Sunday, December 04, 2005

Fall In Gion: Gion Odori

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Tsunesono, a geiko of Gion, strikes a feminie pose characteristic of Kyomai, Kyoto's traditional style of dance.

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Two geiko Gion of dancing kyomai. The shadow of the geiko Tsuneyu was just too perfect! She was like a porcelain doll.

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Tsuneyu, an older geiko, moved so gracefully I couldnt take my eyes off her. Since Tsuneyu and Tusnesono both share the "Tsu" in their names, they must come from the same Okiya, or geisha house. In the flower and willow world, they are sisters.

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Tsuneyu flutters her fan during the finale, the Song of Higashi Gion. This shot shows the difference in skill between a geiko and a maiko. Note the position of the hands, the fans, and the way their long sleeves are being held. Take a closer look on Flickr: Tsuneyu つねゆ.

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Tsunesono also graced the stage for the final dance, along with all the participating geiko and maiko.

The vivd colors, luxurious silks and elegant design of the maiko's kimonos were breath-taking. These dances transport the audience to a world of ethereal beauty, where every movement is a perfect work of art.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are these all from the same trip? Or do you keep going back?

I assume you do/have done the doll class with Chisako in Seki?

Melissa said...
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Melissa said...

Daniel! Yeah, No. I have never done the doll class with Chisako, but your dolls are cho-kawaii :) I was going to say Seki is a wee bit too far, but then I realized that I have been in Kyoto every weekend for the past month and a half, which is a wee bit farther, me thinks. But its Kyoto! and incase you havent noticed, I suffer from a slight geisha obsession.

I tried to leave a comment on your xanga site but it wouldnt let me. That one genie drawing of you is very Mr. Clean-esque!