Spotlight: The Obi of Sakkō
On The Twelfth Day of Fun I present... another spotlight! Someone actually did an ask about iconic obi, and to me there's no obi more iconic than those worn during the sakkō period. While the sakkō outfits of each kagai may differ, there's one constant that remains the same: stunning obi with golden threads to celebrate the special occasion. Most tend to have white as a base, but others will incorporate other colors like beige, gold, taupe, or some shade close to gold. In other rare occasions you'll even see bold colors such as green or black; there's no strict rules when it comes to sakkō! Gold is the color of wealth and celebrations, so its abundance is auspicious and a wish for much luck in the future. The motifs on the obi tend to be auspicious as well, with karabana (imaginary flowers) being quite popular as they're both beautiful and unique as no two designs are identical. In some cases certain okiya will use the same outfits specifically for their sakkō periods, so we'll see certain obi used just for this period. Sometimes okiya will even use specific obi for specific naming lines if they have more than one under their roof. Other times okiya will choose their finest obi and pair it with their sakkō kimono. The combinations are almost endless and the traditions are unique from one okiya to the next, even within the same district! Image Credits Koeri (小衿) Mamekinu (まめ衣) Katsuki (勝貴) Fukusono (ふく苑) Kanako (叶子) Tomitae (富多愛)
