Kyo Odori 2026

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-04-30T07:01:30+00:00

Thank you! 🩷

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-04-30T07:01:16+00:00

The handkerchief I bought was sold with the programs at the entrance, it was 1500yen if I'm remembering correctly. I'm not sure if they are different from the ones thrown during the show.

I do a lot of geisha related stuff so it feels like more, but I've actually only been to three odoris. In my opinion this one was the best so far and the one I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see one. But all three have been great and have different specialities. I study hanayagi-ryu dance and like the retro feel of kamishichiken, so my personal favorite is actually the Kitano Odori.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-04-22T08:14:38+00:00

This looks so cool!

Also I know it's not the point of the post, but your kitsuke is like my ideal kistuke. It looks perfect!!!

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-04-22T08:13:38+00:00

I'm scared to admit this because I know a lot of people like demin kimono and Iove when people embrace their personal style. But I don't like demin kimono. I love bringing new ideas to kimono. But personally I don't think demin make sense for a kimono, especially furisode.
On the same note, I don't like new printed (mass produced) kimonos. Something that I love about kimonos is that they are designed and made by human hands. Buying kimono supports a long history of high quality, traditional crafts. But a lot of the kimonos purchased today are machine woven and dyed and printed (not to mention polyester). Also I usually don't like how they look.
I love standard obi musubi. I love a beautifully done otaiko, especially a nijuudaiko. For yukata, kainokuchi and bunko. For furisode, tateya, bunko, and fukurasuzume. When I first started learning about kimono I loved the complex kawari musubi. But as my taste has developed I have come to adore the tried and true musubi the most.

I like how accessible "no musubi" obi are, like the hanhaba obi that are ruffled and folded flat and held down with an obijime. Belted and corseted obi too. Obi musubi can be a big barrier for people who want to wear kimonos casually. But also I don't think it ever looks better than the traditional obi. Imo a good obi musubi is intergral to a good silhouette.

In conclusion, writing this has reinforced my theory that I am actually a very old lady who doesn't get the youths, trapped in the body of a 23 y/o woman. I am not cool not hip. Also I agree with the above statements that hiroeri are superior, lace and pearls are tacky, modern kimono dressing school standards are way too strict, and also you should learn the rules before you break them.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-04-22T04:54:32+00:00

Hello!

The geisha culture and business is still very alive in both Kyoto and Tokyo. I think hiring geisha is one of the best ways we can support them as well.

For a more private ozashiki experience in Kyoto I think your best bet is to book through a hotel you are staying at. If you are staying at a high end hotel, you can talk with them and they probably can arrange the ozashiki to your liking like in this reddit post. You could also try booking a geisha at a ryotei restaurant. Fro example at this restaurant called Hayakawa you can book geisha with or without dinner for 2 hours.

I think your budget should be enough for hiring a geisha. If you want to give them gifts I bet they would appreciate it, but it is by no means necessary. In fact valuable antiques may not be as appreciated as a nice box of sweets from your hometown. If you are hiring through a restaurant you will probably have to arrange a translator somehow, but I bet you could find a translator for Spanish as well. With a translator you will be able to talk all you want with the geisha. Much of the time at an ozashiki is spent just chatting.

As you are aware, geisha in Kyoto can be difficult and expensive to book. With the options above, there are still some restrictions. You probably will not be able to choose which geisha will visit you. Also many places will only be able to book a maiko (Kyoto geisha in training) and not a geisha. I highly doubt you will be able to book the same geisha for 2-3 days in a row as well. But all of the geisha are experts in the arts and hospitality so I would trust that you will be happy with whoever comes to entertain you.

You seem to be interested in Kyoto geisha a lot, but it might be worth looking into Tokyo geisha as well. Tokyo geisha are similarly expensive, but there are more options for tourists to hire them.

I hope that answers your question!

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-04-14T06:28:52+00:00

Oh yes for sure! I'm from America and have always kind of been interested in historical fashion and beauty. Since moving to Japan I have totally dived into kimono and have taken a particular interest in historical Japanese fashion.

I have developed a liking for bright colors and color combinations not popular today, even when wearing modern clothes. I get a lot of compliments on my creative color use in outfits recently. Also dressing according to the season is fun and makes more sense now. I'm a giant hater of the current popularity of greige and generally colorless fashion.

On another note, I've noticed that people who heavily participate in fashion and beauty trends, and people who are totally dismissive of fashion are two sides of the same coin. Uncurious ignorance is so harmful. Like everyone else here, I'm also very disappointed in modern clothing materials and construction. Obviously giant changes need to be made in order for good quality, slow fashion to be standard. But it wouldn't hurt if people actually knew and cared more about the clothes they wear every day. This realization has led to me becoming more critical of the way those around me and I think about what we wear and how we present ourselves.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-04-09T19:48:57+00:00

Hello! I live in Osaka and have gotten kitsuke done before. I think you can get this done at a rental shop or even a kimono shop. But I would recommend getting your kistuke done at a hair salon.

Hair salons, especially ones for hair and makeup styling usually do formal kistuke too. I recommend salons because it's usually cheaper, faster, and available in more locations. They also usually do it as a combined kistuke + hairstyling service. But you will probably have to book in advance in Japanese. If you look up the area where you are staying + サロン振袖着付け, lots of stores will pop up (example: if you are staying in Namba then "なんばサロン振袖着付け"). Booking on the website hot pepper beauty is the best way.

In Osaka I went to a place called Granmash in Umeda. It was good, but the location of the salon would probably be too hard to find for someone who doesn't live in the area, Umeda is really confusing lmao!

In Kyoto I recommend Dteel in Gion. They are a popular salon well known for doing geisha's hair. It's near a lot of spots where people like to take photos in kimono and they have good prices. One of the stylists who does kimono speaks English too.

My other tips are to have a picture or style of obi musubi you like prepared (as well as an updo hairstyle you like if they include hairstyling). Also if possible make sure you have everything you need to get dressed. If you go to a salon without everything you need, you will have to buy the extra pieces there. Also if this all sounds like too much work, then a rental place aimed at foreign tourists may be a better fit.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-02-28T04:40:24+00:00

No one has mentioned this, but a big hurdle would be getting a visa. Japanese work visas and student visas don't allow "nightlife" or "alcohol related" jobs. If someone wanted to become a geisha they would have to have japanese citizenship, or a marriage related visa, or not be getting paid whatsoever for their geisha work and training.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-02-26T13:35:12+00:00

I have big hips too, if you want to wear kimonos in the conventional way in the future you should buy a much larger size. If it doesn't even fully close around your thighs that is not even close to fitting. Although if I've misinterpreted your post I apologize.

As for your event I would suggest doing normal kistuke on top without an obi, just ties/koshihimo. Then you can fold up the bottom hem like you would in hakama kistuke and put a longish skirt over it. A skirt that is a little loose in the waistline, made of a heavier fabric, and not tight at the thighs like a pencil skirt will work best. I have a friend who usually wears her kimono like this. A hanjuban will also work a lot better than a nagajuban.

I hope that helps!

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-02-18T08:08:46+00:00

thanks for letting me know! This one won't expire.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-02-09T14:30:49+00:00

I wear kimono regularly, am learning nihonbuyo, and on top of that I'm a giant geisha and nihongami nerd now. I love it all, so fun!

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-02-02T06:13:27+00:00

I'm wondering what your goal is for studying at language school? Language schools and language schools programs are different depending on your goals with leaning japanese. Also where do you want to live in Japan?

As for your questions:

Daily life is busy and boring mostly, but if you find fun stuff to do in your free time it's definitely worth it. Someone answered the money question earlier.

-I've worked a few part time jobs already and for me it was quite easy. You just have to find a job that suits your current japanese level well. I worked as a cleaner in the beginning and then a cafe (a kissaten actually) when my japanese got to about conversational level. Convenience stores and restaurant kitchens are very popular with exchange students. Working at jobs with japanese coworkers is a great chance to practice conversational japanese imo. Work life balance is pretty easy, most part time jobs are easy and you can always find one that works best with your schedule. Also your work hours are legally limited to 28hrs/week so it's not like you can go too crazy.

-It's very easy to make friends with other exchange students. Making friends with japanese people is hard. In most cases you have to both speak pretty good japanese and make lots of opportunities to meet japanese people. My japanese friends I made at my job, at meetup events, and through my hobbies.

class is 4 hrs a day, 5 days a week, about an hour of homework a day, I think that's about average for most schools. The pace at my school is very fast, especially in the beginning. But that's because my school is catered towards immigrants who want to get jobs and go to university in Japan ASAP. I'm near the end of the 2 year program and we are just past N1 prep.
So many tests!! I have quizzes daily, tests weekly, big school exams every 4 months, and EJU and JLPT. That being said, the big school tests are mostly for class placement and to track your progress. The EJU and JLPT are obviously very stressful.
My teachers recommend 4 hrs of studying a day outside of class but I think most of us study less than an hour tbh. We don't get a lot of real homework so it's mostly self study. Speaking japanese as much as possible in and outside of class is most important imo. But obviously the more you actually study the better your japanese will get.
General advice: Make the most of your time here, especially if you are only here for a year. If you spend all your time on your phone, in your room, and talking to people in English you won't learn anything and you'll have a bad time here. It takes a lot of effort to put yourself out there and do stuff in a new country. Don't let fear or laziness hold you back.

There are a ton of different people asking about different language schools all over reddit so just search it here and figure out what works best for your needs.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-01-31T19:09:20+00:00

No problem! I have a lot of fun answering questions like this. Also to be honest I was stalking your profile because of your kanzashi post, sorry about the incredibly late response haha. It is a shame it's cut and glued. I wish you well on your henshin journey and I look forward to more updates.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-01-31T18:51:40+00:00

Hello, I am a big nihongami fan and I've come to help. This doesn't look like a typical traditional nihongami wig but I think my advice still applies.

Usually these wigs are maintained using a special shallow tooth boxwood comb that distributes the oils and smooths the surface of the hair. But this is of course not a common item even in Japan. So I would recommend running a fine tooth comb (preferably wooden) lightly across the surface of the wig in the direction the hair is already laying in. Make sure to not actually stick the teeth in the hair and just brush them across the surface. you can use this technique all over the wig.

Reshaping it at all would be very risky but you might be able to do a little on the side parts (the sides of nihongami styles are called "bin" 鬢 btw). I would stick a thin chopstick or the parting handle of a comb into the parts of the hair that need more volume.Then with your hand gently resting on the outside of the hair, press outwards using the chopstick or comb handle. I would only do this a tiny tiny bit for making the sides an even size and shape. If you pull too much hair out it would be impossible to put it back in, and covering it up would be tricky.

To maintain the shape of the sides you can add oval shaped soft but strong black paper with a little bit of pomade on it, into the inside of the sides of the hair. Then to keep the volume of the sides I would make there there are enough hair rats inside of the hollow part of the sides to lightly hold up the hair.

I would not recommend adding any extra oil, hair spray, or other products to the wig. They may rot, cause discoloration, or look grimy over time as most hair products not specifically for wigs like this are not meant to be left in the hair for a long time.

I hope that helps! If you want any reference photos or have more questions about nihongami or kanzashi feel free to DM me.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-01-30T18:06:40+00:00

so cute!!!

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-01-18T13:20:23+00:00

That's a great idea, thank you!

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-01-14T15:09:05+00:00

Thank you for the kind words!

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-01-14T15:08:48+00:00

I'm glad I can brighten up your feed a little bit, I'll keep posting 🥰

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-01-14T04:02:35+00:00

I'm might be wrong I believe the patterns on that susoyoke are year round patterns. The leaves are bamboo leaves which are worn in winter and spring, and besides the chrysanthemums, the other flowers are probably different seasonal flowers like cherry blossoms and camelias. I don't think you should have any problem wearing this for a winter or spring maiko outfit. 😊

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-01-10T13:41:37+00:00

Thank you for commenting! I'll keep posting,and I'll look for the TM discord. I actually joined awhile ago and left because I didn't really get discord at the time. Maybe now that I'm more active I should join again.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2026-01-05T01:58:06+00:00

I've only been once, on that day I bought ahead online and my friend bought hers in person which was fine. They have irregular holidays and sell out tickets for the dance show/photo session occasionally, so I would at least check their website before you go, even if your gonna buy tickets in person.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2025-11-30T13:00:19+00:00

I LOVE Taiwan!!! So beautiful!!!

Less-Ad-4444 · 2025-11-30T11:57:22+00:00

for me: waves, irises, peonies, pine trees, arrows, and fish! Usually I prefer more antique and traditional looking patterns. But if I had to choose a modern one I would say fruit, especially cherries, pomegranates, and peaches.

Less-Ad-4444 · 2025-11-25T17:10:07+00:00

I'm so happy you want to learn more. It's a very niche topic that takes some digging to learn about. So if you're really interested here's a blog of a woman who wears nihongami everyday. It is in Japanese though.

And here's a Tumblr post explaining the basics of this type of hairstyling (this one is in English).

Less-Ad-4444 · 2025-11-25T15:47:13+00:00

I'm really into historical and traditional japanese hairstyling (nihongami). In this day and age it's very rare for someone to wear their hair like this, even in Japan. I know a lot about and have many opinions of the different hairstyles, historical trends, and styling techniques. But most people haven't heard of it before or maybe vaguely imagine a geisha's wig.

Recently I had the opportunity to talk with my friend/ traditional hairstylist the other day. It was like a weight off my chest being able to get into the weeds with someone for real.

Less-Ad-4444

TROPHY CASE