Takoya-Kimono

5 Day Event 5 Outfits

2012-05-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

So my work had it`s 7 year anniversary, which meant a 5 day event. We`re should dress up and so I thought, rather than having to find 5 party dresses I`d just wear wafuku. Daily kimono wear, what could be better right?!!

Monday - Day 1

This is navy blue and yellow striped kimono with orange butterfly obi. How very iki tied low obi right? Well actually because I didn`t tie the obi tight enough, it was very loose. But it looks better low right but then tightening it makes it go higher around my waist rather than hips so well it`s gonna have to be one of those things I experiment with.

Hand made eri! I painted that with acrylics.

With my ever faithful naga bouri cos it was still cold in March!

Tuesday - Day 2

Yellow, Red and Blue striped komon, with bird motif nagoya obi. And the ever faithful pink obijime and obiage! And omg it`s sunlight!

Oh no floppy otaiko QQ

Never mind, Haori covers all sins!

Close up of my hand painted eri! I was too lazy to change it from yesterday lol.

Wednesday - Day 3

Well I actually didn`t have a great night after work, and I got very very inebriated. That kimono needed some attention in the morning and I rescued it.

Today is abstract black white and red flower komon with pokadot hanhaba obi.

Red han-eri with sakura but you can`t see that.

I went for hanhaba cos I wanted an easy night what with the hang over....ahem...

And I wore a scarf because I um forgot my haori at the bar I was drinking at last night >_> But I picked it up after work. Kind of cow pattern scarf lol.

Thursday - Day 4

I wanted to go for a `girly` kinda outfit so my most girly flowery black poly orchid kimono, I figured the easiest obi to match with it would be a white obi. Not letting up on the girlyness it`s the hot pink obiage and obijime.

Maybe slight improvements in my otaiko as the week went on.....very slight lol.

Friday - Day 5

Omg finally. So the last day I had planned to wear my one peacock houmongi with my peacock fukuro obi but I was just like nah, I`ll wear one of my longer kimonos so dressing isn`t going to be a pain in the ass.

You can`t see the colours so well in the artificial light, it`s actually a dark blue with some kind of plant motif.

My best otaiko!! Oh it`s an easy obi nevermind :P

Gasp not hot pink obiage!! But well blue and orange classic contrast colours.

And that`s it! By the end of the week I was wafukued out, I mean I had kimono stuff everywhere and can you imagine the folding I had to do.

So which day does everyone like best??

I think I liked either Tuesday or Friday best, they both have seem kind of simple chic which is good for the party atmosphere.

But it`s been a long enough break I need to do some kitsuke soon!

3月7日 Birthday Kimono!

2012-03-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last week was my birthday so of course I was going to wear kimono. I had recently gotten a wool kimono ensemble with woven flowers, and with spring in the air I wanted to try it out.


I`m just gonna come downstairs and use this mirror for all kimono shots lol

butterfly obi

with matching haori

So it can`t be birthday without cake right! Treated myself to a french patisserie in Kitashinchi.

Yes I brought the candle myself...

chocolate caramel and raspberry

I also got my hair set! I love those set salons I wish they could do my hair everyday...

Hair set makes a big difference!

serious expression is serious


best I could do of a back shot

Anyway after work I went drinking and the bar master made me mini sushi!

So cute!

Nom nom nom

Things did get pretty debauched after that, suffice to say I ended up passed out in a karaoke.

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2月26日の着物

2012-02-26T11:16:00.000-08:00

I promised myself I wouldn`t do kitsuke practice until after I had finished writing my student reports, a task I loath. It was 8pm by the time I finished so I was in half a mind to skip this week but meh I`m a night owl.

I had found this hanhaba obi with ume motif so I decided to wear that because the ume are just about coming into season. Ume are my favourite blooms, but I have no plans to go see them this year so I thought I should wear the obi while I can.


My friend: lol the derp face fits, look like some sleazy yet classy bordello runner

obi detail

I chose shocking pink because it`s the pink I love ume for. The glittery ribbon is actually a hair elastic, but hey it matches.

han-eri

Another quick han eri from Tokyu Hands` wonderful wonderful off cuts tables. All the colours of the rainbow with as many designs as you can imagine, big enough that when you cut in half and stitch back together again in a strip, you get funky han eri!

I need to sew a popper onto that collar, and the black obi doesn`t picture well in that lighting does it. My hanhaba tsunodashi needs work.

But quite happy with this ensemble, that kimono with it`s neutral colours and abstract non seasonal flowers make it very versitile. When I first recieved it I thought the flowers made it too girly for me but it`s really grown on me. Funny how your opinion of a kimono can change once you try it out.

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Valentines Kimono

2012-02-15T21:25:00.000-08:00

Well of course I had to do a valentines cord for work. I kinda had to do it based around red as the main colour.

Although the actual day was a bit of a disaster because it was raining and I was debating whether to dress at home and go by train or go by bicycle and get dressed at work. In the end I packed it all up and lugged it in. NEVER AGAIN it`s such a pain and guess what, I forgot one tabi and my zori so I had to wear my gaga heels.

On to the outfit!

I found a dark reddish iromuji, and the silk is so soft I was surprised when I first touched it.

愛は赤

Just as I finished getting dressed, like literally tucking in my obiage customers arrived so I couldn`t get before pictures. And then after I saw my camera had no battery anyway so just keitai shots. :/

Valentines!

detail

Heart han-eri, and black lace date eri.

My back shot sucks but there was a reason why I wore that obi. I actually had ordered a hanhaba obi with hearts on but it didn`t arrive on time, but when I saw this obi i had an idea.

<3 <3 <3

It`s peacock feathers but they look like hearts I thought XD I guess quite a classy outfit in an iromuji and fukuro obi.

I guess next outfit to think about will be plum blossom viewing, I always look forward to them.

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2月13日の着物

2012-02-12T07:21:00.000-08:00

I done some kitsuke practice, I was trying to do it neatly rather than slap dash like usual and I was impressed with my results!

Add caption

My hashori is kinda good proportion yaaay


obi detail

Black Nagoya obi with painted flowers. I get the feeling i`m going to like that obi alot, it will go with anything really.

Because the kimono was desaturated I used vivid pink obiage and obijime to try and liven it up a bi.t, same goes with the han eri.

obi back

Uh looks like it`s slipped a bit there. As you can see the paint for the flower design has cracked a bit but I don`t mind at all, just makes it more antique to me.

Now for some posing shots lol.

I am happy with that collar!

Well I didn`t go anywhere, but it was fun to take my time and see that I can actually wear kimono neatish when I try!

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Trends in Modern Furisode

2012-02-10T17:59:00.000-08:00

Been a bit of a sucky week so lets write about some happy kimono news! With the closing of the oshare kimono fair Modayo-sensei blogged the photo shoot for their new furisode designs. Furisode aren`t really my thing but I thought the mamechiyo furisode for the puzzle series and candy stripe were cool, and now modern antenna totally steals my heart with these lovely cords. So this wouldn`t just be a picture spam I`ve made myself chose just one of the outfits (ToT)

Roses in check variation (purple x yellow)

The colour combo kills me!! And their stylist is totally awesome, I love that hair styling and accessories, very stylish and elegant.

But then a close up of the obi.

Purple my favourite! With gold wow. All those different textures, it looks like some magical spun gold. The simpleist pattern but still so interesting to look at.

The good news is that these are the first lot, and they no longer make these obis so they are offering them as a 3 item set for under 10,000yen (they are throwing the juban in free). Bargain!.... (TOT)

Check out the rest of the designs here!

What I love about these furisode (and the iromuji style puzzle series by mamechiyo) is the design not being your typical gold and big classical patterns along the hem and sleeves brings the furisode down in formality, but the obi still gives it that gorgeous edge so it`s not just a komon with long sleeves. I could imagine wearing this as a houmongi level of formality, to a nice party (it is polyester, spills no problem! XD) etc, so you`d get a lot more wear out of it. That`s my problem with furisode, spending alot of money on something you only get occasion to wear a few times in your life. The maturity of the pattern also makes it more wearable for the over 21s.

Since the kimono design already breaks all the rules, you can break the rules on wearing it!

What do you think of the trend with modern designers making these less formal furisode?

節分の着物 (Setsubun Kimono)

2012-02-08T08:12:00.000-08:00

Oni >:D

So last Friday was setsubun, the Japanese festival where everyone throws beans to drive out oni and bring in good luck. Everyone knows about the geisha and kabuki events during this day, but what about the hostesses?

Well Osaka Kitashinchi hostesses are not to be out done on setsubun,They have water dipping festival to drive out bad luck for business, with a big parade where the hostesses dress in maiko/geisha/orian/cosplay henshin, lead by the Kitashinchi queens.

Kitashinchi Queens

Unfortunately I had to work that evening and was late getting to kitashinchi, and just as I gout out the station I was being passed by the chinese dragon and I had missed the girls.

But I found a video of last years parade.

Also some hostesses will dress for the occasion as well in henshin, with their hair and kimono set at salons like this! For 25000yen for one nights rental/set, plus 25000yen deposit o_o

Offering body paint service for female yakuza outfit!

Even tissues advertising costume rental

I was in a rush and my pictures of the hostesses going to work sucked, how annoying. Please excuse the blurryness/hostess death glares.

This is all I saw of the parade D:

Anyway some much better professional photos of the parade from this years parade here.

I tried to do an oni inspired kimono cord, but I didn`t really have enough time to put into it so I wasn`t too happy with it.

Hair accessory close up

You don`t know how hard I had to look to find little oni/lucky old lady masks! But I also found one with a little hand drum too so I had fun playing with it lol.

Click the banner to improve my ranking and see lots of Japanese kimono blogs! :D

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Kimono GETS

2012-02-07T22:07:00.000-08:00

So I`m back on the ebay crack and today I got a huge box from Shinei >_> They are in the same city so they posted it yesterday and it arrived today. I feel kinda bad about using Shinei because I`ve read about the problems foreign customers have had. Hell I even had a heart attack moment when I got an email from them asking for shipping for 3 bundles (one I had already received??) that amounted to over $200! I was like domestic post office shipping is never going to be that much! But then I noticed they`d invoiced me directly via ebay for shipping totaling $22....so I just paid it and here it is. The email must have been an automated one for shipping to the US because for domestic addresses they say just put any country and they`ll calculate it after. That was a minor organizational problem compared to what some people have. Anyway lets celebrate with the GETS!!

Red and White Meisen

Blue striped meisen

Green and yellow asanoha meisen

Modern Antenna @ Hanshin Umeda

2012-02-02T14:22:00.000-08:00

I saw from a Japanese blog I follow that modern antenna was holding a fair in the Hanshin department store in Umeda this week. And Modayo-sensei seemed to be there.....and I had a dentist appointment in Umeda today, so I was like, I should check it out :D But I had to go in Kimono right!!

Hat day me thinks....

Oh wow did I mention my dentist appointment was at 10am? Slightly hot mess kitsuke, I had like half an hour to get ready, mid way I realize that this kimono is too small to dress easily but it was already at a point of no return.

Bleh haori hides alot of sins.

mirror lets take full body shot (in the subway station...)

Yeah so I went and had fillings in kimono, I am absolutely nuts I admit it. But on the way back I stopped at the modern antenna fair!

着物で犬と散歩　：D

Modern Antenna right

This is as far as I got taking pictures cos further in was the fair and Modayo-sensei was there and I like turned into gibbering school girl all like omg I love your stuff (TOT) He is like so sweet and a little shy, so gently spoken and polite (TOT)

He asked if I have any of his kimono.............urrrrrrmmmmmm no but one day!!! He gave me one of his cards and told me to come and visit his studio one day. I was all `when I have money I`ll come and buy a kimono!!` and he softly laughs and tells me I don`t need to do that, just come and visit. So sweeeeeeet!!!

I looked around at the beautiful embroidered obis and kimonos and they are so gorgeous, the sales lady was saying I could try them on but I was like no no no cos well it`s not like I can buy any (TOT)

Then I fangirled up and asked for a picture with Modayo-sensei :D

SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!

I felt I had stayed long enough without seeming too stalkerish lol

I just checked his blog and OMG I got a mention lol.

The first half a cute [aww shucks] foriegn girl came in kimono and said "I always look at your blog!" what the- ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

"I can`t yet buy a kimono or obi but I came to meet you!" oooh happy

"I aim to buy a modern antenna kimono and obi!" etc I`m gonna cry

I`m really gonna cry!

And then she looked at the kimono and obi and lastly asked `can we take a picture together?` Me?? I was really so happy.

Then an art student came and again said she couldn`t buy a kimono but she wants to one day! He was very happy people come to just meet him. Why of course he`s a very talented designer!

He finishes off with a cute story about someone having trouble deciding at shop closing time, and he said no need to decide now you can make your decision slowly and send a mail. But she came back the next day and brought an obi and he was very touched.

"... is it ok to cry??

Gambare! obi! Be loved until you`re worn out!"

Awww bless, what a sweetie, me too I want to cry (TOT)

モダンアンテンナGETまで頑張ります！！

Clicky Click!

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1月29日の着物

2012-01-29T07:02:00.000-08:00

Well I`ve been on a kimono buying spree this month, but not too much wearing. So I decided I should at least start turning my one day off into a kitsuke day, it`s the day most of the markets are anyway.

But today I was meeting a friend for dinner so I had a good reason to dig through my pile of recent purchases.

Green and red vintage meisei kimono, with a pink and black hakata obi I brought from the tennoji branch of 135 yesterday.

Pretty simple look today, I wore a turtleneck instead of juban, it has been very cold recently.

Kinda of the back view. It`s brand new and so stiff to tie, not my nicest musubi. But I think it will go with a lot of my (mostly dark) kimonos.

With outerwear, my favourite haori and lambs wool collar. I wasn`t cold at all lol.

The kimono is far too short for me so I hiked it up and wore UGG style boots. It feels like a bit of a fashion crime but I rode my bicycle to shinsaibashi (yes in kimono) and I know my feet will stay toasty warm.

Had delicious dinner with my friend, been so long since I`ve had dim sum.

And then after we went to a green tea specialty shop.

That tea was so strong I don`t think I`ll be sleeping any time soon lol.

Oh and click the button below ;D

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Book Review: Kimono Bancho

2012-01-22T19:02:00.000-08:00

Kimono Bancho by Megumi Matsuda
きもの番長：松田恵美
Languages: Japanese
ISBN-10: 4072746541
ISBN-13: 978-4072746547
112-pages
Amazon.jp link

I saw this in a book store a few weeks ago, and when I went back I was drawn to it again and had to purchase it. It is a manga essay type book featuring lots of cords and ideas, and the kimono bancho (boss) does such lovely illustrations it is very accessible. She has connections to Mamechiyo (who positively reviewed this book) so the cords are very modern.

Contents:
Illustrations

Chapter 1: 12 months co-ordinates

May Party Cords

October Halloween Cords

I love her outfits! Each month has two cords with ideas for adding seasonal details to outfits and general ideas for komono. She also has great ideas for tieing outfits into seasonal events in Japan like Setsubun and Valentines day (which I am definitely going to be trying). There are a few simple hairstyling ideas too for different occasions.

Chapter 2: Softening Kimono - How to guide through manga

han-eri

Her kimono philosophy revolves around keeping kimono and obi to non-seasonal geometric patterns so you are able to get the most use out of them, and getting seasonal details in things like han-eri, obidome, hair accessories etc, and she has many ideas for hand making them, for example painting designs onto han-eri with acrylic paints.

Chapter 3: Special Occasion Kimono

Kimono Show

Here she talks about kimono outfits for shows and her wedding.

Chapter 4: Lets make Komono!

How to make obidome, and corsage

I really like this section, it has alot of simple crafty ideas for komono. I`m sure for more crafty people have been doing these kind of things already but for beginner crafty people (or people like me who have WIP syndrome) lots of quick things that can really personalize an outfit. It`s all in the details!

Chapter 5: How to wear kimono

hanhaba obimasubi

A short section on basic kitsuke and obi masubi with some practical hints and tips for everyday wear.

Review:
This book is going to be a staple for sure and I`m definitely a fan of Ms. Matsuda from now. I have already lent it out to a friend who loved the ideas too.

Pros
-modern seasonal cord ideas
-lots of stylish illustrations
-easy to read for those with basic Japanese
-focuses on every day wear
-simple craft ideas
-good basics of kimono coordination

Cons
-not so much for those interested in formal/traditional styles
-kitsuke and musubi are basic

I listed the cons but to me they`re not really cons per say because I`m more interested in casual funky styles, nor was I expecting much in depth kitsuke (I want tons of musubi I`d buy a musubi book).

I suggest checking out Ms. Matsuda`s home page and blog for her illustrations, if she releases another kimono book in the future I`ll definitely check it out.

Megumi Matsuda`s homepage
Kimono Bancho`s blog
Kimono Bancho`s twitter

Kimono challenge #1 How did you get into Kimono

2012-01-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

Well time to get on the kimono challenge bandwagon! I`ve really been enjoying everyone`s posts for this!

1. How did I hear about kimonos& first kitsuke thoughts and stuff
2. My dearest kimono item(s)
3. My most used kimono item(s) (not counting jubans, datejimes etc.)
4. My least used kimono item(s)
5. My favourite coordination(s) so far
6. What things I like and what not in kimonos(&why)
7. Kimono confessions. Did you know that...
8. The massive want-to-buy-list(or in this situation what-I-would-like-to-buy-but-don't-have-enought-money-or-any-occassion-to-wear-it-list)
9. My biggest fears&wishes what comes to kimonos
10. My biggest inspirations in kimonos
11. My kimono collection
12. The evolution of my kitsuke

How did you get into kimono?
This feels like such a long time ago now! I lived in Tokyo for one year 2003-2004 as an exchange student, and of course I`d see kimono around. I wanted to learn how to wear one so badly! Then one day I stayed over at a friend`s dorm who was going to a different university. She had taken a laqure making class and the teacher was going to show her how to wear kimono in the morning. I well, invited myself along lol. I`m not sure the teacher was that happy I had come along but oh well! She showed us and another student how to put on kimono and she dressed us. I was hooked!

I had a school trip to a kabuki performance coming up so I decided to wear kimono to it. I went to a low end department store and with help from the shop lady I picked out a sha kimono (it was summer) and she basically got together all the komono for me.

With a "you can wear kimono by yourself!" book I took it back to the dorm and started practicing. in my room.

The day of the kabuki arrived, and apart from the dorm old lady fussing over my kitsuke everyone was impressed. Looking back I`m not so impressed now lol.

Teeeny 2004 keitai pictures!

And then after the performance, with all the slippage that involved with sitting down for a long time D: It looks rather plain to me now, could have been jazzed up a bit with some komono!

I didn`t buy any more kimono while I was in Japan (I already had sooo much to send back) but once I got back to the UK, I discovered ebay and it really tumbled on from there...

Origin of the challenge:

Kira Kira Kimono

Blogs participating in the challenge:

Koakuma - kimono gal style

2012-01-07T19:17:00.000-08:00

I`ve been thinking about my kimono style recently, in what do I like etc so I can do a bit more directed buying. Of course I love retro-modern/kimono hime style, but I also really like koaguma kimono style.

Koakuma (小悪魔）means little devil, and is basically very sexy young style of fashion featured in the hostess inspired magazine ageha, and the grown up gal magazine NUTS etc. It is mainly western style clothing, but at the popular times of years (coming of age, summer yukata) they feature kimono.

Now, agejo fashion doesn`t have a good image the older/more conservative levels of Japanese society because of the hostess connections, but I am not one to judge someone on their style or profession. I would argue that the agejo disapproval has a streak of class-ism to it, and instead of hysterics maybe parents should wonder why their daughter finds hostessing a more appealing career than working as an office lady fetching cups of tea for the bucho but I digress.....

Some scans from a mook done a few years ago.

Here is an album for the complete mook here.

It`s very OTT but it`s so outrageous and fun! The mook features a lot of make up and hair tutorials, although they are as I would say advanced and difficult to do alone. But you`d get your hair set for this kind of outfit anyway...

And it is a one stop shopping for the style, the rakuten shop sweet angel. They supply pretty much every kimono outfit you`ll see in ageha, and they`ve been spreading to the other magazines like nuts and I`ve just seen they`ve been using egg models (a teen gal magazine).

So a selection from their current catalogue.

Furisode

It sparklessssss. While I love the blingness....RENTAL price is 238,000yen for a 10 piece set.

Orian lives!

Yes, koakuma will do an orian style, which is quite sexy I think. In the mook the detail how to wear it like this. For a 30 piece set rental = 348,000yen. Hostesses have a bottomless wallets (ahem sugar daddys).

Ok so while the furisode are very pretty it`s not something I could ever try.

But there are far more achievable styles.

Houmongi

Something a bit more understated and practical, and houmongi are what you see the majority of hostesses wearing unless it`s a special holiday time.

These are rental cords, which cos 28,000yen. But I think this kind of chic modern look is totally achievable with 2nd hand kimono finds, koakuma is all about the accessories anyway.

Yukata

Totally out of season but yukata is where you can really go to town and you do see gals dressed like this at festivals.

Sets on sale from 3000-8000yen.

The essentials of koakuma:

-big hair

-big hair accessories

-dark sexy make up

-flashy komono

Unless there are sales, I find sweet angel a over priced, but it`s a great place to browse for ideas to `glam` up your cords.

The komono like sparkly obiage and fancy han eri are available from sweet angel, but I`m sure could be recreated with some nice fabrics and a glue gun (if rhinestones, pearls, or lace can be added, add it).

The big corsages I recreate by well putting together a load of smaller (more affordable ones), I will probably make a set and think of a way of adding bling for my orian style yukata I brought at the end of summer last year (in the sale lol)

But before that I definitely want a go at creating a houmongi cord!

Street Snaps - New Years

2012-01-04T03:24:00.000-08:00

Street Snaps
Waiting for the bf I had a few wines, and I was thinking. I had been seeing lots of people in kimono and I was like, why don`t I just say I do a blog and ask for a snap?! Of course after I decide that the amount of kimono went down lol...But I took whatever I saw, nice to see young girl`s styles.

Outside Hankyu


Kitashinchi station

Osakatengumae Station

Teshinbashisuji Shotengai. Cute fuisode!


Kitashinchi Station, uh it was windy lol.

It is cold so shawls and fur are essential as you can see! Everyone I saw looked very cute and it`s so nice to see other people wearing kimono, it`s like a special club lol.

I will definitely try to do this more, unfortunately other than new years and summer festivals seeing kimono is rare. But I guess that gives an excuse to go to Kyoto and kimono shops!

New Years Shrine Visit

2012-01-04T03:18:00.000-08:00

So the third I was to do the first shrine visit of the year with my bf. Except he over slept and we went to Tenshin San instead. Oh well, I will visit Kyoto soon on my own anyway.

Co-ordinate

Cord

First without the Haori. I had treated myself to a new kimono from a Rakuten shop called Nico Antique, I got the evening themed colour because purple is my favourite. They have some lovely stuff there, cat themed obis and kimono...will get more when I can treat myself!

I sorted the overly long ohashori before I went out ahem, I`m kinda out of practice for kitsuke.

Obi detail

Detail of the obi, also from Nico Antique. Should have worn an obi ita, oh well! I let them chose the tsukuri obi to go with the set so it was a surprise when it arrived in the mail.

The obiage and obijime were 100yen bargain bin finds. The obijime has a nice detail of coral beads. I didn`t choose komono with too strong colour because they over powered the light obi too much.

dekaeru cord

So to go out I wore a haori from Nico Antique and a vintage fur shawl. I figured stripes were a neutral motif that I could get the most use out of because I love naga haori.

zori and tabi detail

The zori with black velvet tabi, and the classy Guy Laroche bag which I discovered is actually a coutier brand! I guess the recycle shop guy didn`t know what he had there to sell it for 1000yen...

hair front

hair back

My hair set I done myself, it wasn`t too difficult. I googled taisho hair arrange and found a tutorial. My bf who is a hair dresser was even impressed and trying to work out how I done it lol. When in doubt stick a load of accessories on lol.

OTT hat love

So I went out to wait for my bf, and got bored and went to a normal accesory shop in Hankyu Umeda station, they had some good vintagey jewerly so I brought ear rings and a hat. My god I love that hat it`s so over the top lol.

The Outing
So when my bf finally made it out of bed to meet me we just went to Tenshin san, which is a famous shrine anyway and busy.

Tenshin san at New Years

Shrine maiden

The Shrine maiden was doing a dance at the time but couldn`t get good shots because of the green netting up to stop thrown coins going everywhere.

Okonomiyaki and Yakisoba

After the shrine we went to eat lunch, okonomiyaki and yakisoba. He was very hung over, he was looking so green it was hard to be mad at him for being late lol.

Mochi Stall

Mochi and Anko

We walked down the shopping street and stopped for snacks.

Amazake

He had hot mochi and I had amazake. So good on a very cold day.

We walked around the very long shopping street, and I ended up doing more kimono shopping >_< I have plenty of obis at the moment but I need to build up a few more kimonos...for variety. Oh and interesting obijime >_> I got the bug again....

Chinese style donburi

We went back to Kitashinchi and to Nari-ya near Ohatsutenshin, a kind of south asian fusion cafe/izakaiya. The master is very nice and the food delicious and spicy.

Why he`s holding my handbag I don`t know.....

And that was it for the day! It wasn`t what was planned but fun non the less. New years in Japan is my favourite time of year it is very exciting with everyone with a few days off and doing traditional things.

Kimono Life 2012 - bargain shopping

2011-12-31T23:54:00.000-08:00

Well I`ve decided to get back into wearing Kimono more often. I`ve been on a break with the lame excuse of most of my kimono are back in England but that is really not a good excuse because I live in Japan now and if I search there is an abundance of cheap and beautiful kimono to wear.

So for new year I decided to buy a new kimono and put together a new cord. I brought a new and obi online (I am very tall so recycle kimono sleeve length is a big problem), but then the only problem is I didn`t have the right ko-mono to go with it.

So I went to Tenshin bashi suji shopping street (天神橋筋　商店街）because I remember there being some cheap shops there.

And I found it, Amameya (天音屋） about half way up the street.

Too many nice cheap things!

So here are my buys.

Obijime! There was a big box for 100yen each so I snagged a bunch, can never have enough objime right! Most were new, and the objiage and chirimen was 200yen but I got the ojisan to give me a discount to 100yen each.

The bag was 1000yen and I loved the vintage classy look, new and real leather (made in Paris according to the inside). There was a black croccodily one for the same price and would have had it but some obachan picked it up before I got to it!

Close up of the obi. From right to left. It is Matsu and either sakura or momiji, only 500yen but there is some patina on the inside. But I have no problem with some damage as long as it`s not noticeable. The white/silver one was 1000yen, and the black one with ume and momiji was 2000yen. These two are brand new, and I love the flashyness. I have a plain purple kimono which I think would go well with either colour and I would wear them at my night job maybe where I can dress up a bit. I will possibly wear the black one on the first night back to my night job after the new years holidays.

Should be a good year! I am planning to go with my boyfriend to Kyoto for new years either tomorrow or the day after, he will wear kimono too. But he`s a bit flakey and not heard from him in a while! I expect he`s busy for new years family stuff but I will be a bit cross if he lets me down. Never mind I will go to Kyoto alone anyway, I quite enjoy going out by myself because I can do what I want!