The Messenger

Former servant of Inari. I help those who cannot help themselves. [Mostly] a Teen Wolf OC blog. Main blog for yukimuraclan and umi-no-koe.

[geimei]

Yesterday, on October 2nd, it was Umechie (Umeno Okiya) final day as a Maiko. She was a Maiko for exactly 6 years and showed great talent, promise and dedication. She is the first Maiko from Umeno to complete her apprenticeship in years. Many people, including me, were devasted once they heard that Umechie was going to retire.

Umechie was Kamishichiken’s most senior and most popular Maiko, and the district suffers a huge loss from her departure. As sad as I am about her leave, I still hope that she finds joy and happiness in her new life. The person who posted this picture stated that she wants to go back to school, and I truly wish her all the best in that. You will be missed Umechie!

Source: Kyoto Insider on Instagram

[geimei]

December 2018: Maiko Umetae (Umeno Okiya) of Kamishichiken at the weekly Geimaiko-event at the Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts.

Source: hide on Instagram

[inefekt69]

Mt Yoshino - Nara, Japan

[tanuki-kimono]

Snowy tree like pattern for this beautiful black ground kimono. The green & gold brocade obi, and the red obijime, really gives this outfit a subdued Christmassy atmosphere (seen on)

[umeno-okiya]

Maiko Umesana of Umeno Okiya in January

(SOURCE)

[missmyloko]

Do you know what kind of silk is used to make maiko kanzashi? Today I went to Kazurasei and I was confused. They have two different materials for different kanzashi, but I don't know how to explain which kinds I mean. Also, most of the kanzashi were cheaper than I expected, could that be because I didn't buy the complete set? An ume maiko kanzashi cost me around 4200 yen, but it was slightly smaller. Still a maiko kanzashi, though. Can you explain a little about this size difference? Thank you!

Addition: Hi, this is the kanzashi anon again. The materials I’m referring to are the one used in the Kazurasei camellia kanzashi you featured in “Forgotten Motifs”, and for comparison, the other is just the average silk kanzashi, such as ume and so. In Kazurasei, the “camellia” material was much more expensive, yet I find the other material more beautiful and always took for granted it was the most expensive one, that’s why I’m curious about the difference!Of course! Overall there’s two different types of silk used for maiko kanzashi:1: Habutae (羽二重) - the “standard” silk that’s can vary in thickness from very thin to the point where it’s semi-transparent or slightly thicker, usually for larger petals. This is the silk used for the vast majority of maiko kanzashi due to its ease in which it can be folded. It’s smooth and presents a crisp look that is synonymous with tsumami kanzashi. These chrysanthemums were made using habutae:

Image courtesy of Kazurasei.2: Chirimen (ちりめん) - the second type that you’re referring to when you spoke of the camellia kanzashi. It is a thicker, textured silk that gives off a very warm and unique look. Chirimen tends to be more vivid when holding colors, so they seem deeper or more bold when compared to those that habutae hold due to their thickness.Their thickness and dyeing process make this type of silk more expensive overall as it costs more to make a thicker silk than it does a thinner one and therefore requires more dye to produce the same color for both types of silk. These cherry blossoms were made using chirimen:    

Image courtesy of Kazuraei.As for the differences, the actual maiko kanzashi are much larger than you’d first assume, at around 10cm/3.5in wide and cost around 12,000 yen each (or more). The one that you purchased are made identically to the larger versions but on a smaller scale and are the same size as the ones that maiko use for maezashi at around 3.5cm/1.5in ^^

[yuri8105]

防府天満宮 / 山口県防府市

[kimomen-snap]

オギノさん

紅型を施したデニム着物に、ベルトの重ね付け。 独自のスタイルを確立されてますね。

羽織りものは、羽裏を加工したもののよう。

実はこの方、以前からSNSで見かけて気になっていたんです。お会いできて個人的に嬉しかった。

撮影 Picow -ピカウ-  山添 憲作

[isakurayou]

[umeno-okiya]

Maiko Umehina with her umbrella

(SOURCE)

[missmyloko]

January 30th, 2019: Another new face has showed up, but this time it’s a geiko! Hidechisa (秀知紗) of Masamiya (雅美家) in Pontocho has officially begun her minarai period and will be making her debut on March 7th. It is unknown at this time as to whether she will be a tachikata or jikata geiko, but it is impressive for Masamiya to debut three new girls within the same year of re-opening! Image is courtesy of Masamiya Okiya.

[vital-information]

I told Miyazaki I love the “gratuitous motion” in his films; instead of every movement being dictated by the story, sometimes people will just sit for a moment, or they will sigh, or look in a running stream, or do something extra, not to advance the story but only to give the sense of time and place and who they are.

“We have a word for that in Japanese,” he said. “It’s called ma. Emptiness. It’s there intentionally.”

Is that like the “pillow words” that separate phrases in Japanese poetry?

“I don’t think it’s like the pillow word.” He clapped his hands three or four times. “The time in between my clapping is ma. If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it’s just busyness, But if you take a moment, then the tension building in the film can grow into a wider dimension. If you just have constant tension at 80 degrees all the time you just get numb.”

Which helps explain why Miyazaki’s films are more absorbing and involving than the frantic cheerful action in a lot of American animation. I asked him to explain that a little more.

“The people who make the movies are scared of silence, so they want to paper and plaster it over,” he said. “They’re worried that the audience will get bored. They might go up and get some popcorn.

But just because it’s 80 percent intense all the time doesn’t mean the kids are going to bless you with their concentration. What really matters is the underlying emotions–that you never let go of those.

— Roger Ebert in conversation with Hiyao Miyazaki

[madamonsieur-silvrene]

I feel like the “ma” is a huge part of what makes his movies so real and relatable.

[cumberfoil]

That train ride right there is one of the scenes that stuck with me over the years.

[junmyk-deactivated20200225]

今回は、今から90年前となる1929年（昭和4年）に撮影された、 京都（一部は鎌倉）を映した貴重な音声付き映像からです。

投稿者さんによると、初期のサウンドカメラで撮影されたそうなのですが、 映像のみならず音声も非常にクリアで、当時の人々の話し声や笑い声、 音楽、そして通りを歩く人々の下駄の音まではっきりと聞き取れます。

以下は動画説明部に記された詳細。

0:07 - 路上市場(4月9日) 3:04 - 東寺にて鳩にエサをあげる子供達 (6月25日) 4:07 - 桜まつり (4月13日) 5:56 - 羽根突きをして遊ぶ着物姿の少女達 (6月27日) 7:10 - 餅の行商 (6月10日) 8:49 - 和楽器の演奏 (4月14日) 10:00 - 神道行事 (4月9日) ※コメ欄には「やすらい祭」との声 13:17 - 宗教儀礼（大仏のパートは鎌倉）

同時代の映像には後から音を足した物も少なくないですが、 この映像には実際の音があり、当時の人々がより身近に、 そして現代と確かな繋がりがあることを改めて感じさせてくれます。

[thekimonogallery]

Kyoto (partly Kamakura), which was taken in 1929 (Showa 4 years) which is 90 years ago from now. According to the poster, it seems that it was filmed with the early sound camera, but not only the image but also the sound is very clear, the talk of people of the time, the laughter, the music, and the sound of the clogs of people walking along the street You can hear clearly. The details described in the video explanation section are as follows. 0:07 - Street market (April 9th) 3: 04 - Children who feed food to pigeons at Tojo (June 25) 4: 07 - Cherry Blossom Festival (April 13) 5: 56 - Playing girls in kimonos (June 27) 7:10 - Mochi’s peddler (June 10) 8:49 - Performing musical instruments (April 14) 10:00 - Shinto events (April 9th) * Voices saying “Yasura Festival” in the rice field 13: 17 - Religious ceremonies (part of the Great Buddha is Kamakura) [google translation]

[moment-japan]

KIMONO

[umeno-okiya]

Shinnen aisatsu mawari of Umeno ladies with Maiko Umehina in the front and Umetae behind her

(SOURCE)

[tofuist]

「木立の女」橋口五葉  Woman in a Tree Grove - Hashiguchi Goyo

[kimonojunko]

Obon in Japan.

お盆迎え。