Kakita's Grand Opening

Marcell finally had the grand opening party of his shop, Kakita's, which specializes in Japanese goods, including incredibly beautiful microprim kanzashi hair ornaments and color changing geta shoes. I put on my best autumn kimono and popped in... Many of his friends and colleagues from SL's various geisha okiyas and tea houses stopped through...
There were performances and prizes given out. I won two for answering the following questions correctly: "Name the 4 main stages of a geisha's training" (shikomi, minarai, maiko, geisha) and "What was the given name of the first Shogun of the Tokugawa era" (Ieyasu). It was very nice and the performances were lovely.

Tiny Tuesdays at Karyukai Okiya!

I don't necessarily need a reason to be a tiny, and can often be found running around as a ferret, so when Marcell invited me to go to Tiny Tuesdays at the Karyukai okiya, I couldn't resist.

I got comfortable on a cushion with some hot green tea and listened to geisha Sadayako Niango play her instrument and tell us a scary story about "The Faceless Woman". I love scary stories and was sorry that I had to leave afterwards. If you know a tiny or are one yourself, you should check it out--every Tuesday at 6 pm SLT.

Tiny Badger Samurai!

We missed Tiny Tuesdays at the Karyukai okiya, but Marcell and I thought we'd have fun hanging out at his Kakita's shop as tinies anyway!Here I am wearing his silver and diamonds, "October", and new "November" kanzashi hair ornaments. Many of the geisha here in SL love them and he does beautiful microprim work...
I could not help but to pounce him! He did his "Badgers Mushroom" song one too many times!

Amatsu Okiya's Festival of the Ages

Tonight I went with Marcell to the Amatsu Mitsukai Okiya's Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages) formal event. The actual event is held in Kyoto every year, highlighted by a large costumed procession of Japanese history that starts at the Kyoto Imperial Palace and ends at the Heian Jingu Shrine. At Amatsu, the ladies represented four of Japan's most celebrated females poets, such as the legendary Ono no Komachi and Murasaki Shikibu, and recited some of their beautiful work... We were then all treated to a dance, and the floor was then opened up for everyone else to enjoy themselves dancing as well. They were not dressed in their traditional kimono robes tonight, opting for red formal gowns instead. I had a lovely time.

Maiko Presentation Ceremony

I put on one of my best kimono and joined Marcell at the Amatsu Okiya's fourth minarai to maiko ceremony for Amaterasu Demina and Veritas Veloce. Minarai are in a stage of learning about the geisha arts from their older sister (oneesan, like theirs--Cesti Dagostino) before becoming maiko, who are apprentice geisha. Minarai>Maiko>Geisha.Veloce-san told a story about Prince Yamato Take, and then they both performed a dance as Okasan Suzanne Logan accompanied them on the koto.
Marcell introduced me to the Okasan, and everyone enjoyed a champagne reception to congratulate the new maiko...
I was given a tour of the lovely grounds by minarai Emeriselle Theas-san...And here I am sitting in the courtyard of the Blue Lotus Okiya...

Blue Lotus Okiya

My friend Marcel invited me to come see the Blue Lotus Okiya (geisha house), where his SL sister is a jr. geisha. I thought the okiya was stunning, and on the water when you arrive there were little floating paper lanterns as part of a festival. Marcell was dressed as a samurai in kamishimo and hakama trousers, with double swords and a naginata. He told me that his friend FerrettHerder Kitsune created the very well-made shaved topknot hair. I thought he looked fantastic in both that and his armor later.We walked through the grounds looking at the performance stage, tea room, bath house, and meditation areas. We had the place to ourselves as the geisha and their okasan (female head of the okiya) were not present. I would love to see a performance there one day. We talked about our love of Akira Kurosawa films (Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Sanjuro, Yojimbo, Ran...).
He teased me about my high heels, asking me if I wanted to change them. My vanity got the best of me as I got caught in some lag and flipped over the edge of a cliff into the water and needed to be tp'd out. Such is SL. Here is Marcell in his armor...
"You just can't leave without buying a kimono!" he said, so I bought this beautiful furisode. I think he was right...He explained that the okasan tries to be as traditional as possible, in that her geisha are not escorts, it is not a club and nothing "funny" is allowed between geisha and guests. I find the concept of keeping the geisha tradition alive and well here in SL to be a good thing, as it is dying as an art form in Japan itself...Kyoto being one of the last places to find them. It's a shame really as so many, such as master kimono makers and wigmakers, are affected by it. I hope it is being documented or passed down...
I had a wonderful time.