji, too.

I wore this Black Cat kimono and pink rose hanhaba obi today for kitsuke and tea ceremony class. I remembered some things (though not much). I haven't done tea ceremony since last year. I'm still doing pretty good on remembering my kitsuke and obi bows though, that's nice! My new purplish-fushia Fukuro obi (far right) turns out to be a great length (and fully patterned), too! What a nice surprise!.., I'd just picked it up because I really liked the color! I practiced with that one, today, too.
I brought some lacey collars to class today to ask my sensei about it, to my surprise no one had really seen that type before. Maybe next time I'll bring some of my modern kimono magazines.


Had a little time to go through some photos today from our "lets pretend to be a Maiko and a samurai" day. These are from a dressup studio. They do your makeup and provide the outfits and take the photos.

Comments

[persoconchii.livejournal.com]

wow *can't stop staring* that is a gorgeous dress-up, and hey! the background seasons totally match you too!! (I'm sure you planned your trips on purpose that way)

why do you keep holding edges of it? is that...like part of something extra we're not seeing, or just so you wouldn't step on it or get it dirty?

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

when you walk around in a trailing kimono like Maiko often wear, it's tied so that it's "long"... so when you walk, you either have to hold it up, or tie it up. After he was done, he tied it up so that I could walk around without holding it.

[persoconchii.livejournal.com]

I learn something new everyday from your LJ ^_^ how useful!

Did you get back shots too? The purple fabric looks gorgeous, and from the side it hints that there's something massive and folded into complex shapes back there....

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

It's this type of shape:
http://aimeemajor.com/images/costumes/maiko05.jpg
It's actually a pretty basic shape in the back. but in reality, if this was a real maiko outfit, the obi would have to be very very long to get tails that long. also, they make a cute movement when you walk. :)

[persoconchii.livejournal.com]

*_*
maaaaan, no wonder they put them on every Japan poster! Its crazy colorful and all this fabric swishing....

next time you go to Japan, I'm sneaking into your suitcase! (err, its not as creepy as it sounds, promise)

[jinyo.livejournal.com]

Your samurai/maiko pics look like so much fun!

[spritelyredhead.livejournal.com]

I *love* playing dress-up...! You two are so cute all dolled up. You look so natural in maiko gear, Aimee :)

[lovelessbird.livejournal.com]

You make one gorgeous geisha ♥

[gally99.livejournal.com]

The dress up pics are awesome! I did similar ones in HK, and they even had a kimono too. Very fun :> I got some printed and a DVD of the original digi-pics.

You look really cute in the Black Cat kimono!

[arletta.livejournal.com]

Aimee,
What's the significance of the section at the back of your neck that doesn't have white geisha make-up covering it? Does it mean anything?

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

Maiko and Geisha don't paint those little back tails. different number of tails depending on what it's for. But basically it's to accentuate the neck's beauty.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

you can see it better here:
http://aimeemajor.com/images/costumes/redmaiko4.jpg

[s8venus.livejournal.com]

You guys are adorable.

[scredbunny.livejournal.com]

That kimono is beautiful, especially with the cherry blossoms in the background. The samurai and maiko picture is very cute.

Were you by any chance at the FIDM exhibit last Saturday? I thought I might have seen you, or someone who looked very similar. ^_^

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

yup! I was there with some friends! :)

[kittytreats.livejournal.com]

The black cat kimono is cool, never seen one with those colors before. Great choice of scenery for the pictures.

[zagzagael.livejournal.com]

You two look so wonderful and so happy and so very dressed up! Studio shots are stellar! Fun stuff!

[esques.livejournal.com]

Lovely lovely photos! Your kimonos and obis and all of the accessories are all so gorgeous.

[april-art.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous photos! You both look fantastic!

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

The samurai/maiko photos are fun. The outdoor backgrounds for those are great, too. ^_^

[junemermaid.livejournal.com]

I'm always tempted to go to those dressup places when I'm in Japan, but the problem is I'd want to be a samurai, not a maiko, and I think that would cause...issues XD
I'll stick with being a cowboy or ganster in old thyme photos I guess!

[autumnwinds.livejournal.com]

I know that the hair ornaments a maiko wears are usually tied to the month or season, but almost every hairstyle I've seen also includes a hair ornament with little shiny metal dangly bits (easily seen in your first photo). What are those ornaments called? I think they're beautiful and would love to buy one somewhere.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

they're called "bira bira" you can find them on ebay actually. :)

these kanzashi are just generic flowers, but yes, most of the time they are tied to the month or season. :)

[autumnwinds.livejournal.com]

YAY. Thank you!

[gogolotus.livejournal.com]

Wow, you look so beautiful in these pics!

[sakurae.livejournal.com]

You guys look really awesome and Mitch makes a great modern day samurai XD

[velvy.livejournal.com]

You are SO much faster at getting photos up. Unlike SOME people I know (*cough* ME *cough*). LoL! I love the last photo! There's nothing that says Japan like dressing as a maiko and being surrounded by cherry blossoms.

[aoi-no-neko.livejournal.com]

How fun! Did you get people wanting to take lots of photos of the two of you? Hee hee, I wanna see your okobo =)

[team-tim.livejournal.com]

Sweet! Mitch did get a katana!

[darkanticrista.livejournal.com]

Lovely pictures!

[mognetcentral.livejournal.com]

You look lovely! That red parasol is so stunning in the first photo, behind your black wig and white makeup.

[slai.livejournal.com]

Hi Aimee,

You guys look marvelous 8D!

[diviana.livejournal.com]

Hi Aimee!! How are you? <333
OHMYGOODNESS!!! The photos are so awesome and the costumes too!! You look so B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L as a Geisha and the Kimono is gorgeous!! You're marvelous! It's such a pleasure to see your amazing photos! <333

[lindze.livejournal.com]

when you were walking around, did you hear people say "OO! Last Samurai!" haha
when we did the Maiko makeover thing, thats what we heard people say about Brad/Jeff! it was hilarious. We also had people crowding around to take pics of us, so funny.
Im so glad you guys got to do that again! I had so much fun doing it, even WITH the yucky 'cleaning my face with baby oil' part! XD

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

totally, I think they were more amused by Mitch in his getup than me. lol.