Yui Hatano Kimono

Yui Hatano knelt on the rush matting, her breath held tight in her chest. Today was the day she would finally debut in the hikizuri —the trailing kimono worn by geiko, the Kyoto term for geisha. For three years, she had been a maiko , a dancing apprentice, recognizable by her long, dangling obi and high wooden clogs. But today, she was shedding the girlhood of bright reds and pinks for the mature elegance of the professional.

"Yui?" the okasan called softly from inside. yui hatano kimono

These sets usually feature heavy gold leafing and intricate floral embroidery. 2. The Summer Yukata Yui Hatano knelt on the rush matting, her

It was a work of art in itself. A Nagoya obi, slightly shorter than the dangling darari knot she had worn as a maiko, tied in the refined taiko musubi (drum knot). It was gold, with subtle threads of black and rust. It sat high on her back, a rigid rectangle of silk that forced her posture to remain upright. But today, she was shedding the girlhood of