#chisako

it’s for a comic we’ve been thinking about making together, starring our ocs! ;0

Source: Nobuhiro Suhara on Flickr

Source: Katsu H. on Instagram

༼ つ ◕◡◕ ༽つ  Geisha-kai on P a t r e o n || Instagram

A few weeks ago there was discussion surrounding how old certain kimono are as they’ve been in use for long periods of time. With today’s addition it becomes much easier to show just how similar things stay when it’s formal. User Nagayoshi.Gofukuten uploaded the first image onto Instagram yesterday. That is former natori geiko Sayoko (紗代子) of Nishimura (西村) in Gion Kobu on the day of her misedashi back in 1997. The second image, taken by Genevieve A on Flickr, shows Chisako (千紗子) of Nishimura (西村) wearing the exact same outfit for her misedashi 12 years later in 2009. In the third image by Kimiko1144, also on Flickr, we skip ahead to 2013, with Shōko (彰子) of Nishimura (西村) now wearing the same outfit (there were maiko in between the three examples who also used this outfit but I wanted to focus on the specifics). So, what changed and what didn’t? Well, the eri is still the same. It features beautiful hagoromo among pines and it one of my favorites. The kimono, obviously, is the same too. But, the obiage and the bekkō kanzashi are slightly different. Sayoko is wearing an older set with very delicate nandina while Chisako and Shōko are wearing the newer cherry blossom set.  Kuromontsuki are known to be used for decades before finally be retired, so the ones that you see most often for formal occasions are exquisite treasures that cost a small fortune and were made decades ago by skilled craftspeople. They continue to be used since they’re often only worn for a few days each year at most and this helps to preserve the gorgeous embroidery and painting skills of the piece itself. So, unless an okiya is very new, their kuromontsuki and even special eri like this one will continue to be used and it’s not unusual for an imoto to wear the exact same outfit as her onesan. 

so here’s my oc asako (on the right)! last february she didn’t have a gf, but this february she does! on the left is chinori, @rainphee-art‘s character!

Source: chiharuyoshida on Instagram