What Will Happen After April Fool?

Maybe, no, absolutely it's too late to say...


Thanks all four people who trusted me and tried April Fool mini-game!
You are my favorite lovable "fool" people!!
I love you, Kitty, Meg, Amelie, and Tia!a

Kitty, Meg, and Amelie arrived at correct answer!
Now you get a chance to get small small gift from KIDORAKU Japan. :)
(If you can trust me and let me know your address...!)

I'm sorry Tia, your answer was wrong...X(
Please wait for next chance!



By the way, the correct answer was "HANAMIDANGO"!
It means rice dumplings that is eaten with seeing cherry blossoms.

"Hana yori Dango" is a Japanese proverb and it means "Dumplings rather than flowers". Eating HANAMI-DANGO makes us more happy than only seeing cherry blossoms.
The original title of famous Manga "Boys Over Flowers" is "Hana yori Dango" and it's a parody of this proverb. :)




Now, I'll write your name on a piece of paper and put it into a box.
A person who is chosen by lot can choose a gift from 6 choices.

I made 12 cranes! 4 for Kitty, 4 for Meg, and 4 for Amelie.
OK, before the lottery... which do you want if you win? :

● An Obiage
Pink, a woven pattern is Asanoha + Chrysanthemun. Very girlish color, so cute! It's guessed it is brand-new.

● An Obijime
Golden yellow, round and thick. I bought it at a department-store, but didn't use :)

● A Tabi socks
It's not Tabi, but socks! For 22-24cm feet. Based color is black. Having Okame (flat-faced woman) and Hyottoko (clownish man) pattern.

● A Haori-himo & An Eri-shin
Haori-himo is light pink, Eri-shin is mesh type. If you have some Haori without Haori-himo, it's a chance!


● Bath powders
Sorry, no picture. A few small package of bath powder.
You can feel Japanese hot spring in your bathroom!

● A picture painted in Japanese style
Yoichi is a Japanese-style painter in the making. If you tell her your favorite thing or theme, she'll draw a picture about that.
I don't know what kind of picture will appear.
I don't know how much time she takes.
I don't know you will be pleased or not.
It's a bet!

● Nothing
If you don't like all of 6 gifts, you can carry over this luck to next chance.
At a next lottery, you can put twice as many crane as other people into the box. Next chance will come in autumn or next April.



Did you decide? Let's do lottery!




Congratulations!!

Which gift do you want?
Please leave your comment or send e-mail me!

As a consolation prize, I give one more crane to other two girls.
When you try to next lottery, one more crane with your name will be put into the box!


Again, thank you very much for your participation!

My Kimono Coordination (Feb, Mar, Apr/2010).

I'm enjoying casual outfits as a reaction against neat coordinations of Jan..



Feb/6




Red & Black Asanoha Wool Kimono + Green Peony? Nagoya-obi.
Obi-age is pale yellow, Obi-jime is creamy white Sanbu-himo.
Yellow glitter Obi-dome is for accent.

Long Haori have pale red, pale green and white dots, and it's linked to kimono's red and obi's green.
Han-eri is Ichimatsu-moyou (Checkered pattern) of black & white.
Dark brown arm warmer is for cold wind blowing from armholes.
Coat is marbled purple.

Maybe is it a little loud? But I like it. :)



Mar/6




Green Asanoha Komon Kimono + Purple Nagoya-obi.
Obi-age is pale pink, and Obi-jime is dark pink.
Haori is subdued pink.



Apr/3





Greenish Gray Tsumugi Kimono + White Sioze Nagoya-obi.
Obi-age is pale pink, and Obi-jime is dark pink.
Long Haori is gray and almost same as kimono's color.

Usually, peacocks on kimono have strong motivation and are working hard.
Standing up straight or displaying its tail feather.
But peacocks on this obi lack the will to do it.
They are just standing with funny face without emotion.
I love these less emotional peacocks.

► KIDORAKU Japan.com - Gallery : Coordinate

Spring Has Come With Cherry Blossom!

It's blooming on our website.:)

If I can have a bit of your time,
please click the "Spring Has Come!" image at top of this page!

Setsubun (The Day Before The Beginning Of Spring).

Setsubun of 2010 is Feb. 3rd.
Because it is based on the movement of heavenly bodies, a date of Setsubun is different each year.
Setsubun is the day before the beginning of spring that is called "Risshun".
It dates back to the 9 century's aristocracy custom, so it's an old event.

My Kimono Coordination (Jan/2010).

New Year is the best chance to wear kimono!

And, my outfits are following.

Google KIMONO Map Test.

Hi all!
I'm a little busy now and I couldn't write new post for a long time.
It will be continued for a little more, sorry.

But I'll write about "Kitsuke Kyoshitsu" and my outfits of January.
Maybe, in the next week.



I'd like to hear someone's impression.
Could you see this Google Map?

Kimono Shops in Japan

It's a map of kimono shops in Japan.
We're planning to map used (antique / recycle) kimono shops, department stores that has kimono department, and good usual kimono shops, as many as possible.

How about it? Does it work well?
Did you understand how to use it?

Is this map working well?
	Yes, it's easy to use.
	No, my computer became slow.
	No, rule of pins is hard to grasp.
	No, it need some comment for each shop.
	No, better to update the website than make it.
pollcode.com free polls

There is KIMONO on the Google Japan Home!

Because today is the day of "Seijin-shiki (coming-of-age celebration)"!

Japanese people attend Seijin-shiki after they became 20 years old.
Most of girls wear Furisode for this day. :)

Google Japan

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Tiger Kagamimochi. :)



I wish you happiness throughout the new year!

KOBE KIMONO STREET - Epilouge.

That's all I want to talk about "KOBE KIMONO STREET".
I wish you visit there when you get a chance.

I too will visit there to shop at "O : Recycle-kimono SAKURA".
This shop has "A corner of all 390yen apiece", all of Kimono and Haori at this corner are 390yen.
I have bought a Haori with 195yen at half price sale!



I know more kimono shops in Kobe, or Osaka and Kyoto.
I'd like to write about these shops little by little at next year.

Moreover, now, we're making a map of antique kimono shops in Japan.
And possibly we'll have another blog about antique kimono shops and Kottouichi (antique market).
It's very tough work, only possibility.

Not only people who live in foreign countries, but also foreign people who live in or visit to Japan are coming to KIDORAKU Japan.
I'm glad to if I can help their meeting to kimono.




At Google Japan, I can find enormous informations about kimono those are written in Japanese.
But at Google in English, I cannot find so many kimono site without shop.
Though a few sites are well built, most sites are less information, are built for business, or include missunderstanding.
(Of course, I know some sites are wonderful!)

I hit upon.
"If there is no good site, then better I make it."

So, I started this site and blog.
I hope it will support your kimono-life!



The last update in 2009 of this blog will be "About Japanese New Year" that will be posted at 30th or 31th...maybe.
My last days of 2009 is passing with writing English.

KOBE KIMONO STREET - Prologue.
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 01 (Sannomiya Center-gai 1).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 02 (Sannomiya Center-gai 2).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 03 (Motomachi Shoten-gai 1).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 04 (Motomachi Shoten-gai 2).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 05 (Motomachi Shoten-gai 3).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - Epilouge.

KOBE KIMONO STREET - Prologue.

KOBE is the prefectural capital of Hyogo.


Kobe is well known as busy & old port town that have beautiful night view.
It has about 1.5 million people, and it's 6th city ranked in order of population.
20-30 minutes from Osaka by train, a lot of tourist spots are waiting for you.


The most famous cities at west Japan are Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe.
(At east Japan, Tokyo and Yokohama and Nagoya are famous.)




And this city is also known with the Great Hanshin Earthquake that hit Kobe area in 1995.
It registered 7.3 on the Richter scale, was heavy calamity, and it gave serious damage to cities around Kobe.
More than 6,000 people died, 40,000 people got injured, 650,000 houses and buildings broke, 13,000 houses burned, and highway fell down.

At that time, I was living in country side of neighboring city of Kobe.
My body jumped high on the bed, bookshelves were running to my bed, and a lot of tablewares broke at the kitchen.

Now, Kobe is reconstructing.
Streets are recovering their lifeness day by day.
I'm still living in same town, and I often visit Kobe.

► Official Kobe Tourism Site

There are two major shopping streets in Kobe.
At this area, a lot of brand-new or antique kimono shops are clustered close together.
Maybe it is more many than the longest shopping street of Japan that is in Osaka!
(The shopping district in Osaka have 2.6km distance and 600 shops.)

I think this area is one of the best place to get kimono in west Japan.
So, I name this area "KOBE KIMONO STREET" and will present kimono shops in there for people who visit Kobe from foreign countries.

...Oh...Who read this post and visit there, what a little likelihood! (^-^;
But I'd like to write about this heaven!





The names of these shopping streets are "Sannomiya Center-gai (right)" and "Motomachi Shoten-gai (left)".

I'll show you all kimono-shops that from east end of Sannomiya Center-gai (right end of the map) to west end of Motomachi Shoten-gai (left end)...maybe it is all.
Almost all of these shops can't deal with foreign customers.
But if you visit there directly, you can find wonderful kimono and maybe can talk with staffs in broken English and Japanese.

About some shops that declined to be taken photos, I can't show outward appearance of these shops.
Though I asked "Can I take photo?" to all shops, some of them couldn't decide about it without owner's decision, especially at chain stores.

About some shops that specially kind to me, I may write more comment.
When I visited these shops and talked about this blog, though several shops considered me to suspicious, basically they were very favorably.
I believe they will be friendly to you too.



If you get some chance to visit to around Kobe, Osaka or Kyoto, please extend your journey to these shopping streets!

KOBE KIMONO STREET - Prologue.
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 01 (Sannomiya Center-gai 1).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 02 (Sannomiya Center-gai 2).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 03 (Motomachi Shoten-gai 1).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 04 (Motomachi Shoten-gai 2).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - 05 (Motomachi Shoten-gai 3).
KOBE KIMONO STREET - Epilouge.

The Answer of Tenkaippin's TV commercial.

It's my memorandum & reply to comment at "KIMONO Movies at YouTube - TV commercial 4.". At the post, I wrote as follows.

---

Ramen noodle house, "Tenka-Ippin".
"Tenka-Ippin" means "unrivivaled".
It's a very famous & big chain restaurants of Ramen (Chinese noodle).

2009 Becky (TV star)

► Watch the TV commercial. (new window open.)

Houmomgi : small chrysanthemum & butterfly
Fukuro-Obi? : gold design on black, pine leaves & gingko leaves?

I guess she is wearing half of red Houmongi over black Houmongi.
All of small flowers on Han-eri, Obi-age and Obi-jime are purple.
Obi-dome and Kanzashi are red.
They're getting along well with each other.

My Kimono Coordination (Nov,Dec/2009).

Hi all!...I feel I haven't written blog for a long time...
Sorry about my comment and reply are too late...(>_<;



Now, I'm listening Michael Jackson's songs.
So, I have a question to ask native speakers.

Could you follow what he sing?
Could you catch his words from his pronunciation?

I sometimes cannot catch it enough even if I hear it again and again.
For example, I heard "Smooth Criminal" with reading lyrics, but I heard a little different sound from "Annie, are you OK?".
But I also cannot catch lyrics of some Japanese songs with a quick tempo like rap or punk rock.
Yes, words or pronunciation in songs and everyday life are often different.
And I cannot find answer.

Is why I cannot catch his lyrics which of his pronunciation or my ears?
When you hear his song without lyrics, can you catch words completely?



From next post, I'll talk about my close city Kobe and kimono shops in there.
Do you know Kobe? And what Japanese city do you know?
I guess only Tokyo is famous, maybe Osaka and Kyoto are too.

Though I like Holland, the names of cities in Holland that I can say with confident is only Amsterdam.
I think usually 1-3 cities are well-known in far countries.

So, probably you didn't know or interest in Kobe.
Or, maybe you know this city with calamity of an earthquake.
Anyway, I'll write about it because I want to do it, haha.



And, my outfits are following.

What Is This? - Qing's Court Clothes.

Few weeks ago, I received a message from our mail-form.
It was from an US woman Dale.

She said she recently purchased two items.
But she didn't know what those are.
She guessed the blue jacket is possibly a juban.
And she wanted to know what other item that looks like skirt is.

So, she said us "Can you tell me what these are?".





...No! (>_<;)
They were not Juban, or clothes around kimono.
I got a little shock because it's clear not Japanese things.
Oh...in US, people are lumping Asian countries together...!

...But I reconsidered.
I can't tell European ethnic clothes apart too.
What I have to do is think about her question and give some answer.
It's an inter-cultural communication!

So, I started to research about these old clothes.

Happy Halloween!!

Trick or treat!



At last week, I bought "Kimono Hime" book.
It's a pioneer of modern combination of antique kimono.
"Hime" means princess.

Now I'm trying to Kimono Hime style coordination.
But it's too difficult to me!

Making Hoshigaki (Dried Persimmons) in Kimono.

Yesterday, my grandparents & my grandmother's sister had come to my house.
And I asked them how to make "Hoshigaki (dried persimmons)".
I'm trying to make Hoshigaki for the first time!
It's a Japanese traditional sweets from 9 century.

Today, My PC Have Revived!

At Sep, a liquid crystal display of my laptop had broken.
I bought this, and it came to my place today (yesterday).

Jugoya (Night with the Harvest Moon).

Jugoya of 2009 is Oct. 3rd.
Because it is based on the old calender and the waxing & waning of the moon, a date of Jugoya is different each year.

Wearing Kimono & Attending Friend's Wedding.

Few days ago, I went to my friend's wedding.

I attended the ceremony at a chapel, the wedding reception at a banquet hall, and the after-wedding party at the same hall.

It was so gorgeous and bride was wonderfully beautiful with happiness and technique of professional.

STOPPING UPDATE FOR A WHILE.

Because webmaster's PC broke, KIDORAKU Japan stop update for a while.



I'll buy new PC or repair broken PC, maybe by Oct..

My Little Photo Studio Opend & Closed.

Today, my friend Oichi & Oshu came to my house and we took a lot of pictures about "How to Wear KIMONO".

When I took pictures about the ways to wear underwears of kimono, I could do it with TORCO (=my mannequin). But, wearing kimono and taking the pictures need a lot of hands.

So I called them and said "I'm sure you'll lend a hand (^-^)" with smiling.