Nothing beats representing Japanese Culture more than a kimono. Because kimonos are made with exceptional skill from fine materials, they have been regarded as great works of art. I was told they can easily cost more than $10,000! I had no idea it was such a long process to even put one on; let alone making one.
During our Tokyo tour, we had the pleasure to each put on a kimono. When we entered the changing room, we were invited to have a cup of green tea together to celebrate good fortune. As we sipped away, we found tiny gold flakes floating in our tea. At this moment, I learned that gold is an ancient symbol of prosperity and adds significance to any special occasion. It was a wonderful way to begin the process.
With nine changing stations set up on the floor (accompanied by a licensed professional kimono dresser), each girl was able to choose the color they wanted to put on. Being a little on the short side, I had fewer options (one to be exact), but was pleased by the gorgeous teal color of the kimono I was going to wear.
Now, a kimono is something one cannot put on alone. Before even getting started, I could foresee the longevity of the process from the look of each station. The fun began as we started with the socks. After about an hour of layer after layer, the kimono process was completed with a flower in our hair. I lost count while getting dressed, but the typical woman's kimono outfit consists of twelve or more separate pieces that are worn, matched and secured in particular ways.
Although I felt twice as large with all the layering, it looked as beautiful as ever. I was most impressed by the implementation of the large bows on our backs.
When everyone was fully dressed, the picture taking began. How fun! Everyone looked so pretty in their kimonos! These are photos I will cherish forever.
Nowadays, kimonos are more often worn by women. But, few men still wear the garment at special events. I was told professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in kimonos because they are required to wear traditional Japanese attire when in public. Unfortunately, the sumo wrestlers we saw were not wearing kimonos. They were wearing Yukatas (what we wore at the hot springs), the more simple version. On the up side… we saw sumo wrestlers!
After changing out of our kimonos, we were on our way to Ryogoku Kokugikan where a grand sumo tournament was taking place! When we disembarked the train, it was only a two minute walk to the arena. As we briskly walked, we spotted a few sumo wrestlers, dressed in their yukatas, walking in the opposite direction. Most likely they were coming from the tournament. They did not look very large, but it got us more excited to see the bigger guys at the arena! With tickets waiting for us at will-call, we entered the building and was surprised at how large the event was. With about 10,000 attendees and refreshments and souvenir stands found throughout the arena, it almost felt like being at a basketball game!
We got there just in time to see the last couple of matches. They were incredible! Each match takes place within the sumo ring, called the, “dohyo.” Within the dohyo is a 15-foot diameter circle where the actual match, called a bout, takes place. A bout can be won in two ways: (1) forcing the opponent out of the inner circle or (2) forcing the opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body, other than his feet. Can you imagine how quick these run? Although the amount of time the opponents are in contact is very brief, the preparation beforehand feels like it takes forever! At the time, I had no idea what they were doing! After some research on Google, I found that a number of rituals are performed prior to each bout. After all the rituals are performed, both sumo wrestlers would get into position, stare at each other for a little bit, and if one is not ready, they will go back to their corners for more mental preparation and repeat the rituals again. It seemed like the more advanced the wrestlers were, the longer the preparation was. Sometimes it took about five minutes before they would start the bout. At times it got frustrating because we didn’t know when they would go at it, but when the initial charge took place, we watched in excitement. I was most nervous for those spectators sitting close to the dohyo. I wonder what kind of damage could be made if a sumo wrestler fell on you!
Our last night in Japan was coming to an end and just when I thought we couldn’t do anymore, there was still time to fit one more event in our schedule; the Tsukiji Fishi Market.
The Tsukiji Fish Market was known to be the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. When I was told that, it became another “must-see” for me. I’m such a sucker for major attractions. We were told that most shops close by the early afternoon, but if we really wanted to get a good taste of the fish market, we needed to be there around 6:00am. After seven very short sleep-nights, I put myself to the challenge to have one more. Four other girls were on board as well, but when I made the 5:00am wake up call, we lost one to the enemy of sleep. It was a rough morning, but with a little pick me up at Starbucks, we were able to make it to the fish market by 6:30am. I will forever remember the smell on the day I visited the Tsukiji Fish Market.
With over 400 different types of seafood, and over 900 wholesale dealers, I was overwhelmed! Did you know Tuna can weigh up to 660 lbs?!? I had no idea! As we walked through the market, individual carts were being driven throughout the market, transporting fish between buyers and sellers. It was very quick to learn they do not slow down for pedestrians. At the market, an auction takes place around 5:30am. We were told that we had just missed the craziness. Yet, our timing was perfect because although people were not screaming numbers and throwing fish all over the place, we were able to see everything and even take pictures with a few workers without getting in anyone’s way. Yoshimi told us tourists are not normally welcomed in the fish market because they come to see the fish, but not buy anything. Yet, all the workmen seemed very friendly to our group of four girls.
As the hours went by, it was finally time to go home. Going to Tokyo was an amazing experience but it was the people that made it all worth while. From working with the Dance Clinic participants and all the BJ-League representatives, to Yoshimi’s family, my brother and traveling with a group of my closest friends, I have made memories that will last forever. Because of this experience, Japan has a special place in my heart.
During our Tokyo tour, we had the pleasure to each put on a kimono. When we entered the changing room, we were invited to have a cup of green tea together to celebrate good fortune. As we sipped away, we found tiny gold flakes floating in our tea. At this moment, I learned that gold is an ancient symbol of prosperity and adds significance to any special occasion. It was a wonderful way to begin the process.
With nine changing stations set up on the floor (accompanied by a licensed professional kimono dresser), each girl was able to choose the color they wanted to put on. Being a little on the short side, I had fewer options (one to be exact), but was pleased by the gorgeous teal color of the kimono I was going to wear.
Now, a kimono is something one cannot put on alone. Before even getting started, I could foresee the longevity of the process from the look of each station. The fun began as we started with the socks. After about an hour of layer after layer, the kimono process was completed with a flower in our hair. I lost count while getting dressed, but the typical woman's kimono outfit consists of twelve or more separate pieces that are worn, matched and secured in particular ways.
Although I felt twice as large with all the layering, it looked as beautiful as ever. I was most impressed by the implementation of the large bows on our backs. 
When everyone was fully dressed, the picture taking began. How fun! Everyone looked so pretty in their kimonos! These are photos I will cherish forever.
Nowadays, kimonos are more often worn by women. But, few men still wear the garment at special events. I was told professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in kimonos because they are required to wear traditional Japanese attire when in public. Unfortunately, the sumo wrestlers we saw were not wearing kimonos. They were wearing Yukatas (what we wore at the hot springs), the more simple version. On the up side… we saw sumo wrestlers!
After changing out of our kimonos, we were on our way to Ryogoku Kokugikan where a grand sumo tournament was taking place! When we disembarked the train, it was only a two minute walk to the arena. As we briskly walked, we spotted a few sumo wrestlers, dressed in their yukatas, walking in the opposite direction. Most likely they were coming from the tournament. They did not look very large, but it got us more excited to see the bigger guys at the arena! With tickets waiting for us at will-call, we entered the building and was surprised at how large the event was. With about 10,000 attendees and refreshments and souvenir stands found throughout the arena, it almost felt like being at a basketball game!
We got there just in time to see the last couple of matches. They were incredible! Each match takes place within the sumo ring, called the, “dohyo.” Within the dohyo is a 15-foot diameter circle where the actual match, called a bout, takes place. A bout can be won in two ways: (1) forcing the opponent out of the inner circle or (2) forcing the opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body, other than his feet. Can you imagine how quick these run? Although the amount of time the opponents are in contact is very brief, the preparation beforehand feels like it takes forever! At the time, I had no idea what they were doing! After some research on Google, I found that a number of rituals are performed prior to each bout. After all the rituals are performed, both sumo wrestlers would get into position, stare at each other for a little bit, and if one is not ready, they will go back to their corners for more mental preparation and repeat the rituals again. It seemed like the more advanced the wrestlers were, the longer the preparation was. Sometimes it took about five minutes before they would start the bout. At times it got frustrating because we didn’t know when they would go at it, but when the initial charge took place, we watched in excitement. I was most nervous for those spectators sitting close to the dohyo. I wonder what kind of damage could be made if a sumo wrestler fell on you!
Our last night in Japan was coming to an end and just when I thought we couldn’t do anymore, there was still time to fit one more event in our schedule; the Tsukiji Fishi Market.
The Tsukiji Fish Market was known to be the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. When I was told that, it became another “must-see” for me. I’m such a sucker for major attractions. We were told that most shops close by the early afternoon, but if we really wanted to get a good taste of the fish market, we needed to be there around 6:00am. After seven very short sleep-nights, I put myself to the challenge to have one more. Four other girls were on board as well, but when I made the 5:00am wake up call, we lost one to the enemy of sleep. It was a rough morning, but with a little pick me up at Starbucks, we were able to make it to the fish market by 6:30am. I will forever remember the smell on the day I visited the Tsukiji Fish Market.
With over 400 different types of seafood, and over 900 wholesale dealers, I was overwhelmed! Did you know Tuna can weigh up to 660 lbs?!? I had no idea! As we walked through the market, individual carts were being driven throughout the market, transporting fish between buyers and sellers. It was very quick to learn they do not slow down for pedestrians. At the market, an auction takes place around 5:30am. We were told that we had just missed the craziness. Yet, our timing was perfect because although people were not screaming numbers and throwing fish all over the place, we were able to see everything and even take pictures with a few workers without getting in anyone’s way. Yoshimi told us tourists are not normally welcomed in the fish market because they come to see the fish, but not buy anything. Yet, all the workmen seemed very friendly to our group of four girls.
As the hours went by, it was finally time to go home. Going to Tokyo was an amazing experience but it was the people that made it all worth while. From working with the Dance Clinic participants and all the BJ-League representatives, to Yoshimi’s family, my brother and traveling with a group of my closest friends, I have made memories that will last forever. Because of this experience, Japan has a special place in my heart.
T - Amazing photos!!!
ReplyDeletePeace,
- Neo