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Published: March 3rd 2006
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Plum Blossom
A peek at the first plum blossoms in Kyoto Well, to start off with, Happy Girl's Day. Today was Hina Matsuri - doll festival (yay!). Unfortunately, since there are no young girls (yes, I'm getting old...) in the house, we hardly celebrated Hina Matsuri. Usually the dolls are put out in their full dress along with peach blossoms on tierd platforms. The dolls are supposed to ward off the bad spirits and the families wish for good fortune and success for their daughters. Sweet sake is drunk and chirashi sushi is eaten. Okaasan made the sushi to eat with tonight's dinner, but I didn't get a picture - sorry!
So, as I promised, the tea ceremony details... I'm not an expert at tea ceremony, nor did I really pay much attention to what was really going on because I was just completely entranced by the geisha and maiko - they tend to have that effect on people. Please forgive me for the lack of the actual tea ceremony process and its etiquitte.
Kitano Tenmangu Tea Ceremony Standing in a long line... waiting for the tea ceremonies to begin. All around me are people, some foreigners but mostly Japanese, some in kimono. Plum trees are everywhere, most still only
Enclosure
Platform on which the tea ceremony was performed budding, but those that are blossoming are beautiful. There is a large area sectioned off to my left hand side and if I tippy-toe, I can see the heads of geisha and maiko over the partition; once in a while I'll catch a glimpse of their gorgeous, colorful kimono. Finally, the line starts moving. I get to the entrance and pay my 1,500 yen ($15). I receive in return three tickets. I part with one ticket and am given a little box and package. There are people forming two lines - one to sit on the floor, the other to sit on benches. I see that there is already a tea ceremony in progress. There are people sitting (Japanese style) around a huge rectangular platform, everyone else is on benches and tables surrounding the platform. I wait in the line to sit on the floor. While I wait, I take pictures upon pictures of the exquisite beauty that is so revered in Japan. I watch as the geisha and maiko glide across the platform, kimonos gracefully and expertly worn. Makeup - striking and picturesque. Some would say that a geisha's kimono is plain compared to that of a maiko, but
Service
Tea being served to those before me... in my opinion, sometimes simplicity is much more elegant.
I am at the front of the line and get the best pictures as well as the first choice of seat. I choose one directly across from where the main tea ceremony is to be performed. There are no geisha or maiko out yet, but I can see them off to the side in a tent, preparing to serve us. It begins. I take out my little gifts and another ticket. I unwrap the package and discover a piece of mochi, a flower shaped candy and an eating utencil - looks like a large toothpick, or small chopstick. A beautiful geisha in a simple brown kimono with gold detail begins the tea ceremony. (I'd really like to explain the steps she takes, but it's a little intricate and from where I am sitting, a little hard to understand) Geisha and maiko begin to flow out from the side tent with bowls of green tea (matcha - powdered tea that is mixed with hot water) and I am immediately captivated by their presence. Starting from across of me, they start to serve people the tea. The geisha or maiko gracefully lowers herself
It Begins
Starting the ceremony... to her knees, presents the bowl of tea, graciously bows, collects the ticket, then stands up (again gracefully) to get another bowl of tea for the next patron. It is finally my turn to be served. By this time, I had thought to myself how I should bow, if I should say anything, and every little step I needed to take to be just as gracious as the geisha serving me is. She approaches me, presents my bowl of tea, bows, and I freeze. Her movements are so completely fluid and elegant that it brings tears to my eyes. I clumsily and hurriedly bow to try to make up for the time spent gaping at her beauty. I feel slightly embarrassed, but she quickly moves on to get yet another bowl of tea.
I bring the bowl up to my lips, taste it, and want to make a face, but refrain from doing so. The tea is bitter and strong. It is foamy and very very green. The sweet is there to counterbalance the bitterness of the green tea. I eat the sweet as I drink the tea. The geisha and maiko will not collect my bowl until it is
drained of its contents - I notice the hakujin next to me who were having a lot of difficulty drinking every last sip. A geisha sits in front of me, bows, collects my bowl, then gracefully stands to take my bowl away. Everyone's bowl is collected and the ceremony is regrettably over.
Geisha vs. Maiko A quick overview on the differences of a geisha and a maiko.
Maiko: Apprentice geisha, flamboyant and extravagantly patterned kimono. Brightly colored kimono and obi (sash). Very long obi and is hung nearly as low as the ground. Long sleeves, though not as long as the obi. Hair is done up with flowers, beads and other decorations depending on the season. Full white makeup and red lips. Red collar (inside of the kimono) contrasts with white skin.
Geisha: Simple and beautiful. Kimono tend to be more understated, though still impressive. Shorter sleeves and a tied obi - very little, if any material hanging down the back. Hair is a complicated bun (few decorations) that these days are wigs. Full white makeup is only used for special occasions (ie: tea ceremony) and for stage performances. Everyday makeup is much more natural to show maturity and
natural beauty. A white collar also shows maturity.
*mahalo to
watashi no tomodachi (my friend) for some of the pictures...
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jon ching
non-member comment
AWESOME! X 1 zillion!