Happy New Year 2025 ❣

2025 Year of the Snake

From an ukiyo-e triptych of three women out for a NY's temple visit, at the Yanganishima Myōgensan Hosshōji temple in Edo/Tokyo, likely in 1845.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, "Yanagishima on a Morning in the Auspicious Direction (柳嶋朝の恵方) " circa 1845, British Museum and Edo-Tokyo Museum collections

Notice her pink inner skirts has the motif of snake toys.

Likely this print (triptych) was published in 1845 because the censor seals for Mera 米良 and Murata 村田 were used between 1843 and 1847, and 1845 was a year of the snake.

＊The "Kuniyoushi Project" has it wrong in date and site, btw:
http://www.kuniyoshiproject.com/Triptychs%20of%20beautiful%20women,%20Part%20III.htm

Likewise the British Museum and the Edo Tokyo Museum
・ https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_2008-3037-18614
・ https://www.edohakuarchives.jp/detail-9037.html

Wtf Facebook

Taisho Era Meisen Kimono at the Yayoi Museum (Tokyo)

If you are in Tokyo, I highly recommend this exhibition on Meisen kimono at the Yayoi Museum, which is also a terribly fun small museum and connected to the Yumeji Museum next door.

＊Link to exhibition：
https://www.yayoi-yumeji-museum.jp/yayoi/exhibition/now.html

KAINOSHO Tadaoto Exhibition

KAINOSHO Tadaoto: Crossing Boundaries in Nihonga, Theater and Film 2023.07.1 sat. - 08.27 sun. Tokyo Station Gallery

As a Nihonga (Japanese-style) painter, Kainosho Tadaoto (1894-1978) was active in Kyoto during the Taisho (1912-1926) and early Showa Period (1926-1989). The works he showed as a member of the Kokuga Sosaku Kyokai (National Painting Creation Association) were acclaimed for their depiction of human life, which embraced both the beautiful and the ugly. Due in part to Kainosho’s subsequent shift to the film industry, where he worked as a researcher of traditional manners and customs, among other things, he was long neglected by the art world.

Although an exhibition devoted to his paintings that was held at this museum in 1997 prompted a reevaluation of Kainosho’s career, it did not sufficiently address his film work. In light of the fact that some period clothing Kainosho designed for movies was recently unearthed at a film studio in Uzumasa, this exhibition strives to present a full picture of the artist’s career, including his work for the screen.

What I did wear for OC @ Niiza Campus 3-25

Kimono Coordinate for OC on 2923-03-25

Planning “O’hanami Coordinate” for Open Campus lecture on 2023-03-25

2022-06-25 (Sat) @ Bunkyo

AFs April Kimono 2020-04-23 (Sat)

@Bunkyo Campus (Seminar Class)

#LiveImitatingArt

Kiyokata Kaburaki (鏑木清方) Exhibition:

https://kiyokata2022.jp/?fbclid=IwAR3Pvy-cynkkW6ihkB3siOseSUFyfRPpuJPbycAZrR7AC_QbbtHYKnDvY9Y

Kiyokata Kaburaki (鏑木 清方, Kaburaki Kiyokata, August 31, 1878 – March 2, 1972) was the art-name of a Nihonga artist and the leading master of the bijin-ga genre in the Taishō and Shōwa eras. His legal name was Kaburaki Ken'ichi. The artist himself used the reading "Kaburaki", but many Western (and some Japanese) sources transliterate it as "Kaburagi".

In 1917, together with Hirafuku Hyakusui, Matsuoka Eikyu, Kikkawa Reika and Yuki Somei, he helped found the Kinreisha, a Nihonga association training promising young artists, including Kawase Hasui. When Watanabe Shōzaburō started an export woodcut print business, he needed many talented artists to make print designs appealing to western audiences. Kaburaki's group became a recruiting center for Watanabe. Kaburaki organized exhibitions with works of his students and introduced his best students to Watanabe. Next to Watanabe himself, it was probably Kiyokata Kaburaki, who had the greatest influence on the development and promotion of the shin-hanga ("new prints") movement. Alongside Kawase Hasui, artists such as Itō Shinsui, Shiro Kasamasu, Yamakawa Shūhō, Torii Kotondo and Terashima Shimei were trained by Kaburaki and then introduced to Watanabe. 〈Wikipedia：https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyokata_Kaburagi〉

COVID Olympics (Tokyo 2021) NONO

The correspondance between the Tokyo Olympics 2020 2021 and the spike in COVID-19 cases in Tokyo, you be the judge.

The Tokyo Olympics were held between 23 July and 8 August 2021.

The Summer Paralympics were held between 24 August and 5 September 2021, 16 days after the completion of the Olympics.

The spike in COVID-19 cases in Tokyo started late June (when the contestants began to arrive in Tokyo), peaking around September 9th or 10th, and continuing its transmission through late August.

AND YET, the politicians and the organizers, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Organising Committee, insist that there was no correlation, and the IOC even praised the Tokyo Olympics for its safety measures in preventing the spread of COVID-19 (?!).

The Tokyo bid for the Olympics was riddled with disaster from the beginning.

The candidacy for Tokyo Olympics 2016 lost out to Rio, and while many thought this was fortunate due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake & tsunami and nuclear disaster, maybe had it been held in Tokyo then a percentage of the proceeds could have been donated to the recovery of Fukushima.

The beautiful "Blooming Logo" above was used for Tokyo's bid in 2011 for the 2020 Olympics, but unfortunately, it was not permitted to be used as the official logo for the "Tokyo Olympics 2020" proper.

The "Tokyo Olympics 2020" Logo Controversy

In 2015, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee revealed the logos for the Olympic and Paralympic Games designed by Kenjiro Sano. But, oops, Belgian designer Olivier Debie claimed the logo was a copy of his design from 2013 for the Theatre de Liege. And, the Organising Committee was back to the drawing board, and decided to hold an open design competition to find the new logo. Out of nearly 15,000 submissions, of course, they chose the ugliest of the 4 finalists.

(For an excellent review of the controversy see: https://myfopinion.wordpress.com/2020/08/03/the-tokyo-2020-logo-controversy/ )

Then there was the controversy over the "neo-futuristic, 80,000-seat stadium designed by British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid." Google it yourself.

There were also the bribery and heat issues... Anyhow, ...


In March 2020, the organising committee decided to postpone the Tokyo Olympics 2020 by a year due to COVID-19.

Google it youself, but it is my understanding that while the Olympics have been cancelled previously, this is the first time they've been delayed by a year.


International Olympic Committee member says the Games will go on "barring Armageddon"

May 27: The head of a Japanese doctors' union says holding the Games in Tokyo could lead to the emergence of an "Olympic" coronavirus strain, but a senior International Olympic Committee member says the Games will go on "barring Armageddon".

July 8: Olympic organisers decide to hold the Tokyo Games without spectators under coronavirus restrictions as Japan struggles to stem a new wave of infections with a state of emergency in Tokyo.

-- https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/tokyo-2020-timeline-2021-06-22/


Tokyo Olympics 2020 NONO should have been cancelled, see the spike of COVID-19 cases in chart at top.

Tokyo did a really crappy job with its State of Emergency lockdown during 2021, which pretty much just consisted of an alcohol prohibition and limiting operating hours for restaurants.

The residents of Tokyo did a much better job in the previous spring of 2020, pretty much self-imposed, with reduced operating hours (part-time jobs paused, so for once my students actually studied, probably because they were bored out of their minds), social-distance was socially imposed and the numbers of people were limited in public spaces like department stores and museums, and businesses and universties went online reducing the numbers of commuters on trains.

Back to 2021, despite the alcohol prohibition, businesses and universities started to go back to normal with people back to work at the office and more in-person live classes at the universities, both causing more crowded trains. Since the two earlier spikes, in late Dec - early Jan and April, correspond to the periods when university class were being held "hybrid/flex" (limited in-person live classes), as opposed to online only, I suspect that too is not a coincidence.

See also: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Tokyo-2020-Olympics/The-turbulent-journey-to-the-opening-of-Tokyo-2020

2021 AFs November Kimono Part 1

Now that the University is mostly back to live @university classes, I'm also back to being in kimono more often since I actually have to leave my house. (At home, I wear samue 作務衣 (kimono jacket&trousers work clothes).

11/07 (SUN) @ Bunkyo Campus, for "Open Campus"

This truly is the kimono & obi I can get on the fastest, for when I truly have no time and am running late, or just really not enthusiastic about braving the scary outside to leave my home.

11/06 (SAT) @ Bunkyo Campus, for "Seminar Class"

Synthetic Hitoe Kimono & Chrysanthemum Nagoya Obi
(This synthetic hitoe was a bit chilly for this day...)

11/05 (FRI) @ NIIZA Campus, for "MultiMedia PC class & ProZemi (1st yrs)"

Hard to tell from the photos, but a blush-pink Ōshima 大島 hitoe kimono and Hassun 八寸obi with grape motif

11/04 (THU) @ Bunkyo Campus, for "Special Studies in Communication -- Material Studies & Kimono Communnication"

A gorgeous Tōkamachi 十日町 hitoe kimono and Hassun obi with Camelllia motif
(and newly sewed-on han'eri collar)

AFs Recommended Readings on Kimono

Back by popular demand....

(Click images to enlarge)

2021 AFs October Kimono

10/29 (FRI) @ Neighborhood

10/28 (THU) @ Bunkyo Campus

10/27 (WED) @ Bunkyo Campus (computer work)

10/21 (THU) @ Bunkyo Campus
(Same kimono and obi as on Monday, see the diference)

10/18 (MON) @ Funeral

10/16 (SAT) @ Bunkyo Campus, Zemi

10/15 (FRI) @ Niiza, RIGHT
10/14 (THU) @ Bunkyo Campus, Special Studies (Kimono), LEFT

10/08 (FRI) @ Niiza Campus

10/07 (THU) @ Bunkyo Campus, Special Studies (Kimono)

10/03 (SUN) @ Bunkyo Campus, Nyushi

10/02 (SAT) @ Bunkyo Campus, Zemi

Kimono Communication Seminar Exhibition

Kimono Motifs and What They Mean
@ Atomi University (Bunkyo Campus) 7/24-8/1, 2021

This was the project I mentioned here (Kimono Display Ideas for Student Project)

The seminar students wrote the wall texts explaining the motifs and the images. All the kimono and accessories are mine, and I wrote the explanations for those.

Oh, I also did the "Arimatsu Shibori" display in the center, based on a class lecture, and also so that the seminar students could get an idea of what was required.

The display on the manga/anime "Demon Slayer" (鬼滅の刃 kimetsu no yaiba) was supposed to be done by a 4th yr seminar student who is writing her graduation thesis on it, but in the end it was pretty much done by me and my 3rd yrs. (Granted the exhibition was a 3rd yr seminar project.) This is just the right half of the display; the left half not shown, is about travel garb from Edo to Taisho.

At the glass wall at the front was the "Haunted Motifs" (化け物 Bakemono) display. The students working on this display actually did the best job, and went way beyond the exercise requirements in researching information.

The left and right side displays were on Taisho Beauties: Motifs, Images, & Summer Kimono

Right side:

Iris and Rose Panels

To the extant it was possible, I tried to include kimono and kimono accessories related to the motifs each student was assigned to. The "rose" was difficult, she only got an obi'dome (obi decorative clasp), but the rest I managed somehow. I found I owned more chrysanthemum related objects than I had thought (in the exhibition, 1 obi and two different obi'dome).

Left side:

The left wall of Taisho Beauties: Motifs, Images, & Summer Kimono displayed a cotton ro-weave yukata with two butterfly obi, in an attempt to somewhat emulate Goyō Hashiguchi's "Kaso no musume" (橋口 五葉 「夏装の娘」 8月1920年), which depicts a woman wearing a ro-weave cotton kimono and tying on her obi.

The mannequins were themed by style and dressed in vintage kimono.

O'josan (wealthy daughter)
The kimono is likely 1930s, the obi Taisho era (1912-1926) because of the metallica in the obi.
Han'eri (inner collar), contemporary

O'share Musume (Fancy Young Lady)
In a reverse, here the kimono is Taisho era, but likely the obi is from the 1930s or later.
Han'eri (inner collar), Taisho era

Iki na Onna (Stylish Woman)
Of course, my personal fave, the floozy.
She's wearing a Taisho era kimono, but post-war obi.
Han'eri (inner collar), Taisho era
She's modeled after Ito Shinsui's "Iris Yukata" (伊東 深水（あやめの浴衣）大正期)

Since I had to do a class demonstration lecture for Open Campus on 8/1, I wore a theme appropriate kimono coordinate. The kimono I'm wearing is a contemporary remake after a Taisho era nagajuban (under-kimono) design; the obi is likely post-war even though it does have metallica in it. The obi-kazari, hanging on my obi, is actually the keys to the room, since the room was locked when there was no one there to watch it.

For fun, I compared all three (Shinsui's image, the mannequin, and me).

Kimono Display Ideas for Student Project

2021 June Kimono Etc

It's only June, and I'm ready for summer, but the Japanese semester runs through July, and Tokyo is still in lockdown until the 20th.

IN the meantime, I'm apparently "All about the kingyo (goldfish), all about the kingyo..."

Speaking of going out drinking, and lack there of... In my boredom, I finished another ghost short-story.
(Click to enlarge. If livedoor permitted pdf uploads, I would post the whole thing.)

IN "other adventures in AF's world"...

So, a seminar student wanted to do her kimono motif presentation on an animal.
Me, OK, which one?
Her, I'm not particularly interested in any of the options. ［prepared in advance by me］
Me, then what animal would you like?
Her, I like dogs.
Me, ？？？

So, just for her, I made a new one.
(The students have to do a 3-4 slide powerpoint presentation; the first slide is just to show them what MUST be included, other information/details they have to think up themselves.)

Speaking of drinking (again) ...
A friend found a place serving alcohol (despite lockdown regulations forbidding it), bless his little heart.
Anyway, I wore this retro yukata (70s?) on Monday (6/7), which I had actually bought to wear as pajamas, but whatever.
*Notice, the kappa (river creature) ojime 緒締 (part of a inro, netsuke, ojime set; of which I only have the latter two), and which I wore upside down, oops.

I had worn the same yukata shortly before (5/30), to a friend's house for dinner (aka izakaya @ home).

Finally, other misc. kimono related stuff, I am working on a project for my 3rd year seminar students.
*Note to self, remember to contact university about borrowing a tatame classroom for this.

The end (for this post anyway).