"Family Reunion" / 「家族会」

It will soon be a year since the earthquake disaster last year.  Time flies.  For a few days right after that day, some friends of mine came over to our flat to stay, as she was afraid of being alone at her apartment and experiencing the frequent aftershocks.  Four of us in total, got together at our place to make Japanese curry rice.  It was just like an offsite retreat commonly held at the beginning of a school year.  Yes, being together gives us comfort and encouragement. 
Today, four of us again decided to get together to celebrate that we have been well and safe over the past year. 

早いものであの大震災からもうすぐ一年。あの日の直後数日間、一人暮らしで自宅待機がこわい友人たちがうちのマンションに集まっていた。４人で合宿みたいにカレーライスを作った。そう、一緒にいれば安心だし、励まされた。
今日３月３日は、この「家族会」で再会することにした。１年の健康と無事を喜ぼう。

Wearing the new haori made at Kasoyo / 花想容さんの新しい羽織を着て

着物：木綿、よきもの倶楽部

名古屋帯：紬、緑蔦柄

（However I wore a winter kimono coat to the gathering.  It was too cold at night! /

家族会には寒かったのでまだ冬コートを着ました。）

Joy of wearing kimono / 着物の悦び

My recent reading report.  "Joy of Wearing Kimono [Kimono no Yorokobi]" by Mariko Hayashi. 
林真理子著「着物の悦び　きもの七転び八起き」に感激。

I was impressed by the author's kimono teacher, Mizushima sensei.  In every group of people who are known as "kimono experts" (kimono wearing kitsuke teachers, tea ceremony teachers, or ordinary elder Japanese ladies who daily wear kimono), there are quite a few who love criticize how younger generation wear kimono.  When encountering young girls in kimono on the street, those elder ladies either flock together to criticize their fashion or even approach those young ladies to correct their obi or kimono or coordinate, etc.  However, Mizushima sensei was different.  She knew both the importance of appropriately wearing kimono and the significance of developing in a positive way her kimono students.  Mizushima sensei, even when she saw the auther's obi was flipped up after coming back from the ladies' room, stopped another kimono teacher to correct it in public.  Mizushima sensei chose not to embarrase the augher in front of other people, but let the auther know when there was nobody else around.  In a community where tradition and formality are valued rigidly, this caring heart of Mizushima sensi is something worth of a high praise.  If more young ladies had met a teacher like her, more young generation would have been interested in kimono life. 
感激したのは著者の着付け教師、水島先生の話。着物の世界にはどこへ行っても、お直しおばさん、ないしは批評おばさんというのがいる。若い人が着物を着ているのを街角で見かけると、仲間のおばさんと集まって批判をするか、もっと強烈な方々はその若い人に近づいて着付けを直したりする。しかし、水島先生は違った。著者が化粧室帰りに帯の「て」がせりあがっていたのを見て、別の着付け教師が人前で直そうとするのを制し、「林さんが恥をかきます」と言ったとのこと。伝統やしきたりを重んじるきものの世界で、かくもすばらしき心づかいである。こんな先生にもっと多くの若い世代が出会えていたら、さぞやもっと多くの若者が着物を愛したことだろうと、惜しまれてならない。

New kimono completed! / 完成！

The new kimono and haori jacket are now ready.  My husband and I hurriedly went to pick them up at Kasoyo. 
Also, we invited our kimono friend to introduce Kasoyo to her.  Hope she will like the shop... 
誂えた小紋と羽織ができたとの知らせを受けて、さっそく花想容さんに赴いた。今回は着物友達を紹介するためにお連れすることに。

Lunch at Brasserie La・mujica.  I ordered the most dangerous dish to my kimono...  What if the soup drops onto the kimono..., it will be a disaster...
Surprisingly, it turned out that she was also listening to NHK Korean language lesson program, just as I did before our Seoul trip in November.  We sang the beginning song of the program together until the lunch was served.  Korean culture is really prevailing in Japan. 
目白のブラッセリ―・ラ・ムジカさんでランチ。着物を着ている時に最も頼んではいけない類のメインを頼む。汚したらきっと大惨事。
驚くべきことに、着物友達Ｋ子嬢もＮＨＫラジオの韓国語講座を聞いていることが発覚。番組オープニングのテーマ曲を食事が出されるまで一緒に大合唱した。昨今の韓国カルチャーの浸透度はやっぱりすごい。

Other customers were also wearing kimono.  Many gathered in kimono to greet okami-san, as it is her last day at the shop. 

たくさんのお客さんが着物で来店。女将のＮさんの最終出勤日ということでした。

My friend got extremely excited about all sorts of kimono textiles.  (Especially the white obi in the back middle (see the previous photo). 

Ｋ子嬢、かなり店内の商品に夢中のご様子.ここまで気に入っていただけるとはうれしいかぎり.特に後ろの白い帯に惚れ込んだみたいでしたね.

And finally, my new kimono and haori jacket are now with me! 

そして、ついに、小紋と羽織の受け取り！

Tailor-made zori (shoes) / 誂え草履

2012, the year of the dragon which my birth year belongs to.  I decided to challenge something new again.  Ichiwaki, hand-made zouri (shoes) maker, will come to Kasoyo for a few-days' campaign to sell his zouri on a special discount.  He will make and adjus the size of zouri on the spot by measuring each customer's foot size with his own hands. 

年女の今年、勢いは止まらない。京都は一脇さんという草履職人さんが花想容に来店されるとのこと。すげてもらう草履なんて買ったことがない。散財だが今年は何でもトライしてみることにした。

Choosing one pair out of several candidate pairs...  finally decided on the middle light pink ones, helped by adivice from other customers standing behind. 

いくつかの候補からどれを買うか思案中。後ろから他のお客さんの「天の声」もあり、結局中央の淡いピンクグレーのものに決定。

After this, we went out with Kasoyo staff, other customers, and Waki-san for a new year party.  Everyone was overwhelmed by Waki-san's drunken jokes and endless talk... 

この後は近所で花想容のみなさんや他のお客さん、そして脇さんと新年会へ。酔っぱらっておやじギャグ連発の脇さんに一同たじたじ。

My first order-made juban / 襦袢初誂え

My first tailor-made juban is finally delivered.  One of my kitsuke teachers once told me that polyester juban ('silook') is very convenient, and it really looks like real silk.  It can be machine washed and dried easily.  Hope that this new juban makes my kimono life easier. 
初めてシルックの襦袢を作ってみた。以前着付けの先生の一人が、シルックの襦袢は見た目も正絹とほとんど同じでお手入れが楽、家で洗濯もできてしまうし虫も食わないと言っていた。これからの着物ライフを少し楽にしてくれるかもしれない。

Finally... new kimono & haori / ついに、小紋と羽織、初めてのお仕立て

My husband graciously decided to buy a new kimono for my birthday present.  To be in time for my birthday in February, we placed the order today at Kasoyo.  I also ordered a new haori jacket, too. 
I was born in a year of dragon, which also turns around in year 2012, I want to keep up momentum in enjoying kimono. 
主人が2月の誕生日にと、花想容さんで小紋を誂えてくれることになった。夫殿、感謝でございます。
自前で羽織も注文。来年は年女、着物も勢いを増したい。

Remaking kimono into haori jacket / 小紋を羽織へ

My favorite red plum-pattern kimono has long been sleeping in the closet, without being worn for years.  The reason was because the color was too bright for my current age, although I do love the color and pattern.  It is generally understood that bright red kimonos are usually for ladies in twenties or even younger.  It is sad that I can no longer wear my farorite red color, but there is always a dress code to follow when wearing kimono. 
This problem has long been botheing me, but I was advised by my kimono-sewing teacher that I should ask kimono shop to dye it into different color.  So I finally decided to consult with Kasoyo-san, my favorite shop. 
However, Kasoyo-san suggested me to re-make this kimono into haori jacket, rather than changing the color.  I was surprised to know that the pattern of the kimono is so well-done and the textile itself is of a very good quality (although I bought it very cheap at a second-hand shop many years ago), because of which it is a better idea to change its shape into a jacket, rather than changing the color and spoiling the current beautiful contrast of bright red and many plum branches.  Also, jackets can be of a fancier color for ladies above 30 years old, as the shop owner advised.  As a result, it was decided that my fancy color kimono transform into a nice red haori jacket.  It will be delivered in mid-February.  I'm really looking forward to it.