Mid-August in Kyoto Kagai...Geiko and Maiko from Hanafusa okiya are enjoying a beautiful walk around the decorated Tanabata area (close to Yasaka Jinja) in their semiformal garments and this means the time has come for our monthly kitsuke post!
Geiko Kikutsuru
Geiko Kikutsuru's semiformal ro kimono for August is simple and refined - it features dragonflies on a delicate beige background.
Black obi, with Kikyou (bell-flower) flower design, holds the kimono close. This flower is used in summer kimono and obi designs and patterns right up until end of September. The obi is tied in Taiko Musubi knot
Her Juban (underskirt) has is light pink and almost transparent design.
Her katsura (wig) is decorated with small maezashi hairpin, kushi made from light wood and jade tama at the back.
Geiko have bigger choice in footwear than maiko - they can choose between several types of geta or comfortable zori, when weather is rainy/the area where they will be requires them to wear footwear. For August Kikutsuru san decided to wear Senryoo geta.
Maiko Kikumaru
Geiko Kikumaru's August semi-formal attire consists of gorgeous navy blue ro kimono and delicate golden obi. Her kimono features golden waves. "Ro" is a type of thin waved fabric used for natsumono (summer kimono) and you can easily distinguish it from others by its translucent stripes. This very classy way to weave silk is most popular and even be used for formal scenarios.
It is tied with red woven Hakata obi. The origins of Hakata-ori textiles can be traced back around 800 years to 1235, when a monk and a young merchant from Hakata, who had travelled to Song China, brought back weaving techniques they had learned there.
It is tied with red woven Hakata obi. The origins of Hakata-ori textiles can be traced back around 800 years to 1235, when a monk and a young merchant from Hakata, who had travelled to Song China, brought back weaving techniques they had learned there.
Her hair is decorated with decorative hairpin, that resembles a firework over a stream. Both stream and fireworks are considered distinctive summer designs. Whilst stream and water have cooling effect on a viewer, fireworks are part of the hanabi and other summer festivals.
Maiko Kikune
Senior Maiko Kikune has chosen subtle purple ro hikizuri for August. You need to look closely to admire the intricate flowery design that goes all over the kimono.
It is tied with black darari 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.
Obiage is tucked into the obi - it is custom in Miyagwacho for their Maiko to start tucking obiage right after becoming Senior. It is different in other Hanamachi, for example in Gion Kobu Maiko start tying obiage when they preparing for erikae.
Her hair is styled in Ofuku - Senior Maiko hairstyle and decorated with seasonal Asagao (morning glory) hanakanzashi, kushi (comb), smaller asagao maezashi, bira bira kanzashi at the front as well as hirauchi and jade tama at the back of the hair.
Maiko Kikushino
22nd of August Maiko Kikushino became Senior Maiko. If you want to read a post about the transition from Junior to Senior Maiko, please
Until she officially became senior, Maiko Kikushino wore dark purple hikizuri with a pond and lilies growing in it. It is a pity that this masterpiece can only be worn in summer! The obi is simpler yet is also worth attention - it is ro with blue hydrangea flowers and hexagonal pattern. In her hands she is holding special kago bag that she firstly used during her misedashi - it has her professional name, known as geomyo in kanji embroidered with silver threads onto the silk of the kago.
Wareshinobu is the hairstyle Maiko Kikushino wore right until 22nd of August, and the kanzashi are seasonal, representing pampas grass or Susuki.
Minarai Kikuyae
Minarai Kikuyae, who is the youngest member of Hanafusa okiya, is wearing beautiful bright blue minarai kimono with hand-painted goldfish and water circles design. If we compare maiko's hikizuri to kimono worn by minarai we will notice that the minarai's kimono has shorten sleeves and has no trailing hem. It is tied with white han darari obi. This obi is shorter than normal Darari obi worn by Maiko ("Han" means half) and it features famous paper lanterns of Gion Matsuri festival but during the day.
Another distinctive minarai accessory is miniature, half size kago.
Miyawagacho Minarai, both in SL and RL, wear minarai kimono, han darari obi and small kago for several days, up to a week and then they switch to regular junior maiko attire.
Her hair is styled in Wareshinobu - hairstyle worn by Junior Maiko and Minarai, and is crowned with silver color flower which actually is pampass grass designed in as if it is a flower. It is another seasonal motif for kanzashi apart from Asagao, that is worn mostly by Senior maiko. At the back she is wearing Kanakodome and Tachibana pin - these are distinctive details that can tell that it is a Junior member of Kagai :)
