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Fuyou-hime — Revisited: Spring Flowers
Published: 2010-11-28 00:00:53 +0000 UTC; Views: 5022; Favourites: 103; Downloads: 99
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I was looking through my pictures from my stay in Japan, and I thought I should post some of the images I never used.During Gion Shirakawa Yoizakura, I was able to take as many photographs as I wanted of the maiko Takasuzu and Mamehana amidst the lovely cherry blossoms of Shimbashi Street. Just recently, both Takasuzu and then Mamehana had their Erikae ceremony, in which they turned the collar and became some of the loveliest geiko in Gion Kobu. I'm excited to see how far they go in their careers. You can see Takasuzu's Erikae here [link] and Mamehana's Erikae here [link] .
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Comments: 30
what a beautiful pair of ladies, beautiful clothing, and beautiful scenery.
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Thank you very much, everything really came together perfectly that day 
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Why are they holding their kimonos up like that?
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Maiko and geiko wear their kimono in a style called hikizuri (or sometimes susohiki). This is the style of wearing kimono dragging on the floor. From the early-mid Edo Period to the early 20th century, all Japanese women wore their kimono this way, but as western style buildings and homes became more common women began wearing their kimono in the modern style of folding excess fabric over at the hip. Hikizuri style is the reason women's kimono must be so long as to be folded over at the hip, because originally women's kimono were long enough to drag. Nowadays hikizuri kimono are only seen in costume and on geisha, but when all women wore their kimono this way there were a couple different ways to handle the excess fabric when a woman stepped out. She didn't want her kimono hems to touch the ground, so if she was traveling a long distance she would tie the excess up (similar to how modern kimono are worn). If she was going a short distance, she might tuck the excess into her obijime or just hold it. That's what these maiko are doing, and it's common to see them utilizing some of these methods when they travel outside.
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You take wonderful pictures :'D I'm very glad she became a Geiko though, I would have been devistated if my favourite Maiko just dissapeared like that lol
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Thank you very much. I think everyone would have been devestated if Mamehana decided to retire. I think people would still be devestated if she ended up being one of those geiko that retired after a year. I really, really hope she stays around for a long time. That kind of beauty shouldn't be allowed to disappear.
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(sorry for the late reply)
Oh I agree.. I heard that Mamechiho is retiring in March [I think?] That was a bit of a shock in itself! I just hope that Mamehana doesn't follow in Mamechiho's footsteps.. I would break down if that happened!!
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Yes, it's really unfortunate that Mamechiho's retiring. I wish her luck in all of her endeavors, but still Gion Kobu's just not going to be the same. If Mamehana were also to follow her, that would be really devestating...
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OMG Mamehana has such a perfect face! I just can't stop looking
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Mamehana caught my attention early on because she's so beautiful, she ended up being a perfect model in all of my pictures. It's definitely hard to stop looking at her 
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She really is a beautiful sight for tired eyes
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Maneki neko obi!
Their hiki are both awesome. I do wonder a bit why Takasuzu is wearing zouri instead of the usual okobo. Must have been a slippery day in April perhaps?
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It was a sunny day, but I think okobo are simply an option. Some maiko never wear them, even ones that I think would benefit greatly from them like Mametomi.
I have a couple theories about this. I think it could be a matter of comfort, since zouri probably more cushioned than okobo. Takasuzu was standing for over an hour, and the two had to stop to take a break. So, she might have decided zouri were just more comfortable. Also, okobo and geta will make screeching sounds on certain flooring, so if they're going to an event in a western-style building like a theatre, they'll wear zouri. Check out the photos of Kaomise Soken, you won't find a single pair of okobo. Also, Takasuzu is almost Mamehana's height in this photo, even though the latter is wearing okobo, so it could be Takasuzu feels she's too tall for okobo. I also think that girls who have unusual foot sizes might choose not to wear okobo either (maybe that's why Mametomi doesn't wear them, even though she's in desperate need of height). But these are just theories of mine, and the only ones I've confirmed are the first two.
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I agree on the comfortableness of zouri, I surely prefer them over geta. And the noise too. Plus possible marble flooring in western buildings can also be slippery for okobo. We don't want any maiko with broken feet.
I haven't really noticed Mametomi's feet but since she's tiny, I'm suspecting they're small too. I know their okobo are made for them so Mametomi should have had okobo that fit her, at least in her first year as a maiko. But then again, she might not be comfortable with them.
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I think comfort is the main reason some maiko never wear okobo. Even with the tatami covering, they just aren't as cushioned as zouri. And these girls are wearing close to 40lbs in clothing, so some of them might never get comfortable with the idea of balancing all of that on 10cm high shoes.
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I know, I was really lucky that she was picked as one of the maiko for Gion Shirakawa Yoizakura. Thanks to that, some of the loveliest pictures I took of maiko were of her
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That's wonderful, definitely a great opportunity and that you were there for it!
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I'm always so surprised at how different they look when they turn their collars. All of the combinations. . . they really make a difference!
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I know, it's always such a mystery what sort of geiko a maiko will become. I had no doubt in my mind Mamehana would be stunning, but I was very interested in Takasuzu. My suspicions were correct, she's has a look that's all geiko
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Yeah. She is one of those girls who are all geiko. Her look is very mature.
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