My daughter is quite a lot taller than I am. This creates a problem for her, when she is searching for kimono. The kimono in the flea markets and antique or second hand shops are usually much too short for her. This means that although I can often buy old used kimono for myself, I…
Tag: women
Hitomi’s Kimono Story (Part 3)
I received this kimono from my mother. However it was not originally my mother’s kimono. It belonged to a very special friend of my mother. I cannot even remember the name of that friend or why she was so special to my mother. I would love to know the story, but now it is too…
Hitomi’s Kimono Story (Part 2)
This kimono has a peony design on it. Originally it was yellow. It is very important for me as my mother made a special effort to purchase it for me when I got married. I know how hard it was financially for my mother, and I cannot forget the sacrifice that my mother made…
Hitomi’s Kimono Story (Part 1)
The kimono I am wearing comes from the local antique market. As I go there every month, there is a seller who I frequent who has come to know my style. He picks up items especially for me. I respect his advice and rely upon him to know what kind of kimono suit me. This…
Hitomi – Problems
I have no problems concerning my kimono life. I am enjoying it 100%. I recycle kimono I cannot wear anymore, or I repurpose them as clothing, mats, bags, pencil cases or other interior goods. Nothing goes to waste in my house. I try not to keep wool around me, as wool kimono attract moths to…
Hitomi – Influences
A bigger influence on me than my own mother, who couldn’t afford to wear kimono on regular occasions, was my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law was a Koto teacher, (Japanese table harp). Because of her work she owned many kimono. She tried to train me in the art of koto, but I did not have an ear…
Hitomi (Saitama)
Hitomi was born and grew up in Hokkaido. She came to Tokyo after graduating high school to do office work. She soon met her husband and they set up home near Tokyo. She has lived here in Tokyo ever since. Her mother liked kimono, but they were poor, so kimono were really special and were…
Minako’s Kimono Story (Part 3)
MINAKO’S STORY 3 着物物語３ I found and tailored this zenmai (royal fern) tsumugi one or two years ago at a kimono sale event. I knew I wanted to find the right kimono for me, so I asked my mother to go with me. This is almost the first kimono that I picked out by myself. It…
Minako’s Kimono Story (Part 2)
MINAKO’S STORY 2 着物物語２ My mother used to wear this Oshima tsumugi on New Year’s days when she was young. Now she is learning to play the koto and wears gorgeous kimono on the stage, but she does not wear kimono in her private life, so this Oshima tsumugi had been neglected for a long…
Minako’s Kimono Story (Part 1)
MINAKO’S STORY 1 着物物語１ I found this kimono had been sleeping as a tanmono (kimono rolled fabric) for years at my parents place. I brought it to Tokyo and tailored it my size. Apparently, my grandmother bought this but she could not wear it, and my mother also didn’t wear it. This suits my taste,…
Minako – Problems
MINAKO’S PROBLEMS 困っていること I take about an hour to complete putting on Nagoya-obi in otaiko style. I want to make it shorter, much less than one hour. To do that, I need to wear kimono more often and get to used to it. 名古屋帯でお太鼓をしめると１時間くらいかかります。もう少し短い時間、できれば１時間を切るくらいで着られるようになりたいです。着物をたくさん着ることで慣れていって時間を短くしたいと思っています。
Minako – Influences
MINAKO’S INFLUENCES影響 I think I got kimono influences from my mother basically. I learnt how to wear kimono from her and she went to kimono sales events with me to give me advice. Also, I always ask her to do the maintenance on my kimono that I send to her in Akita, after I wear…
The Kimono Closet 