Japanese Kimono

Posts Tagged ‘geisha’

Question: What are some Japanese things I could ask for Christmas?

Well the thing is I am obsessed with Japan!! I love it and if I could I would marry I love it so much (whoa im being a little dramatic). Anyway I would love to put some Japanese things on my wish lists but I don't where my parents could them from. I would really like a kimono but i don't know where to get one from and I dont want one thats to over the top like with big ribbons coming out from every direction and nothing that will cost them like $1000. I live in Australia just to let you know

And if you dont know what a Kimono is this will refresh your memory

http://www.google.com.au/images?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&biw=1440&bih=717&tbs=isch:1&aq=f&aqi=&oq=&gs_rfai=&q=japanese%20kimono

Answer: LS, I'm guessing the seller uses that term because that particular item is actually a satin bathrobe, not a proper silk kimono.

To the asker: You don't actually have to spend thousands of dollars on kimono or the accessories, though trying to put together a full set can still be quite expensive and it's probably a good idea for you to plan on taking a long time to complete a set, especially if you want something very formal like a furisode. From the sounds of it, though, you might be happier with something a little less formal, like a komon, tsukesage, or houmongi, or even a yukata. If you don't mind second-hand items, I suggest Ichiroya, Yamatoku, Kimono Lily, and Ryu Japan to start. If you want something new check Kimono Market Sakura (for yukata and polyester komon), Jshoppers.com (though they don't always have kimono in stock), and the international section of Rakuten. You can also try things like eBay, Yahoo Japan Auctions, or any similar Australian services, but unless you know enough about kimono to distinguish the good stuff from the junk and to tell when a price is getting unreasonable, I really don't recommend shopping on auction services. Also, for Yahoo Japan Auctions, you will need to go through a service like Celga because YJA sellers rarely ship overseas.

Keep in mind that if you actually plan on wearing your kimono, you will eventually need to get certain accessories as well. Because yukata are very informal, they require the smallest number of accessories. You only need a slip (you can buy special ones for kimono or make do with things like light-weight t-shirts), some ties to hold the yukata shut, hanhaba and/or heko obi, and a pair of geta. For more formal kimono you will also need a juban (make sure the sleeve lengths match), a pair of white tabi, a pair of zori, an obi, obi age, obi jime, obi ita, and obi makura. The zori, obi, obi age, and obi jime must match the kimono in terms of formality. For example, you can't wear a hanhaba obi with anything more formal than a komon. You really shouldn't wear the big shibori obi age with anything but a furisode, because it's too over the top for a other kind of kimono. If you really want to get into the rules of kimono wearing, you might want to read the kitsuke section on Immortal Geisha forums.

Other things you could ask for: folding fans (sensu or maiogi), uchiwa (round, non-folding fans), chopsticks, kanzashi, any anime or magna that interest you, Japanese character toys, cell phone charms, posters or calendars of your favorite Japanese artists, etc. These kinds of things can usually be found on places like Rakuten or Amazon Japan (which does ship overseas, but not all items can be shipped overseas from Amazon Japan so you'll want to be careful if you shop there).

How to Make a Top Street Look from Scratch Episode 3( Japanese Kimono Style) by Zephyr Graham Paris

Question: Can you be like something else you want to be?

My best friend is African American. She also want to be Japanese. She's not a self hater but she just want to live a little differently. Her house is set up like a japanese shrine. and she's also learning japanese. She wears Japanese kimonos and sandals. She wears make up like a Japanese Geisha. Also her hair is like them too. Is she getting overbored?

Answer: overboard? or too bored? Anyway.. she can be whatever she wants.. live any lifestyle she likes.. but chances are she will never be able to close the gap between her African American looks and the appearance of a Japanese geisha. And some people might laugh at her.. But as long as she is happy and not hurting anyone, just smile about it!

Geisha: Japanese kimono girl