YokoDana Kimono Kimono Culture News:
Thanks to japannow.com, for this August 10, 2016 news piece about a service started in Tokyo for visiting foreigners to Japan. It has pointers which our (www.yokodana.com) fans might appreciate. It's short enough we'll post the whole thing below; Link to original article is here):
TOKYO —
Bettergeta.com was established in 2014 by a team of experts in the field of kimono wearing. The company has over 50 years of experience when it comes to the art of the kimono.
Having opened a school for teaching students how to wear this historic garment, Bettergeta.com recently branched out into a new field. It noticed that many tourists who visited Japan wanted to wear a kimono and then have their photograph taken with their friends and family. With that in mind, Bettergeta.com decided to offer such a service from its Shibuya and Jiyugaoka, Tokyo offices.
Here are five tips from Bettergeta.com President Yukie on when you experience wearing a kimono.
1) Wear a tank-top or T-shirts underneath kimono
Kimono is handmade by silk, and pretty heavy when you wear it. There are many layers you have to put on, and it’s comfortable for you if you wear a tank-top or T-shirt underneath. This also makes kimono fabric protected.
2) Let’s be honest- It’s not easy to use a bathroom
Because there are too many layers and is not too comfortable wearing kimono for a few hours, you should take care of your business before you wear them. If you really have to use it, make sure to ask your kimono teacher how to actually use a bathroom.
3) No watch, accessories or jewelry when wearing a kimono
Believe it or not, there are specific rules to not wear accessories when you wear a kimono. It’s important that you take all your accessories off before you wear a kimono. All kimono are made of silk, and some of them are made from very expensive ones. This helps avoiding damage fabrics. It also makes you look much better without wearing accessories.
4) If you are a female, put your hair up
You could just leave it down if it’s a short hair. Typically, it’s does not look clean when you put your hair down. You will also notice from many of pictures that people use hair accessaries to make it prettier as well.
5) Walk slowly, sit in the kimono way
Sitting in the kimono way may be the world’s toughest challenge. When you are wearing a kimono, make sure your sitting posture is as shown in the picture below. You should kneel down with both feet facing outwards to support your body weight. Walking is another aspect that you should pay attention to when you are walking on the street with your kimono. When you are wearing kimono, you should make sure that your feet are always kept close to each other. This is to make you walk gracefully by walking steps. You should avoid walking fast!
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