And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
I lived in Kyushu for a couple of years and met some kimono teachers. Apparently they go through a process similar to martial arts and one can be awarded ichi-dan level skills (similar to a first degree black belt) recognition by some kimono organization. The same goes for the tea ceremony, flower arranging, and other traditional arts.
That's right. Putting on a kimono correctly takes a lot of skill and practice. My wife volunteers at a kimono rental store every year to help 20-year-old women put on their kimono for the Coming of Age Day ceremony. She has to prove that she can do it correctly before the owner will let her volunteer, and she has a mannequin in the house that she practices on to keep up her skills. The kimono in this picture is for Coming of Age Day, and my wife approves of it.
The Coming of Age Ceremony kimono like the one in the picture are pretty expensive, as you said. Most women just rent them since they can only wear them once. However, very nice used kimono can be picked up pretty cheaply. At least, that's what my wife claims whenever she comes home with another kimono.
Memories.
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DeleteNot at all. My wife still has a couple of hers.
DeleteGlorious!
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Careful lady. Godzilla's about to loom in the background.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Kyushu for a couple of years and met some kimono teachers. Apparently they go through a process similar to martial arts and one can be awarded ichi-dan level skills (similar to a first degree black belt) recognition by some kimono organization. The same goes for the tea ceremony, flower arranging, and other traditional arts.
ReplyDeleteThat's right. Putting on a kimono correctly takes a lot of skill and practice. My wife volunteers at a kimono rental store every year to help 20-year-old women put on their kimono for the Coming of Age Day ceremony. She has to prove that she can do it correctly before the owner will let her volunteer, and she has a mannequin in the house that she practices on to keep up her skills. The kimono in this picture is for Coming of Age Day, and my wife approves of it.
DeleteI have no idea what they cost now, but they were easily a couple thousand dollars and up in the 1970s.
ReplyDeleteThe Coming of Age Ceremony kimono like the one in the picture are pretty expensive, as you said. Most women just rent them since they can only wear them once. However, very nice used kimono can be picked up pretty cheaply. At least, that's what my wife claims whenever she comes home with another kimono.
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