Kimono and tea

Kimono is always such a joy for me. This time I was lucky enough to borrow the skills of 2 professional kimono dressers, and borrow a beautiful kimono and obi. While I tried to put it on myself, someone's hands were usually in the way, But they did a wonderful job on the obi, I've always loved bunko, but havnt really been able to ever do a good job. I learnt some great tricks from them, a big thankyou.

Now we weren't just in kimono for no reason. I was given my first chance to participate in tea ceremony. Our host, is a student of the Urenasuke school of tea. And I was surprised to find the ceremony quite different to what I had imagined, we chatted throughout the whole thing, and each step was explained to me, it was increadably interesting and fun, though my legs stung a bit from the seizure (practice!) The lady sitting next to me in the yellow kimono is the wonderful daughter of one of the lions members, she took the time to translate for me on several occasions during the last few weeks. I owe her a lot, thank you so much!

The day was fantastic fun, lots of beautiful kimono, a special drop in was the man in the hat, who was hilarious and seriously cool.  

Thank you so much everyone for making this such a great day

2nd jan 2014

On the 2nd, my okaasan asked one of her friends, who is a pro if she could dress me in furisode. Since this year is my 20th year I would be celebrating Seijin no hi soon. And furisode is the most common wear for women. The kimono is my host fathers sisters, and beautiful.  The day though was to participate in a Shinto "excorism" as we translated it for one of the lions members transport companies. I was asked to physically participate, by giving an offering of a sacred branch and praying at the small shrine. I have to say it was fascinating!
After we visited another 2 shrines, where I again rang the gong, this time the wind was strong so my sleeves went mental :D

 I did my own hair, surprisingly easy when you know how :D

Day before new years

Sorry a bit out of order.
A few days before New Years, we made o mochi, rice cakes in English.
Usually this means some people with large wooden mallets beating the poop out of some rice until it turns all  sticky and gelatinous.  But my family has a special blender for it, so no arm killing involved, just rice beating : once it cooked twice D
It was quite fascinating to watch, the left over Mochiron, so made into a square pancake about 2cm high and later cut into small squares and roasted where it puffs like pop corn.

New Years in japan

Australia is a country where New Years is just the end of one year and the beginning of the next, if your not in a big city, or staying up in front of the tv to whatch the midnight fireworks, or have a barebq with friends, then your probably not worried, most years I don't do much more than whatch the Sydney fireworks on TV then go to bed.

Japan is another matter. They have a long history of  Buddhism and Shinto tradition, where often people will count down to New Years at a Temple, listening to the toll of the bell and taiko drums vibrating through there feet. I was very lucky in that the head priest spoke some English. And took me to the deity statue and explained its significance and meaning, the  Statue is over 800 years old, something I am not used to coming from Australia, where all our old monuments of the Aboriginals that I know of are Natural, ie, Uluru.
For those of age, there was a barrel of sake, and those not water and food. Everyone was happy and freindly.

We got home maybe at 1:30 that morning and arose for 9:00 to head to Tsukuba San  whitch instead of cable car, this time we climbed, my legs went to jelly after woulda and thankfully I was able to take the cable car back to the car park. I really have to say lots of fun.