Salsa Dancing in Kimonos @ Cafe Rumbita
Or yukatas, to be precise. I learnt from someone there who happened to be a kimono-wearing instructor (apparently this occupation exists because they're so difficult to put on) that most of the traditional outfits being worn are really yukatas or casual lounge wear. The kimono looks somewhat similar, but is really much more formal, with more layers, and a longer and more elaborate belt. She also said the price of kimonos "can be unlimited". Now I know.
Anyway they don't dance in traditional outfits there everyday, it was just "Kimono Day" on the eve of the Gozen Okuribi festival in Kyoto.
In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more 
