Shamisen Performance at 2014 Memphis Japanese Festival

Today, I'd like to share a video of my performance from the Memphis Japanese festival on September 13. It's not a perfect performance but overall, I'm happy with how it all turned out. My husband had to hold my music down even though I had already weighted the pages because it was so windy! You'll also notice that a train comes by about half way through, so it may be harder to hear those parts. Nothing ever goes 100% as planned, but I'm coming to terms with that!

For this performance I played two songs: one traditional and one more modern. The first was Yachiyo Jishi, a celebratory song whose long tegoto (instrumental part) depicts a lion in a wild, frenzied dance. The second piece was Nihon Min'yoshu, an instrumental collection of folk songs from all over Japan.


I hope my performance makes you smile! m(_ _)m

Jiuta Shamisen Resource and Blog Project

Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you a project I started recently: Tsukiko Shamisen.

I have been playing shamisen for over 3 years, and I was disappointed by the lack of English resources for shamisen. The ones that do exist are mostly focused around tsugaru style - which is quite distinct from the very traditional jiuta. The project is a blog and resource, written in English, for jiuta style specifically. While my highest recommendation is to find an instructor, this resource will be available for those who cannot find an instructor and want to know the basics or for those with an instructor who would just would like a reference in between lessons. Much of the information will be things that may seem simple, but the instructor may not necessarily teach you - like how to read the packages of strings to know that you're getting the right size and gauge. I also will talk about reading music, instrument care, etc. And I hope to document any milestones in my own playing.

If you are at all interested in shamisen, please take a look!

Immortal Geisha Forum Closure

It was announced today that the Immortal Geisha forum will be closing soon. =,(

I understand and respect Mrs. Hormozi's decision for closing the forum, but it will be missed nonetheless. She did state that it will still available in an archival format and will hopefully be eventually incorporated into the IG Wiki. I am glad that so many people have been able to add to the international body of knowledge on kimono and geisha over the past 12 years.

I certainly wouldn't be where I am today without all of the wonderful people of IG. I found the forums after seeing the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. I was fascinated by what I saw on the screen, and the people of IG really helped to separate the fact from the fiction! As a result of my interest in geisha, I became enamored with the idea of getting a kimono. When I joined the forums in 2008, I was looking at those polyester costume kimono and thinking that was a legitimate thing. IG to the rescue! I was quickly put on the right track to finding what I needed. The whole thing began as the purchase of an orange tsukesage, and now look where we are! Interest and research into kimono and geisha got me into dance, shamisen, and tea ceremony. These hobbies have gotten me out of my introverted shell, and my life is much fuller and richer than it ever would have been otherwise.

I am eternally grateful to Immortal Geisha.

どうもありがとうございました!  m(_ _)m

July Kitsuke

I finally got a chance to wear this semi-custom pink ro komon with a kikyo design. Honestly, I don't own very many obi that I think are a decent match in color and style for this kimono, so I went with an all pale color ensemble by using this lavender hakata obi and mint accessories.

The only bright color in the ensemble are the teal zori. I had to throw in a little curve ball.

As an extra touch, I wore this cute uchiwa kanzashi. I figured better now since July is almost over. ^_^

Thanks for looking!

Yabane and Kikyo Yukata

I said no new yukata this year... I failed myself... (^-^*)

Most of the designs from my favorite sellers this year have been too bold for me, but this one struck a chord with my sensibilities. Oh, and there's kikyo on it...

I think I may pair it with my kingyo hanhaba obi. This yukata is nearly monochromatic and doesn't pack much of a punch, but that obi sure does! Without seeing them side by side in the same light, it's hard to tell just yet if the colors will be ok together, but since they play off orange tones, they may be a decent match.

Tea ceremony with Dr. Sachiko Matsushita

On Saturday, we had a special tea ceremony class led by Urasenke master Dr. Sachiko Matsushita. Matsushita-sensei actually founded our group (The Way of Tea in Tennessee) back in 2008. She returned for a visit this past week. I was so lucky to be able to learn from her! I wish I had a better picture of Sachiko-sensei's kimono and obi. She is currently living in China and could not bring her own kimono with her, so she borrowed these from another member - but that other person did not have any undergarments - so Sachiko-sensei wore the kimono without a nagajuban. The kimono itself is one that the untrained eye may not recognize as beautiful - or expensive. It's an asa komon with a kasuri weave - truly a splendid piece! The obi is a bingata dyed design - gorgeous! Even without proper undergarments, she wore it with the elegance that I can only hope to attain with as many years of wearing kimono as she has!

Kentaro-sensei, Sachiko-sensei, and myself

Ichigo daifuku and blueberry daifuku prepared by Kentaro-sensei's wife

I will hopefully have some other pictures to add to this post later!

UPDATE 7/21 - Finally, I have more pictures! There's a few kitsuke pictures and then just ones of tea ceremony. (My husband took these from the chair where he was propped up; he had surgery only a few days before but was determined to make it to the class!)

May and June Kitsuke Dump

I haven't posted any kitsuke pictures for a while, but I have been taking them! (Note: some of these pictures are sideways. While I righted the images before I uploaded them, Blogger keeps putting them the wrong direction. Go figure...)

At the very end of May, I wore this ensemble: a grey hitoe komon with water design and raspberry susuki and dewdrop design nagoya obi. I chose blue accessories to play on the water theme:

In the middle of June, we did one of our monthly "basic" tea ceremony classes. (We do demonstrations of tea ceremony for beginners, and if time allows, we do extra practice to hone our skills for our next class with our sensei.) I wore a green sha komon with ivy leaves and a cream fukuro obi with kikyo design. I used pink accessories in this kitsuke.

 My husband took some pictures of me while I was performing (these are from later in the ceremony):

Picking up the second chawan (tea bowl)

Cleaning the chawan

Adding matcha to the chawan

Putting extra water back in the kama (kettle)

Whisking the matcha

At the end of June, I was a guest at Anime Blues Con with my group Tsuki no Ie Okiya. We had a VIP meet and greet to attend, so we all wore yukata. I chose my favorite one, black with kingyo design, and a cream sha hanhaba obi with silver lamé.

It's not in the pictures, but I also wore a tonbo obikazari. In the musubi picture, you can also see the uchiwa I carried.

I will try to upload more kitsuke pictures from this summer!