The Miyagawacho Museum Spring Event

 As you remember, on 29th of March, Maiko and Geiko of Hanafusa okiya performed in the Miyagawacho Art and Historical museum. They anwsered questions in regards their training, such as "How hard it is to be a maiko?", "Is it hard to dress up every day in such elaborate kimono?", "Is the training hard?", etc. It was a rare and good oppertunity for those, who wished to become a regular patron in the future or you who was just interested in the culture.
As the time came, the museum was full of visitors and patrons. Than Hanafusa okaasan Kikuyu came up and welcomed the audience. She sat carefully and took her shamisen(3-string japanese traditional guitar) and started preparing her notes. Than three maiko of Hanafusa is beautiful and colorful kimono entered the stage. As everyone was standing on right place, amiko-san gracefully sat on the tatami, placing their maioughi(dancing fans) before them.
"Otano moshimasu" - said three beautiful maiko and bowed to the audience
Than there was a very nice evening entertaining with Kyo mai Gion Kouta and Miyagawa Kouta :)
It was honor to meet new patrons, that also came from ASN. Thank you for your support^^

Photo's by Isoldel-san^^

Miyagawacho Museum event

 29th of March the Hanafusa Maiko will be performing in the Miyagawacho Art and Historical museum. They will be able to anwser your questions in regards their training. This might be a good oppertunity for you who wish to be a regular patron in the future or you who are just interested in the culture to take. a third candidate this will suit is the one of you of wish to train as a Geiko apprentice.

Here's your kiksha: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nadine/109/134/28

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March Kitsuke

Geiko Kikuyu

Okaasan Kikuyu is wearing beautiful and very expensive mint susohiki, with tiny ships motif on it. The ships are like reminders that spring is almost here even still it still can snow. But soon, when the Sakura will start to bloom Winter shall pass away finally. Kikuyu san is also wearing a dark obi to match, which is decorated with gently-painted bird feathers - another reminder that Spring is brought on the wings of the birds. Her hair is decorated with small but very stylish accesories.
Everything in her, from her clothes to her character expresses freshness and beauty of Springtime

Sr Maiko Kikutsuru

Maiko Kikutsuru is not only the oldest maiko in Hanafusa Okiya and the atatori(heiress), she's also a magnificent person and oneesan(older sister, mentor) a maiko can wish for.
For March she is wearing fabulous white hikizuri with hand-painted motif. A work of art! 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 narcissus. Her obijime(small cord on the obi) is holding very expenside obidome(small brooches worn threaded onto the obijime, making a charming decoration on the front of the obi)

Jr Maiko Kikumaru

For Maiko Kikumaru this spring is supposed to be last as next spring she is supposed to become Sr Maiko - she will start wearing more elaborake hikizuri, other kanzashi and she will be wearing ofuku hairstyle as Kikutsuru san is wearing now. Also there shall come bigger responsibility BUT for now she still is Jr Maiko :)
Kikumaru chan is wearing very beutiful yellow silk hikizuri with flowers hand-painter all over - pink cherry and plum blossoms look like dancing around. Her amazing darari obi is decorated with woven flower pattern. Her hair is decorated with nanohana bloosom flowers and small butterflies

Jr Maiko Kikuno

Jr Maiko Kikuno has debuted last year in november, so she still is "new" in the kagai. She has worked as a maiko less than a year so she is painting only her lower lip and is wearing nanohana kanzashi with shidare(long chains of silk flowers). She looks so young and fresh, truly a spring flower.
Hikizuri worn by Maiko Kikuno is wearing a soft yet strong green hikizuri with cherry and plum blossoms on it. Obi is decorated with tsuru(crane) woven ornament, that is supposed ti bring her luck and prosperity :)

Hina Matsuri in Miyagawacho Hanamachi(2015)

Hina-matsuri or Girl’s Day was held on March 4th in Miyagawacho Hanamachi featuring beautiful maiko of Hanafusa Okiya. Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls (hina-ningyō) representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period.
Maiko Kikutsuru was telling guests about this beautiful Japanese custom: "The custom of displaying dolls began during the Heian period. Back then people believed that dolls possessed the power to contain bad spirits.Hina matsuri traces its origins to an ancient Japanese custom called hina-nagashi (lit. “doll floating”), in which straw hina dolls are set a float on a boat and sent down a river to the sea, supposedly taking troubles or bad spirits with them".

Maiko Kikutsuru(left) and Maiko Kikumaru(right). Our Honorable guests are in the middle

While greeting the spring, two flowers met in the garden..

Ozashiki in Hanahusa Ochaya

 Maiko of Hanafusa okiya entertained guests with clever conversation and dance. Traditional seasonal Kyoto kaiseki was served, accompanied with matcha tea and delicious sake. Everyone enjoyed them self and as usual it was hard to bid our farewells
Performers:
Sr Maiko Kikutsuru - pink hikizuri
Jr Maiko Kikumaru - subtle blue hikizuri, who also performed the dance
Jr Maiko Kikuno - dark blue hikizuri

Photos from Fuyu no Odori

Performers:
- Sr Maiko Kikutsuru
- Jr Maiko Kikumaru
Photographer - Samara san

Odori no Fuyu

Sunday 15th of February Two maikos of Hanafusa okiya will be performing a last Winter odori for this Winter. A tragic love story is the centre piece.
Bring your loved once, your family or your friends and come and enjoy a nice evening with Japanese dance.
9 am slt - 10 am slt
Pictures may be taken with Maikos after performances if wished for.
Dress code - as you would go to the theater in ^^

Obake Ozashiki in Hanahusa ochaya

“Obake” is like Japanese Halloween. This custom is now confined mainly to the geisha districts, where geisha go from tea house to tea house and perform a skit while dressed in outrageous costumes. 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 Miyagawacho was themed with a magic story about a kitsune and old but wise lady^
Shamisen - Geiko Kikuyu

Old Lady - Maiko Kikutsuru

Kitsune - Maiko Kikumaru

Happy Birthday Kikutsuru san^_^

Today it's birthday of Kikutsuru san, senior maiko and the atatori of Hanafusa okiya :)

Ozashiki memories

Today we had very nice private ozashiki at Hanahusa ochaya where I, Maiko Kikumaru, and my oneesan, Maiko Kikutsuru entertained guests with polite conversations, togather with delicious matcha with kyoto kaiseki. In the end of ozashiki Sr Maiko Kikutsuru danced a beautiful dance ^^

* Ozashiki(or ochaya asobi). Zashiki is a traditional, formal Japanese room, asobi means pleasure or play, and an ochaya is a teahouse where maiko and geiko work. Such entertainment includes traditional dances, games and cultural conversation. Also best Kyoto food(kaiseki) is provided.

  

First ozashiki of the year!

First ozashiki of the year are always very special as if everything during it goes good, all other ozashiki of the year will same good. As i could see, this ozashiki went just wonderful, so Hanahusa ochaya is supposed to have very prosperous ozashiki in 2015

January Kitsuke

"Although its cold and icy January, Maiko and Geiko of Hanafusa okiya continue to bring spring warmth to hearts of citizens and guests in Miyagawacho Hanamachi"

Geiko Kikuyu

  

Geiko Kikuyu is wearing marvelous black susohiki with golden maioughi and bamboo grass motif on it. The eri(collar) is white, and is the symbol of pureness, femininity and maturity.
Her obi fits well to her hikizuri as it has golden woven geometrical pattern on it.
Her katsura(wig) is decorated with a special hair pin, with un-husked rice ears and a little eyeless white dove. This is very special new year hairpin -  maiko or geiko fill in one eye and ask guest/very special person they like to draw the other for good luck in the coming year^_^

Maiko Kikutsuru

 

Senior Maiko Kikutsuru's pink hikizuri is for us like a reminder that winter will soon leave the realm when a first  ume flower starts to bloom. Her eri is white with woven seasonal pattern BUT it has rad gasp on the back.
Her darari obi is about 7 meters long! and decorated with carefully painted flowers on the dark background.
Hairstyle of Maiko Kikutsuru is called Ofuku(special hairstyle that maiko start wearing after they become senior) and is decorated with special January kazashi.
On her feet she has special footwear called okobo, that is worn only by maiko. Now, the straps on the okobo, called hanao, are very specific in color - every time sr maiko attends next step of her career, she has to wear different one, while jr maiko wear only red colored straps.

Maiko Kikumaru 

  

Jr Maiko Kikumaru is wearing a beautiful hikizuri with a crane motif on beige background. As i said before, crane in Japanese culture is said to bring luck and prosperity, and is a popular motif on kimono. As you can see, her hikizuri has more elements than her oneesan, Maiko Kikutsuru, has. It is another way to notice that Maiko Kikumaru is younger. Her eri is also different - some white droppings of woven flowers on the red background symbolizes that she's still a "baby".
The darari obi has golden woven winter pattern. It goes really nice with the hikizuri!
Her hairstyle is called Wareshinobu and is decorated with special seasonal kanzashi.
Kago is red, with Maiko Kikumaru's name sewn on it. This special kago was given as a present on the day of her Misedashi.
As Maiko Kikutsuru, Maiko Kikumaru is wearing high okobo but with red stripes.

Maiko Kikuno

   

Jr Maiko Kikuno is still very young so her blue hikizuri has richly painted flowers on it. Blue is also a color which represents not only purity and cleanliness in traditional Japanese culture, but also represents calmness and stability. This color is said to be very feminine. Her eri is decorated with woven cranes on the red background. The obijime(traditional little rope on the obi) is holding a beautiful pochirri(special kimono brouch).
The darari obi of this young maiko has a dyed crane pattern on the golden background and it makes a nice contrast with the hikizuri.
As she is still Jr Maiko, her hairtyle is Wareshinobu - same as her neesan's Maiko Kikumaru's. The kanzashi are seasonal.
You may wonder why Maiko Kikuno has only one lip painted while Maiko Kikumaru and Maiko Kikutsuru have both? Well, this is a special tradition that maiko that works less than a year paints only one lip. Its the symbol that is still a "baby".

Shigyoshiki

Here's you riksha: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nadine/121/126/28