GALLERY
Obi (belt) knotted in pretty knots, Zôri and Tabi (traditional sandals and white socks up to the ankles) and elegant chignons. Cell phones and small handbags. Mix of tradition and modernity. Ancestral practice originating in China, the port of Kimonos is codified and today only worn on special occasions. Women wear very colorful clothes while men are more formal.
In the midst of all these gorgeous costumes, some are even more impressive. Geiko (confirmed geishas) and Maiko (apprentices) attract all eyes. The majesty of their kimono and makeup associated with their status, fascinate. In a temple, two girls dressed in a beautiful red kimono attract my eye. They wear an brocarded uchiki (kind of long coat) with a tsubo ori (wide straw hat around which hangs a long transparent veil allowing formerly to remain anonymous).
In this morning of April, a torrential rain falls on Kyoto. This is my fifth day visiting the “City of Traditions”. During these days, I have seen more temples and kimonos than in the space of five months. It is dazzling. And the rain does not prevent the wearing of the kimono. To the set is added a new accessory: the umbrella. Traditional, transparent or colorful for even more style.