Tuesday, Dec. 9

We had the morning free so I spent some time checking emails and catching up on sleep. Meanwhile the rest of our group visited the birthplace of Nintendo (since we weren't allowed inside). Then later on in the afternoon we all met up at the train station to set off for the activity (my favorite) of the day: kimono wearing!

I was so excited that we would get to learn how to dress in traditional kimonos. Ever since I saw the movie Memoirs of a Geisha I've been interested in the history of eastern cultures. I was especially drawn to the artistic nature of geisha culture and the skills and trades that are part of their lifestyle. To be able to witness and take part in the art of kimono wearing was a dream come true for me.

We arrived at Kyoto Cultural Center close to Ginkakuji for our lesson. We were surprised that the business was inside a neighborhood house (similar to what we encountered on the way to our Taiko lesson). Once inside we took off our shoes and then the girls were ushered upstairs while the guys waited on the lower level.

Upstairs we were greeted by some older ladies who then shut the door and told us to start undressing. It was a little unsettling at first but the women were very quick about getting the layers underneath of our kimono on, so we didn't have to stand around in our underwear! The under-layers consisted of a skirt and top made of thinner cloth. We also took off our socks and replaced them with some soft ninja-turtle looking slip ons, which were super comfortable.

Next the women took a tie and wound it around our waist to keep the layers in place. Then we picked out the material for the main part of the kimono. I chose a deep red cloth with flowers. The lady dressing me helped me put it on and then gave me a piece of cardboard to hold on my stomach. Finally she picked a contrasting cloth, called an obi, to wrap around my waist and keep the kimono in place. It was tied in a large bow at the back.

After we finished getting dressed we came downstairs to show the guys what they were in for. Since there were so many people in our group the guys had to alternate to use the dressing rooms. Meanwhile we (the girls) started our dance lesson.

There was a separate room that looked like a studio on the first floor. This is where we started learning a traditional Japanese dance called Nihon Buyo. We were given fans and taught how to properly open and close them. We were also taught how to walk, sit down, and stand back up gracefully (which was probably the most difficult). After we had the basics down the teacher began showing us the key movements of the dance.

I think this part was the most fun because each position seemed to have a relation to Japanese culture. There was a move where we had to bring our arm all the way inside the sleeve of the kimono and turn away, looking shy. Another motion consisted of simply turning our head to the left, right, and then look towards the moon. We also took our fans and moved it back and forth towards the ground, in a waterfall motion, which the teacher explained was simulating cherry blossoms.

The first group of guys finally came down and began to learn the dance. When everyone got a chance to go through the lesson the girls joined the guys for a last performance. By now however, most of us had forgotten the moves! Nevertheless we pulled it off well and had an awesome time.
Now it was time for the teacher to perform more complicated songs for us. She completed two dances with her colleague explaining the stories behind them. I enjoyed watching her performances as she embodied such gracefulness while the traditional music played in the background.

We thanked the women for everything and took a group picture before changing out of our kimonos. I was almost sad to take it off but I knew I would have pictures to remember it all. It was a wonderful experience all around!