As the temperature is rising dramatically, The Geiko san and Maiko san of Hanafusa okiya change
their warm lined hikizuri to unlined ones. Their everyday wardrobes have changed too - now you can meet a maiko, walking to her lessons at Nyokoba, wearing a nice summer yukata with a summer fan, called uchiwa, in her hand...
Geiko Kikuyu
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| Okaasan Kikuyu in her June semiformal attire |
For June, Okaasan Kikuyu has chosen a light green susohiki that fades into white near the hem. This susohiki has a special effect - it gives you the feeling of freshness and has a cooling effect on your mind and body. Near the hem we can see the white juban with red flowers. This style of juban is only used by mature geiko san.
The obi sash is black with golden and orange geometrical pattern. It is tied in a style called "drum"(taiko).
Her hair is decorated with a woden kushi, usually used for summer months and a maezashi hairpin. As you can recall from my previous posts, geiko san wear wigs, called Katsura, while maiko san wear hairdos made from their own hair.
Senior Maiko Kikutsuru
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| Senior Maiko Kikutsuru wearing her June semiformal attire |
Kikutsuru san is wearing a multi seasonal bright green hikizuri made with shibori technique with hand-painted motifs of origami cranes, flowers and fans. This is an absolutely new hikizuri and she is the first to wear it. Her juban is red and features summer waves alongside seashells and sea stars.
Her obi is black, featuring summer flowers painted on fan shaped golden backgrounds.
In her hand she is holding her kago basket that has a goldfish trinket and goldfish pattern.
Her hairdo is called Ofuku and is decorated with seasona ajisai kanzashi. This month has two flowery symbols - willow tree and ajisai(hydrangea flowers).
Let's also remember that this is the last year of Kikutsuru as a Maiko. Next year at this time she will be wearing a beautiful Geiko's susohiki, meaning she will be a geiko san. Susohiki and hikizuri is the same style of Kimono worn, by both Geiko and Maiko. what makes the two different, is that in the style of a Geiko hikizuri/susohiki the shoulder nor sleeve area have tucks, the sleeves are also shorter, they reach to about the hips or upper thighs of the Geiko. The Maiko's susohiki/hikizuri have tucks in the shoulders, as well as tucks in the sleeves, the sleeves is also very long reaching nearly to the ankle of the maiko.
Senior Maiko Kikumaru
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| Senior Maiko Kikumaru wearing her June semiformal attire |
As June is quite a hot month, Maiko Kikumaru has chosen a white hikizuri with a blue dew on grass pattern all over. It is called Tsuyushiba. As one younger maiko said: "It looks like clouds on the sky". Her Juban has a spring/summer/autumn pattern.
It is held by the long Darari obi, that is a Hakata obi in the Kenjo gera design (that type of obi design has length-wise stripes). In the end of the obi you can see the mon (crest) of Hanafusa okiya.
In her hands she is holding blue kago with star trinket and small stars painted on the kago itself.
She has the same hairstyle as her oneesan, Maiko Kikutsuru but as Kikumaru san is younger, the kanoko on her ofuku is pink. It is decorated with similar ajisai kanzashi as the hairdo of her oneesan.
Junior Maiko Kikune
Maiko Kikune has become ichinmae maiko. You can read about it >here<
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| Junior Maiko kikune wearing her semiformal June attire |
Maiko Kikune san is now a second year maiko so not only her looks but also her wardrobe has been changed. Now she can wear more elaborate and "mature" hikizuri like this subtle green, that has pattern only on her left shoulder.
Her juban is multiseasonal, with decorative flowers and willow. Her obi is black with butterfly pattern. This is another innovation in her carrier - she is allowed to use darker colors, like black. ( which all ranks may wear occasionally, but it is always preferred bright colours on younger apprentices)
As she is still jr Maiko, her hairdo is the same as it was before, it is called Wareshinobu. While senior Maiko can choose between willow and hydrangea kanzashi, Junior maiko do not have this choice. That is why Kikune san's hair is crowned with willow kanzashi, though shorter than her young sisters.
Junior Maiko Kikushino
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| Junior Maiko Kikushino wearing her semiformal attire |
Junior Maiko Kikushino wearing her semiformal attire
Young Maiko Kikushino is wearing an extremely summertime hikizuri - it features hydrangea, lilies and water handicapped motifs. Her juban is similar to her neesans and features decorative flowers.
Her obi is beige and is decorated with hydrangea flowers and some geometrical motifs.
In her hands she is holding a similar kago as her oneesan, Maiko Kikutsuru, but this has a different color.
Her hairdo is Wareshinobu(same as Kikune san) and it is decorated with willow kanzashi. She is still a 1st year maiko so she has to use the "dangling" kanzashi. These dangling type of kanzashi are childish in style and are to show the young stature of maiko.
Junior Maiko Kikuyae
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| Junior Maiko Kikuyae wearing her June semiformal attire |
Junior Maiko Kikuyae wearing her June semiformal attire
The youngest maiko of Hanafusa okiya, Maiko Kikuyae is wearing white with orange geometrical figures in a shibori styled hikizuri. Her juban is similar to Kikutsuru san's and it is a very Summertime in style.
Her Obi has an orange background with dew on grass pattern. Her Orange obi fits the orange geometrical figures on the hikizuri.
Her hair is styled in the traditional junior maiko hairdo. Her kanzashi are willow styled ones and are similar to Kikushino neesan.
In a short time, Kikuyae chan will become 2nd year maiko. Until than she will be decorating her hair with dangling kanzashi and painting only lower lip.
Minarai Kikuteru
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| Young Minarai Kikuteru |
The youngest member of Hanafusa okiya, Minarai Kikuteru, who has debuted less than two weeks ago is now starting to get more involved in the life of the Karyukai. She is already invited to the ozashiki alongside her older sisters to observe the job from the shortest distance. She will only get a few chances to dance for guests but she can help her older sisters with serving food and drinks to guests. She is also helping to guide the visitors of Kyoto kagai around the sim. Her mentor and older sister was chosen Maiko Kikutsuru.
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| Minarai Kikuteru in her June attire |
In Miyagawacho, Minarai do not wear special minarai outfits all the time during the rank. In more or less 2 weeks from the minaraia,
she will start wearing the same hikizuri as Junior maiko does. Also in Miyagawacho Minarai san do not wear minarai kanzashi, but those worn by junior maiko. This time it is willow. Her hikizuri has a blue background with water and seashell game pattern. Her eri is almost fully red with a beautiful auspicious crane pattern. This should bring her luck on the path she has chosen.
Konnichiwa dear guests and patrons of Kyoto Kagai sim,
