February 27, 2012

Red-Hot Matsuri weekend: Saturday was Yukata day

I'm still waiting for some photos from friends, so I thought I would start with Saturday's warm weather ensemble.
This year's Matsuri was sunny, warm, and a gorgeous spring day in Phoenix...and apparently 86 degrees on Saturday! Decent (A bit hot though) weather if you are in the shade and wearing a cool blue and white yukata but not so good if you have to play taiko. Or walk around in the sun. or work in a booth and sell t-shirts. I did it all Saturday.
I arrived at 9:00am dressed in this lovely half navy and half white yukata with a red hakata obi, ready for the opening ceremony and dance procession. It was cool enough to wear tabi socks for the first hour. My call time for taiko performance wasn't until 2:00pm, so I stayed in yukata until about 12:30, then changed into taiko-playing gear. Playing taiko in the heat at 3:00pm was a different story! The stage had no cover and I think everyone got sunburned despite sunscreen, sunglasses, wearing of hats (Not during the performance of course), and staying somewhat cool. Then there was the dehydration, dry red eyes, and general exhaustion later. And then get up and do it all again the next day.

Other ensemble notes: I'm also wearing a dark red cotton han-eri, navy blue geta, and am using my morning glory kinchaku handbag for the first time. I should have had a bangasa (umbrella) and a fan- next time. 

Photos of the kimono I wore on Sunday will be posted very soon.
~Rebecca

2 comments:

  1. That yukata....just WOW.So elegant with the red hanhaba and haneri! I'm on the lookout for some interesting yukata this year, although I'm not sure I could wear an odori yukata, since I have no where to wear it to lol. They sure do look cool though!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you SO much YFK for the kind comment! I really love this yukata; it is unusual and just learned it is indeed an odori yukata. The navy is so dark it almost looks black and I suspect it wasn't worn hardly at all before I acquired it. It even stained my white susoyoke blue a little bit!
    You should definitely try to find a fun and unusual yukata...something that you really love. I have more opportunities than most because of the weather here, so I'm always on the look out for something different. Plus, since they are so casual, you can really dress them up in fun ways! And I know you are a master at that! :)

    ReplyDelete