Minaraia of Kikushino chan

Maiko Kikumaru and Minarai Kikushino

On a warm February evening a young minarai made her first steps into the world of Karyukai. These days it is a rare to spot a minarai san in the Kagai not only due to short time period this stage occurs but and busy schedule, but also due to fact that Second Life Maiko and Geiko culture is declining. That's why every time i see a new girl debuting as minarai it makes me rejoice as never before. Seeing a new soul that has chosen the path of apprentice and Kyoto Kagai sim as her home is like a new star appearing in the sky - bright little dot who has a long way before her until she becomes a gorgeous and magnificent sun.
On the Saturday evening a young star has appeared on the sky of the Kagai - Shikomi Kaori of Hanafusa okiya, who's exam took place earlier that week, made her minarai debut in Hanahusa ochaya. Okaasan has decided that new minarai name of Kaori chan will be "Kikushino", which means "your aspiring chrysanthemum" and the future oneesan and mentor will 2nd oldest maiko in Hanafusa okiya Senior Maiko Kikumaru.

"Omedetou san dosu Kikushino chan. Your Okaasan, oneesan and sisters are proud of you"

(TODAY 11 am slt) Minaraia in Hanahusa ochaya

We would like to invite you to special ozashiki that will be hold in Hanahusa ochaya today 11 am slt. During this event you will witness the minarai debut of new member of Hanafusa okiya. We keep her professional name in secret so those who come ozashiki will be first one to know. But you can always try to guess ^^
 ❀ Date: Saturday 17th of February
 ❀ Time: 11 am slt
 ❀ Landmark: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kyoto/225/180/31

Weekend events at Kyoto Kagai sim

Good afternoon dear readers and patrons for my blog,
Here is list of events that will take place this weekend (Saturday 17th - Sunday 18th of February). Please feel free to come and bring your family and friends with you:

Saturday 17th: Ozashiki at Hanahusa ochaya
It is with great pleasure to invite you to the springtime ozashiki of Hanahusa ochaya on Saturday 17th of February. Come and celebrate the breathtaking but short lasting beauty of blooming plum trees with the shamisen music and the sound of silk sleeves.
 ❀ Date: 17th of February
 ❀ Time of arrival: 11 am slt
 ❀ Dress code: Semiformal
 ❀ Landmark: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kyoto/225/180/31
P.s. during this event a very special guest my visit our ochaya. Who might that be? come and find out

Sunday 18th: Kyoto museum event
On 18th of February The Museum of Art and Culture of Kyoto Kagai sim will be holding a dance event with geisha apprentices from Hanafusa Okiya. After the dance and poem recital you'll have a rare opportunity to ask them questions about their training. This event is a good time for those who would like to become a regular patron in the future or those who are interested in becoming geisha apprentice.
❀ Date: 18th of February
 ❀ Time of arrival: 7 am slt
 ❀ Dress code: Semiformal
 ❀ Landmark: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kyoto/53/225/31

Looking forward towelcoming you at our events.
Doozo youroshiku otanomoshimasu!

February Kitsuke

Spring is slowly but firmly starts to take over Kyoto Kagai sim. Although there's still some snow the ground, first plum blossoms are starting to peak through the icy harden barks. One by one, all of the Plum trees will soon take over the area with their beautiful and magnificent sweet scent.
Geiko Kikuyu, Maiko Kikutsuru, Maiko Kikumaru, Maiko Kikune of Hanafusa okiya are also preparing for new season (deciding who will wear what during this spring and writing new poems and dances for ozashiki). Young Shikomi Kaori helps to take care of beautiful springtime Hikizuri - she's really a hard worker and also takes additional lessons. Who knows, maybe soon we will be preparing some minarai mochi for a very special event.....

Geiko Kikuyu

Okasan Kikuyu in her February attire

For February Okaasan Kikuyu decided to wear beautiful and very expensive mint geiko hikizuri, with flower motif on it. The hem of the kimono is colored in red which makes okaasan look striking when she dances or even simply walks. This piece is held with silver obi that fits the kimono pefectly. As a finishing touch, Kikuyu san has added a small rose maezashi(small hairpin) to her katsura.

Maiko Kikutsuru

Maiko Kikutsuru in her February atire

Maiko Kikutsuru is not only the oldest maiko in Hanafusa Okiya and the atatori(heiress) but she's also a magnificent person and oneesan(older sister, mentor) a maiko can wish for.
For February she is wearing fabulous blue hikizuri with hand-painted spring flower motif. Her obi different from Kikuyu san's - it is longer(over 7 meters!) and is called darari obi. It has gold woven pattern on it. Her hair is decorated with special kanzashi for older maiko - flowers of plum tree - she has decided hanakanzashi with one white plum blossom and two pink blossoms. Who knows, maybe these will be her last plum blossom kanzashi before she will "turn the collar"...

Maiko Kikumaru

Maiko Kikumaru in her February looks

For February Maiko Kikumaru has decided to wear elaborate light purple silk hikizuri with different seasonal motifs hand-painted - this hikizuri is multi seasonal (it means it can we worn during whole year except mid summer). Her amazing darari obi is has deep green backround and golden embroidery on it.
Her hairstyle is called ofuku(as you remember it is hairstyle of Sr Maiko, same as Kikutsuru san's) and is decorated with senior maiko kanzashi featuring plum blossoms; this is seasonal and is worn only during this month. Kikumaru san's hanakanzashi flowers are all white and give a final touch to the ansamble.

Maiko Kikune

Maiko Kikune in her February attir

Junior Maiko Kikune is wearing light pink hikizuri with sakura and plum blossom flow(hand-painted by talented kimono artist).
Her hairstyle is called Wareshinobu(and is worn only by Junior Maiko and minarai) and it might be one of last months when Kikune chan is wearing it - on next stage of her career she will become senior maiko and will change her hairstyle to Ofuku - hairstyle now worn by Maiko Kikutsuru and Kikumaru. Her darari obi is golden with beautiful pattern.  Fact! Maiko's Darari obi is 7 meters long and needs to be tied specially.

Shikomi Kaori

Shikomi Kaori of Hanafusa okiya

This February Kitsuke post is special as we show our praised shikomi Kaori, who has been working hard in the okiya since autumn of 2017. Not so long ago she has started helping her sisters during ozashiki. For a young shikomi this is great opportunity to watch as well learn, and of course decide if this something she would definitely do in the future. Guests of Kyoto Kagai have possibly met her during several events this year - she helped with greeting new arrivals.
She is now focusing on the final studies before she will be allowed to take an exam, and if she passes, official oneesan will be appointed and the girl will debut as minarai. She will than receive a professional name, that will have part of okiya's name (Hanafusa okiya has "Kiku-" part), part of oneesan's name and part of her own. 

For February, okaasan decided on beautiful light blue houmongi with springtime pattern featured on it (peony, sakura and also several small plum blossoms) for Kaori chan. 

Ozashiki at Ichirikitei (Kyoto Kagai sim)

Dear Guests and Patrons of Kyoto Kagai sim,
It is with great pleasure to invite you to the springtime ozashiki of Ichirikitei ochaya on Saturday 10th of February. Come and celebrate the breathtaking but short lasting beauty of blooming plum trees with the shamisen music and the sound of silk sleeves in one of the most famous tea houses in history. Entertainment provided by Maiko and Geiko from Hanafusa okiya
 ❀ 11 am slt
 ❀ semi-formal dresscode
 ❀ LM: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kyoto/133/182/31

Day off: Visiting Disneyland

Maiko Kikune(blue), Maiko Kikutsuru(orange),
Shikomi Kaori(light purple)

In RL Maiko and Geiko work every day - the study and practice dances/music instruments during day, in the evening they dress up and entertain guests at ozashiki. If there happen to be a free day, they spend it as they choose.

Disneyland and sugar cotton

The same we have in sl  - not only Hanafusa okiya maiko work and study hard, they also enjoy some days of duty all together. This time, three sisters Maiko Kikutsuru, Maiko Kikune and Shikomi Kaori visited Disneyland in Second life. It was so much fun! They went on rides in the Princess land, didn't get cared at the haunted house and many many more. During these days off maiko visit different places in Second life, enjoy different foods and events (of course not adult ones:). This time is also the best time to spend and have fun with your family.

There is a quote i wanted to use regarding this yesterdays event and sisterhood that i whiteness every day in my Okiya: "If you want something to last forever, you treat it differently. You shield it and protect it. You never abuse it. You don’t expose it to the elements. You don’t make it common or ordinary. If it ever becomes tarnished, you lovingly polish it until it gleams like new. It becomes special because you have made it so, and it grows more beautiful and precious as time goes by.”(F. Burton Howard)

Enjoying the ride with sisters

Obake in Hanahusa ochaya

Obake Ozashiki in Hanahusa ohaya

“Obake” is like Japanese Halloween. This custom is now confined mainly to the hanamachi (geisha districts), where maiko but most often geiko go from tea house to tea house and perform a skit while dressed in outrageous costumes (not only as historical figures but even as disney princesses!). One of the rules of Obake is that things are topsy-turvey - old dress as young, men dress and women and vice-versa.
This years obake ozashiki in Hanahusa ochaya gave guests a special opportunity to witness Oiran (represented by Maiko Kikutsuru) and her apprentice (represented by Maiko Kikumaru). Maiko Kikune and shikomi Kaori served guests with drinks and kaiseki cuisine - all to celebrate the first plum blossom of the year.
At the end of the ozashiki Maiko Kikutsuru played a kouta song and Maiko Kikumaru performed a dance "The words are so frightful..." and wished guests lucky and prosperity in the new 2018 year!

Setsubun at Yasaka Jinja in Kyoto Kagai

Members of Hanafusa okiya, greeting guests
after the performance

Setsubun is the day preceding risshun that is the first day of spring according to the old Japanese calendar. On the day of Setsubun, many celebrations are held. Especially in Kyoto Kagai SL. Maiko san and Geiko san of Hanafusa okiya, dressed in their formal attire, danced sacred dances on the stage of the Yasaka Jinja shrine. After the dance, they participated in ancient auspicious custom of throwing roasted soybeans. While throwing they chanted: “In with Fortune! Out with Evil” in order to prevent evil ogres from entering the houses of the guests and patrons of the Kyoto Kagai.

P.S. if you eat the same number of beans as your age you will have a year of good health! Itadakimasu!!

Participants: Okasan Kikuyu, Sr Maiko Kikutsuru, Sr Maiko Kikumaru, Jr Maiko Kikune and shikomi Kaori (it was her first Setsubun, omedetou neechan!)