I remember the first time my grandma dressed me up in a kimono. I just turned 5 and everyone gathered at grandma's house for a family birthday party. All I wanted was some cake and a chance to wish for a Rainbow Brite doll. But before we could get into any eats, my grandma and aunties all wanted to play dress up.
My Grandma pulled out a beautiful silk kimono, a sparkling silver obi, tons of undergarments which smelled like my grandma (my most favorite nostalgic scent), a tiny pair of geta's, and several flower hairpins. "Wow!", I thought. Everything looked so delicate and dainty. That was until, the kimono squad started spinning me around, pulling my hair, and tying himos (ropes) all around my fragile little frame. I wanted to cry out for my parents to come and save me, but before I could, the squad spun me in front of the mirror and the torture for beauty was all over.
My Grandma pulled out a beautiful silk kimono, a sparkling silver obi, tons of undergarments which smelled like my grandma (my most favorite nostalgic scent), a tiny pair of geta's, and several flower hairpins. "Wow!", I thought. Everything looked so delicate and dainty. That was until, the kimono squad started spinning me around, pulling my hair, and tying himos (ropes) all around my fragile little frame. I wanted to cry out for my parents to come and save me, but before I could, the squad spun me in front of the mirror and the torture for beauty was all over.
All wrapped up in a compact bundle of Japanese cutesy, we were ready for our annual Obon festival in downtown.
Okinawa dangos (fried donut balls) have always been an Obon favorite. Their carby. Their sweet. Their fried! Go Okinawa!
At the end of the day, after the bingo, and dangos, and mediocre chili gohan (rice) and udon, it's time to dance. I've always loved odori (traditional Japanese dancing) and it meant a lot to me to have Dylan share some of the simple joys in my life.
16 comments:
I only have vague recollections of maybe one or two Obon festivals as a kid (probably at my mom's childhood church, Senshin), but what stuck with me was the taiko. I've always harbored a fantasy of joining a taiko group. :)
Looks like you had fun, and cool that you could share it with Dylan. La dra. and always make little jokes when we do something like that from one of the other's ethnic backgrounds, we say "Thank you for sharing your culture with me!" Okay, that's probably only funny to us. Heh. (BTW, D, dude, awesome shirt!)
Beautiful photos! And great post!!!
You are my obon festival guru! I have two left feet when it comes to the odori, and I need to ask my ba-chan how to dress in a kimono. :(
Looks like you and D had a blast! And looks like we just missed each other this weekend! DOH!
Daddy in a strange land...I played taiko, briefly, for a week. It was so much work on your arms and thighs. My friends from UCI all played taiko...I was always envious of their skills. Wait, so are you hapa? Sweet.
Bola...Dylan took the pictures..I just edited them. You should definitely learn how to dress in a kimono/yukata. It's such a lost part of our culture in our generation.
Beautiful.
ps. Please tell where ED&BM got that shirt. It is teh awesome.
Hey,
Thanks for sharing that.
I always wonder how girls dress up and go out in those shoes - it seems like they're constantly compromising comfort for beauty's sake...not that I'm one to argue ;)
Thanks Guilty Carnivore! Since you guys are eyeing D's Carne Asada T...find them here at Beezo California .
You're welcome Doug. Geta's are nothing...you should see the stilettos that Japanese women wear...it's ridiculous...especially in the snow!
So, Jeni, what'd you think I was? ;) Heh.
Pretty! I want a kimono too :)
That curry okinomiyaki in your most recent post looks so good. I can't wait till the bay area has their Obon festival.
Daddy in a strange land...I thought you were a low-rider. No???
Jadedone...get a yukata which is a summer cotton kimono! There are less layers and it's a lot more comfortable and easier to wear. Plus they're super cutesy! Oh and Gaja was selling okonomiyaki AND curry..but not together. But you've got me thinking...okonomiyaki with curry rice on top. I'd see little yukata girls passed out after eating that mess!
Haha werd! Thanks for the tip :) When I saw Okonomiyaki and curry, I thought they added a curry powder to the batter or something.
Low-rider? Huh? ;)
Mom's sansei, born in Tule Lake right before the camp was closed, grew up in Crenshaw/Jefferson Park, went to Dorsey back in the day.
Dad's hakujin, mostly Jewish (ethnic/secular) (3 of my great-grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Austria-Hungary, one was an American of Scotch-Irish-Protestant extraction). Grew up in Fairfax, went to Fairfax.
Funny thing, I hadn't seen any of your posts about your dad before we met, only stuff about your mom, so despite the title of your blog, I assumed you were Vietnamese American only, and after we met you, I said to my wife, hey, she didn't look Vietnamese (whatever that means!), she looked more JA to me. ;) Heh.
daddy in a strange land...haha...i teach near Dorsey. D-HOUSE! haha. Wow..what a cool mix.
Yea I mentioned my mix a while ago...Okinawan on my dad's side and Vietnamese on my mama's side. I love being mixed too...best of both worlds.
Anyways, been reading your guy's blogs...I LOVE THEM. I want to have kids now. Shh..don't tell D.
aww you look so pretty!! i've always wanted to try on a kimono. looks lot harder than putting on a korean hanbok!
Well, when you guys are ready, D's got a spot waiting for him on Rice Daddies. ;) Heh.
Re: JAs and the Crenshaw District, you ever read "Southland" by Nina Revoyr? Great book. (Her first novel, "The Necessary Hunger," is amazing--my favorite novel about/set in Los Angeles.)
"Sayonara" and "Mata ne" indeed. Ja na.
I'm so jealous that you live in Japan! I had to move out of my home country because of my father's work, but I enjoyed it very much. There're still Aki Matsuris here, so I get a chance to wear my yukata, but it's NOTHING like Japan's festivals! The fireworks were absolutely amazing over there too...
*sigh* I miss Japan!
Post a Comment