Category: Reviews

Movies with kimono eye-candy

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So, 2011 is off with a bang. I started the year with one of the worst bouts of stomach flu I’ve had in years. I couldn’t hold down food, at one point I was delirious with fever to the point where I was hallucinating. That finally dissipated and I was able to relax a bit and have some fun in kimono, which led to the outfit in the previous entry. Unfortunately, I let my guard down too soon. Last Monday we had some guests over and I suppose I got a bit too animated during dinner, because I managed to scratch my cornea with a heavy silver fork. Yes, that truly is as painful as you’d imagine. It’s also as hilarious as you’d imagine. You are welcome to laugh. At least I managed to make my eye patch pretty. It has pearls, rhinestones, and sakura on it!

In any case, it seems like the world is against me so far this year, and we’re only a week in. I’ve had several things I’ve wanted to write about, but I just don’t have the energy. My right eye is totally covered, and my left eye has to do all the work. My vision in my left eye is very weak, at best, so it tires very easily. However, I love you guys and rather than just not post anything until this nonsense is over, I thought I would share two movies I really enjoyed both for the content and the gorgeous, luscious kimono in them. These are not going to be in-depth reviews, just suggestions if you’re looking for something fun to watch and ogle costumes in.

Sakuran
Based on a comic book by Moyoco Anno, this is the story of a young girl who is sold to a pleasure house and works her way through the ranks to become the most popular and most desired oiran (courtesan) in Edo-era Yoshiwara. It is by no means historically accurate – first and foremost it’s a drama and romance. Visually, though, it is a stunning, breathtaking movie. It was translated incredibly well from comic framing to live-action, with the addition of vivid, borderline psychedelic colours. The kimono, of course, are to die for. There is a scene where the main character wears a zebra-striped obi that made me weak in the knees when I first saw it.

If you’re looking for a lush romp through sumptuous settings, by all means, check Sakuran out. However, please bear in mind that this is after all the story of a high-class prostitute so there are scenes of nudity and sexuality.

Sakuran on IMDB
Sakuran on Wikipedia

Maiko-haaaan!
This movie is in a completely different vein. It’s a comedy set in modern-day Japan. Onizuka-san is a salaryman stuck in a dead-end job and his dream is to play drinking games with a maiko. When he gets transferred to Kyoto he goes through a rather ridiculous series of events in an effort to make his dream come true. While the slapstick aspects of Japanese comedy wear thin on my nerves at times, the movie does have some more serious and introspective moments that serve to break up the frivolity. And of course, since it takes place primarily in Gion, the geisha district of Kyoto, there are tons of beautiful, fierce kimono.

This movie, while still dealing with some mature themes, is probably a little more appropriate for a wider audience. Onizuka spends a fair bit of time in his undergarments, but that’s about the worst that happens.

Maiko-haaaan! on IMDB
Maiko-haaaan! on Wikipedia

Now, generally I do not actively encourage illegal acts, but neither of these movies have been distributed outside of Japan, and even if you were to purchase Japanese DVDs there is no guarantee they would work on your DVD player or computer, due to region codes. Currently, the best way to watch these movies is by downloading torrents off of a site like The Pirate Bay. However, if these are ever officially and legally released in your country of residence, I implore you to support the actors, directors, and of course the costume departments, by buying a legitimate copy.

Tea Time – Celadon teacup and pot

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With so many selections of teas, sometimes not everyone in the house can agree on what to drink. Unfortunately, most of our teas are loose leaf, which can turn making a single cup into a bit of a hassle. Thankfully, we found an ideal solution!

There is a chain of stores called Le Rouet around the area where I live. They sell kitchen and home decor items, and are invariably always having some sort of sale. A while back I wandered in there and stumbled across these gorgeous little sets of a large mug and single-serving teapot that fits into the top of the mug. We got a couple, but the one I’ve claimed for myself was this beautiful shiny celadon green with ume (plum) blossoms across it.

It’s a good, solid set and I love the way it feels in my hands. The teapot is also excellent for keeping the tea warm – when I’m not drinking, I can put the pot back into the cup and it prevents heat from escaping.

Book Review – Kimono, Color Books Edition

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Kimono (Color Books Edition)
by Motoko Ito and Aiko Inoue
Language: English
ISBN-10: 4586540370
Amazon.com Listing

This is the first kimono-related book I ever purchased, way back when. I found it on eBay and thought it would be a worthwhile investment. It’s the book that taught me what items I’d need, and how to tie otaiko musubi. It was probably the best kimono book investment I ever made, despite the fact that it’s only about 4 by 6 inches and 124 pages long. A while back I realized I couldn’t find my copy, so Naomi picked up a copy off Amazon and sent it to me, since the seller wouldn’t ship to the wild norths of Canadia. I’m so glad to have it back!

The book is a wonderful little resource. It’s separated into categories that explain types of kimono, types of obi, different weaving and dyeing methods, and dressing instructions. The information is concise and clear, without being patronizing. The obi-tying instructions are accompanied by great photographs that really help with the whole process.

Overall, the book is really a little gem. If you’re very familiar with kimono it certainly won’t give you any amazing heretofore unseen insights, but it’s a great little book to slip into a pocket or sleeve when you’re traveling or just need a quick reference. If you’re not familiar yet, it’s a wonderful introduction to the basics of kimono.

I would recommend this book for:


-People interested in learning the basics of kimono.
-People who want to learn about Japanese textiles and decoration methods.
-People looking for quick references for some simple obi musubi (bows).

I would not recommend this book for:


-People looking for coordination ideas.
-People looking for in-depth or advanced resource material.

This post contains affiliate link(s). If you choose to purchase, I receive a small rebate or commission which goes to the continued maintenance of this site.

Tea Time! A new feature

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I’ve decided to add a new feature to this blog – I hope you enjoy it! In my mind, tea culture and kimono culture are entwined quite strongly together, so I figured that I could share my love of tea and related items in here on occasion. While I have not ever studied traditional Japanese tea ceremony but I find the preparation and consumption of teas an enjoyable, aesthetic, and relaxing experience.

In this new feature I will be sharing my favourite teapots, teacups, and of course teas. For my first entry, I thought I would show you what is probably my favourite teacup currently in my possession, one that came to me through the kindness of Naomi. If you know me, you know my fondness and fascination for all things cephalopod. When I saw this teacup with its textured tentacle handle and beautiful blue hand-painting, I yearned for it. I coveted it. I neeeeeeded it. Thankfully, Naomi agreed, and managed to procure one and bundle it up in enough bubblewrap to protect it on a cross-continental journey.

It’s even prettier and more amazing in person than I’d anticipated. It’s much larger, it holds a very comforting and hearty serving of tea, coffee, or cocoa. The painting of the ship is incredibly delicate, the handle is amazing to hold, and the body of the cup fits perfectly in my two hands. It’s just a truly wonderful cup.

Anthropologie “From The Deep” cup & saucer

Book Review – When Art Became Fashion: Kosode in Edo-Period Japan

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When Art Became Fashion: Kosode in Edo-Period Japan
by Dale Carolyn Gluckman & Sharon Sadako Takeda
Language: English
ISBN-10: 083480266X
Amazon.com listing
(nb: This volume may be found on eBay for significantly lower price)

I found this book while browsing the “ending soon” section on eBay. I’d never heard of it before, and wasn’t sure if it would be worth the $25 it was being sold for, so I looked it up quickly on Amazon. There was a glowing review by KimonoMomo, whose opinion I greatly respect when it comes to Japanese textiles, and the least expensive used copy available was priced at roughly $65. Based on those factors, I figured it would definitely be worth the investment. Unfortunately, I did not think to ask the seller – shopenjapan – about shipping costs from LA to Montreal, and had a bit of a case of sticker-shock when they sent me the invoice. They did everything in their power to get me the lowest price, were very patient while I tried to find an alternate shipping solution, and when the final shipping to me cost less than anticipated they refunded me the difference. In the end it was still less expensive than buying a used copy on Amazon, and the service was great. I’ll definitely buy from them again if they list similar books!

So, was it worth it? Absolutely! It is actually an illustrated museum catalogue for an exhibit of the same name, much like Kazari: Decoration and Display in Japan 15th-19th Centuries, which I reviewed earlier. It is divided into essays about many topics, from the evolution of the kosode to calligraphy as a motif to the cultural and social impact and relevance of red “beni” dye. Each essay is complemented by many lush full colour photographs and multiple page spreads, as well as smaller inserted black and white and detail shots. When I first got it, I spent several nights simply ogling the photos.

The essays themselves are written in a fairly dry academic style, but they are not difficult to read or alienating to people unfamiliar with the terminology. Any Japanese terms are italicized and explained in clear plain English the first time they make an appearance. There is a very useful glossary of terms in the background that is a huge asset to anyone interested in kimono either as wearable clothing or as historical costume, as well as many fascinating and well-organized charts and graphs documenting the flow of Japanese historical eras, common kosode pattern layouts, and garment dimensions. It is not something I’d suggest for light bedtime reading, but it makes an excellent addition to any kimono-specific or Japanese cultural reference library. Several of the kimono in the book are also in the Kyoto Shoin, Yuzen edition book, but I found this to be a good thing – it was very interesting to see that some of these garments are so historically famous and relevant that they appear in multiple texts.

The layout of the book is also very lovely, the text is clear and the images are crisp and beautiful, with vivid colours and plenty of detail shots. Captions are always large enough to be legible but small enough not to be obtrusive. There are also some very charming touches, such as the text on the first page of each section being in the shape of a kimono. This may not seem like such a big thing, but it really adds to the cohesive feel of the whole book, and as someone who studied document layout in college it really tickled me.

I would recommend this book for:


-People interested in the history of Japanese textiles.
-People studying historical fashion or evolution of fashion and trends.
-People interested in Edo-era Japan.
-People looking for beautiful photos of kimono.

I would not recommend this book for:


-People looking for how-to-wear guides.
-People looking for coordination ideas.

This post contains affiliate link(s). If you choose to purchase, I receive a small rebate or commission which goes to the continued maintenance of this site.

Kazari: Decoration and Display in Japan 15th-19th Centuries