#ichiyu

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October 9th, 2020: Ichiyū (市結) of Katsumi (勝見) in Pontocho in now wearing the sakkō hairstyle! Her outfit is complete with a gorgeous maroon hikizuri and a golden obi with waves. Prior to sakkō she wore Kikugasane (pictured left) and Osafune (pictured right). Her erikae will be on October 19th ^^ Images are courtesy of the Pontocho Kabukai.

My favorite maiko, the maiko Ichiyu of Pontocho. (Source)

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With the odori and debut seasons coming to a close the karyukai will be a bit more quiet for the next few months. I’ll still be posting about what goes on, but don’t expect too much ^^ Karyukai News -Koume (小梅) of Kaden (花傳) in Miyagawa Cho had her erikae on Thursday (November 9th). -The Gion Odori (祇園をどり) in Gion Higashi concluded on Friday (November 10th). -Ichiyū (市結) of Katsumi (勝見) in Pontocho has switched to the ofuku style and is now a senior! Blog News -What’s In a Dance? Part 6 looked at Natsu Wa Hotaru (夏は蛍) - Summer Fireflies. -The Random Fact of The Week looked at Hiki Iwai Sashigami. -Mylo’s Pick of The Week went to Fukukana (ふく香奈) of Kawayoshi (河よ志) in Miyagawa Cho. -Some of you may not be receiving my posts if you’re on mobile due to a feature that Tumblr silently added called “Best Stuff First.” You can check out more about it and how to turn it off here. -Thank you to everyone who sent in their questions once again this week! The listing of popular posts seems to have gotten some good feedback, so I’ll continue doing that in this space from now on! Popular posts of the week include: -How much income does a maiko or geiko get to keep? -Are maiko always out in full regalia and can a customer invite them anywhere? -How many times can a kimono be worn by geimaiko before it’s considered “uncool”? -What are some rules that all maiko and geiko need to follow in the karyukai? -What’s in a kitsuke kit for kimono? -Can you tell us about Mamehiro of Ninben? -How would oiran/tayū/yūjo meet their customers for the first time? -What are the origins of geisha? -On average, how long does it take to become jimae? -How do girls apply to become maiko and geiko?

Spotlight: The Misedashi Traditions of Pontocho The most distinct distract by far when it comes to debuts, Pontocho’s misedashi are full of color and pageantry. But, what sets them apart from the others? First, let’s look at what they have in common. Kuromontsuki: Full of all season designs and bright colors, it clearly speaks louder than words.  Gold Obi: Reserved for outfits of the highest formality, gold is the natural choice when you want to make a public statement. Due to this formality an obijime and pocchiri are not worn. Colorful Eri: Filled with threads of every color, it’s meant to show off a girl’s junior status. Hairstyle: The very formal Seishōyō Wareshinobu that sees most kanzashi replaced with expensive tortoiseshell ones. All districts use those features as they tell viewers that the occasion is both formal and for a young child. However, Pontocho manages to make a very distinct and obvious statement with the addition that is unique to them: a daikin/daikan. Special Daikan Kanzashi: Full of celebratory and lucky symbols, these kanzashi are the same that maiko in other districts wear during their sakkō period. However, instead of wearing them at the end of their apprenticeship Pontocho allows their girls to start with them. They’ll wear this kanzashi multiple times over their careers as well, which is a unique feature of their district. Besides misedashi they’ll be worn during New Year’s celebrations and when they assist with the tea ceremony for the Kamogawa Odori. The third image in this series was actually taken during New Year’s, but without the miokuri visible in the background it looks identical to a misedashi outfit. Pontocho also has another unique tradition surrounding kanzashi for formal occasions: two bira ōgi are worn during New Year’s festivities instead of just one for all junior maiko. Pictures are courtesy of  Blue_no_shashin (Ayaha), Sakuchan (Ichiyū), and Club.Yoshi (Mameyo).