Marumage hairstyle by Kisetsu is now available!

Great news from kisetsu - high-quality Marumage hairstyle only for you!

The marumage hairstyle was commonly worn by married women all around Japan, where it was a popular trend during the Edo period but not so much in recent times so may be more difficult to spot. However, some women still wear their hair in this style especially in formal events such as weddings

In Japan there is even a festival named after this special hairstyle. The Marumage Festival originates from the story of geiko (geisha) who went to Senju-ji Temple to pray for a happy marriage with their hair styled in marumage style. Every year on April 17th, a parade of unmarried women in colorful kimono wends its way along the streets led by girls wearing flower-hats. (These days, anyone can sign up to join the parade.)

Kisetsu Marumage Hair is sold with a discounted price during The Wanderlust Weekend sale (May 29-30th). You can get a full fatpack for only $50L! Remember that this price is limited!

Your taxi to the shop: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ashcan%20Consortia/103/161/18

Shikomi Kyoko and SHikomi Harumi were spotted at the Haru no Miygabi performance!

Apart from performers (Geiko Kikumaru, Maiko Kikune and Kikushino) and support squad from Kyoto Kagai sim (Okaasan Toshiha of Komayaka okiy and Geiko Kikutsuru of Hanafusa okiya), 2 new members of Hanafusa okiya were spotted - Shikomi Kyoko and Shikomi Harumi. It is a rare sight, as shikomi san spend most of the time studying, doing chores and assisting their older sisters in the okiya. But sometimes, during big events you can see them accompanying their neesans 

from left to right:
Geiko Kikumaru, Shikomi Harumi, Shikomi Kyoko, Maiko Kikune and Maiko Kikushino

Thank you! (Haru no Miyabi 2021 poster at Theater On The Hill)

 Dear visitors, family and friends, 

it is our distinct pleasure thank you for visiting Haru no Miyabi performance, directed by Geiko Kikumaru, and the production has been put together with the skill, and stories of my sisters Geiko Kikumaru, Maiko Kikune and Kikushino. Were are honored to  to perform for you. And all of us from Kyoto Kagai are humbled to be present in your company. 

I wish to also thank the Hill top Theater staff, directors and Shenandoah Docherty  for allowing us to perform as well as support ^_^

From left to right: Geiko Kikumaru(light blue), Maiko Kikune(gradient) and Maiko Kikushino(white)

Maiko Kikuyae

    ♥.══════════════════════════

     Watashi no namae wa Kikuyae desu

I am maiko in Hanafusa okiya of Kyoto Kagai sim (Second life)

        ════════════════════════ .♥

Kyoko was born in a small mountain village called Shiragawago in the Gifu prefecture of Japan. Her parents were workers in a nearby company, where they met each other. They were often out for work, so Kyoko had to take care for her three smaller siblings herself for a lot of the time. But even during that time, Kyoko didn’t lose that one interest she had all her life. One of her earliest encounters with these skills was at her aunt’s home, where she had seen a TV broadcast of geikos dancing. Their beauty and grace immediately fascinated the little girl and the images didn’t leave her mind since then. It was shortly after her 15th birthday, that Kyoko decided to leave school and instead to apply at an Okiya in Kyoto; to make her dream come true and learn about the traditional arts. After a long good-bye, she traveled to the big city and finally applied there at Hanafusa Okiya, where she was allowed to begin her training as a Shikomi. The long way of becoming a Maiko has begun...

Haru no Miyabi coming soon!

It is a pleasure of mine to invite you to the 2021 Haru no Miyabi performance. 

春の雅 Haru no Miyabi in English means Spring Elegance therefore this years theme is centered around the Spring in Japan, each part artistically created and written by the Geiko and Maiko of Hanafusa Okiya*. I hope that you will enjoy this years performance with us.

* Geiko ("Art's child") are traditional Japanese artist and Maiko ("dance child") are trainees. Both in Rl and in Sl there are women who learn the traditional Japanese arts such as music, dance, poetry, hospitality etc. Hanafusa okiya is a boarding school for such women, established in 2012 located at Kyoto Kagai sim.

 

🌸 Date&Time: May 29th 12 pm slt

🌸 LM: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/TheaterOn%20The%20Hill/193/162/37

We are looking forward to welcoming you at the Theater on The Hill. Please stay safe, wash hands and be cautious about the virus

🌸   Let's welcome the Spring together   🌸

May Kitsuke

The odori and sakura season is now officially over and the Karyukai returns to it's normal life. Maiko san and Geiko san start taking their lessons again and also more ozashiki are taking place on the Kyoto Kagai sim as well. Please enjoy reading my post about the May kitsuke of Hanafusa okiya Geikos and Maikos

Geiko Kikutsuru's semiformal outfit  for May features water flows and summer flowers on the light blue background. This kimono can be worn from beginning of May right up until September.

It is tied with exquisite silk obi that goes well with hikizuri. The design on the obi features the iconic summer sight - the lit up paper lanterns of the Gion Matsuri Festival. As all Geiko wear wigs, that resemble a style worn by married women during Edo, the decorations and accessories are also limited - maezashi at the front, a comb and seasonal tama at the back

Geiko Kikumaru's May semiformal attire consists of light blue kimono with golden clouds and colorful botan (peonies) and a golden woven obi that goes perfect with the kimono. Classically, botan is associated with summer (especially early summer) as that is when the flowers bloom naturally but there are some types that bloom in Autumn and even Winer. As all geiko in Kyoto she is wearing a wig styled in Geisha Shimada style. It also needs to be appropriately decorated - Kikumaru san has chosen a elegant wooden comb and a small pink peony maezashi pin. 

In May you can see Maiko Kikune wearing subtle hikizuri, that gradates from light yellow at the top to light purple at the bottom. This piece features chou(butterflies), sakura as well as spring grasses. Obi is made in Hakata style and fits the kimono perfectly. As a Senior Maiko, she is wearing triple hanakanzashi with march seasonal flower appropriate for senior maiko - Ayame (iris).

Maiko Kikushino is wearing white hikizuri with fuji(wisteria) design. This common flower motif symbolizes longevity, peace and harmony therefore you can spot it on the bridal kimono. Wisteria plants are known to have very long lifespans, one of the oldest wisteria trees in Japan is 144 years old! The light purple color of the wisteria goes perfectly with the vibrant fuji kanzashi in her Wareshinobu hairstyle. The obi is black, decorated with red and golden thread, and has geometrical motif on it and holds the kimono close.

Miyagawa Ondo KYO ODORI Performance

 During the month of April, the kagai (geisha district) of Miyagawacho in Kyoto puts on the "Kyo Odori" every year. The grand finale of their odori is their famous Miyagawa Ondo dance.

Zashiki-gi created as its first dance this famous piece. It was performed by the geiko and maiko of Hanafusa Okiya and Komayaka Okiya on the Kyoto Kagai sim.

If you missed the performance in world, we can share it with you here!

Please tell us what you think!

Dance, outfits of the geiko and hair created by Zashiki-gi. Stage created by Hanafusa Okiya. ♥

Okiya News! New member of Hanafusa okiya - Shikomi Kyoko

Kyoko was born in a small mountain village called Shiragawago in the Gifu prefecture of Japan. Her parents were workers in a nearby company, where they met each other. They were often out for work, so Kyoko had to take care for her three smaller siblings herself for a lot of the time. In this way, she already learned quite early to stand on her own feet, although still being quite young… and still having to attend school. But even during that time, Kyoko didn’t lose that one interest she had all her life. As far as she remembered, she was always in love with the traditional japanese arts like: dances, music or caligraphy.

One of her earliest encounters with these skills was at her aunt’s home, where she had seen a TV broadcast of geikos dancing. Their beauty and grace immediately fascinated the little girl and the images didn’t leave her mind since then. Sometimes they were not that important, as when she was caring for her siblings… but they never really left. And her family knew, that one day, little Kyoko would leave the village for her dream. It was shortly after her 15th birthday, that Kyoko decided to leave school and instead to apply at an Okiya in Kyoto; to make her dream come true and learn about the traditional arts. After a long good-bye, she traveled to the big city and finally applied there at Hanafusa Okiya, where she was allowed to begin her training as a Shikomi. The long way of becoming a Maiko has begun... but Kyoko was sure that she would fully go there.

Kyo Odori 2021 at Kyoto Kagai sim

This year was also extremely special for Kyoto Kagai sim and Kyo Odori because the new okiya took part in the production process. The name of the okiya is Komayaka and it's representatives at Kyo odori were 2 Geiko - Okaasan geiko Toshiha (head of the okiya) and Geiko Mieha. 

For those who do not know, every Hanamachi (geiko district) in Kyoto has several main annual dance performances - one takes place in spring and one in autumn. Most famous of all is possibly the Miyako odori, performed by Maiko and Geiko from Gion Kobu Hanamachi but I insist that every odori of any hanamachi is worth witnessing!

In SL, Miyagawacho Hanamachi of Kyoto Kagai sim continues the RL tradition by holding two annual public odori (apart from other smaller odori): Kyo odori in April and Mizuekai in October. To bring You a 1.5 hour performance takes several months of preparations and rehearsals - everything to provide the audience with the highest level of hospitality. Every move of the fan, every poem, every story - all this comes sincerely from the hearts of the performers and we hope that all our guest get to feel it.

Now, lets have a closer look at this years Kyo odori (every year the theme and acts change so previous odori and the odori that will come in future years will be different):

Peformers: Geiko Toshiha (Komayaka okiya), Geiko Kikutsuru (Hanafusa okiya), Geiko Kikumaru (Hanafusa okiya), Geiko Mieha (Komayaka okiya), Maiko Kikune (Hanafusa okiya), Maiko Kikushino (Hanafusa okiya).

Tea ceremony

Tea ceremony is part of Kyo odori and is performed for guests and patrons before the performance. This year the role of otemae or the person who was preparing tea and utensils belonged to Maiko Kikune. 

The role of ohikae, assistant at the tea ceremony who helps serve tea and sweets, was performed by maiko from Hanafusa okiya - Maiko Kikushino.

After tea ceremony finished, guests were welcomed into the performance hall.

Act 1 : "Maiko no Sakura sama"

Maiko san gathering in front of the large sakura at Maruyama park, greeting Spring welcome

🌸 Written and Choreographed by Geiko Kikumaru

Act 2: "Haru no Hi"

With fans of silver and red they enter the stage wearing their most formal outfits, putting words to what makes Spring special to them

🌸Poems written by all Hanafusa okiya Geiko and Maiko, choreographed by Maiko Kikune

Act 3 and Act 4: "Saigyo and the Cherry tree"

A kabuki play that tells a story  about Saigyo (famous Japanese poet of the Late Heian period) and a mystical event that once happened to him during Springtime

🌸 Written and choreographed by Maiko Kikushino

Act 5: "Oneesan wa Kyoto"

"Being a Geiko is already a great responsibility, but what happens when a Geiko also becomes an oneesan ("older sister", mentor) ?..."

🌸 Written and choreographed by Geiko Kikumaru

Act 6: "Miyagawa ondo"

Miyagawa ondo, the traditional ending of Kyo odori, Geiko and Maiko in their bright spring costumes welcome Spring in front of the Miyagawacho Kaburenjo theater. This year the dance was created from scratch by Geiko Toshiha and also performed for the first time!

🌸Created and Choreographed by Geiko Toshiha

Heian Reitaisai Hono Buyo 2021

In the beginning on April, Geiko san and Maiko san from Hanafusa okiya performed during the Heian Reitaisai Hono Buyo festival. These annual dances are performed on special platform at Yasaka Jinja shrine and dedicated to the arrival of the spring. This year's performers were: Geiko Kikutsuru, Geiko Kikumaru, Maiko Kikune and Maiko Kikushino.