Yukatas, Kimonos and cute Divas

Okay, so FINALLY an update! I have been extremely busy in August. I am now teaching four students private Japanese lessons, and I have two Japanese teachers myself, plus taking kung fu, etc. etc. Whew! But, I just got back from climbimg Mt. Fuji and visiting Kyoto, Osaka and Nara!

So, about here is where I left off...

Suigo Sai is a huge summer festival that we have in Matsue the first weekend of August. It goes for two nights and on the last, there are spectacular fireworks for one hour! It's sort of like a July 4th type celebration, although, I have no idea what they are actually celebrating, other than an excuse to have really great fireworks. It's a traditional festival and I heard from my students that many people wear yukatas and kimonos, so, I decided to be a brave foreigner and wear one myself! So here are a few shots of that night and some co-workers and friends.

The first time I wore my yukata was to a "Gaijin Yukata Party" where foreigners in Matsue can wear them without feeling too awkward (although I still felt a little weird in it). The party was thrown by a fabulous guy named Steven, who owns his own English school in Matsue and has lived here for many many years.

I bought my yukata (oh, and by the way, a yukata is just a simmered down kimono) on my lunch break the day of the party, so I brought it in to one of my classes and had two of my favorite women students show me how to wear it. It's quite complicated with a few parts, but they told me that it was very easy compared to wearing a kimono. However, later that night, I rushed home and Rebecca helped me put it on again and we went straight to the party. When I saw a couple of my good Japanese friends they first looked at me in a little shock, then giggled a little. I asked my friend Yoko what was wrong, and she said, "Ohhh Jeshka. Yowa yukata mean death!" I said, "WHAT??!!" I had folded my yukata right over left, instead of left over right, and that's how they dress the dead! But, one of the most charming things about the Japanese is that they totally realize that foreigners just can't know certain things about their culture, and they just think it's cute when we do something silly like this. Their culture is just so complex, but, they never expect foreigners to understand and they are so patient with us.

Needless to say, I wore the yukata of the living for the Suigo Sai festival!