#kikue

You know what's fun to practice drawing. Smooches!!!!

Hey Anon, I don't have any more specific infos. The "betrayal" info came directly from the Naramachi Hanaakari Youtube channel, but didn't go into details.

Celebrations in Nara

For the first time in history a Danpatsu Shiki ceremony was streamed live. Here Nara's senior Maiko Kikue celebrated her last day as a Maiko in a fabulous Sakkou outfit and in the same breath Kikunami, Osaka's only Maiko, celebrated her departure from the karyukai.

So we have quite an event to report. Luckily the recorded stream is still up and we can witness this incredible moment in time. There is a lot to unpack though so i will share my thoughts on this one of a kind celebration.

Firstly, can we please talk about the awe-inspiring visuals: The backdrop is quite festive and the lighting accentuates the ladies stunning outfits and perfect makeup. Just look at Kikumame's gorgeous sakura kuromontsuki, just under her darari obi one can glimpse a rare fire motif. This fire is taken from the tradition of cormorant fishing along the Nagaragawa. Observing this craft by pleasure boats during a cool summer evening was a beloved pass time of the imperial courtlings for centuries. Kikumame has become a lovely Maiko, the more senior look suits her well and she is still such a cutie. Just look at the way she giggles and does her best to remain solemn, it's adorable. She must be a great hostess at ozashiki!

Then Kikunami, who got to wear the Jikata Geiko attire before she retires in the end of March.

She would have been an immensely popular addition to Osaka's beautiful Geiko, she and her onesan looked dignified and elegant, they framed the event very well with their artistic expertise. Kikunami has a lovely singing voice with light vibrato and one day she might have reached the intense emotion Kikuno-san displayed during her performance.

And then we have Kikue.

She looked amazing and remained composed during this very touching and important ceremony where her life as a Maiko comes to an end. Kikue has come a long way since her debut under then Geiko Kikukame, who sadly retired shortly after. I would have loved to see her in the white erikae shiromontsuki her onesan sported during her historic graduation, maybe there is still a chance? But even if not, her Sakkou must be one of the most beautiful in the whole kansai area in my humble opinion.

The Nara Sakkou is incredibly striking with its austere patternless kuromontsuki, the intricate haneri and the bold red kimono lining. Rich in contrast, it is a perfect symbol of leaving childhood behind, the duality of this important day when Kikue became a fully fledged Geiko of Nara, makes for dramatic, real life theater.

And the event does have this bittersweet aura to it. Kikunami braved many setbacks during her tenure and i'm glad to see her in the Geiko look before she retires to take on a new endeavor. Still Kikue will stay true to Nara's Ganrin-In kagai, so Kikumame still has her onesan to guide her to become just as accomplished as her sisters.

Congratulations to the Ohno-family of Tsuruya in Nara! They worked hard for this celebration and they deserve much success!

Source Video: Naramachi Hanaakari Channel

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