June Kitsuke of Hanafusa okiya members

Long requested June Kitsuke of Maiko and Geiko of Hanafusa okiya(SL) :)

As it was said before, Kitsuke - is art of wearing a kimono. You dont just come and wear a summer bathrobe and tie it with some material. Not at all! The technique of dressing properly and wearing a kimono properly is hard and takes lots of time to learn. But as my oneesan(older sister) says: "  If you’re going to do something: do it right.". There are many rules how too choose the right pattern or color and what type of kimono you have to wear, for example you cant wear kimono with sakura flowers in autumn as sakura blooms in spring whilst you cant wear chrysanthemums or red leaves in spring  bcz this is the symbol of autumn, and so on. When girl decides to become maiko she has to know every tiny aspect of kitsuke as she is now to become carrier of traditional knowledge and arts, and what is kitsuke if not a form of art ^^

Now lets have a look at the kimonos and accessories that was chosen by maiko and geiko of Hanafusa okiya in MIyagawacho hanamachi (sl):)

Okaasan Kikuyu:

For first summer month Geiko Kukuyu has chosen smooth colored kimono with fan motif. As you look on her kitsuke, you can feel how you're cooling down just looking on these beautifully painted hand fans. Color of the kimono reminds us of waves and too has the cooling effect on our minds :)

Maiko Kikutsuru:

For July Maiko Kikutsuru is wearing blue hikizuri with little summer flowers carefully painted in hem and sleeves. Her kimono reminds of the fast and chilly river, that begins high in the mountains as a small stream and than becomes a beautiful river. She carries small flower arabesque right to the ocean and you can feel how river wind comes from her.

Maiko Kikumaru:

Maiko Kikumaru is wearing white hikizuri with many summer flowers. This hikizuri is multi-summer - it means that it can be used through summer and even end of spring. Her hikizuri also has cooling effect and reminds of snow on the mount Fuji or ice in ujikintoki :) yuuuuuuuuuum

Maiko Kikuno: 

Little Kikuno chan is wearing green hikizuri that is multi-spring but can also be used in June. Green is color of summer grass and the wind that moves leaves on the trees.

Now lest see photos^_^

Geiko Kikuyu  

Maiko Kikutsuru

Maiko Kikumaru

Maiko Kikuno