In my childhood, I used to see my mother wearing kimono in her daily life. Kimono looked great on her. She was tall and slender. When I grew up, she often said that wearing kimono made pleasure and I should wear it. However, I never showed my interest in kimono to her.
Visiting an American school for introducing Japanese culture changed my attitude towards kimono. Without embarrassment, I introduced my poor tea ceremony in instant-wearing kimono. Still, the students were so delighted saying kimono was beautiful. I was ashamed of my easy attitude and decided to present tea ceremony beautifully wearing kimono formally some day.
After learning kimono dressing, I began to take Sado (tea ceremony) lesson. At the beginning, I visited my teacher in western clothes. One day when I took a lesson in kimono, my teacher told me I was a quite beginner on kimono dressing. As I wore kimono the way I had learned at kimono school, I asked her why. She said the key to dress up kimono beautifully was to get use to wearing it. Since then I try to set up monthly opportunities to wear kimono.
生け花を教えていた母はいつも着物姿で、背が高くほっそりしていた母に着物はとても似合っていると私は子供ながらに感じていました。「着物は楽しいわよ」と私が大人になってから母はしばしば着物を着るように勧めたのですが、自分には似合わない、動きにくいといった思いもあって、着物に興味を抱くようにはなりませんでした。
そんな私の意識を大きく変えたのは、アメリカの学校での日本文化紹介でした。紹介するものの一つとして、私は簡単に着られる二部式の着物を着てうろ覚えの茶道を恐れることなくやってしまったのですが、そんなお粗末な茶道紹介でも生徒達はとても喜び着物もきれいだと褒めてくれました。思いがけない反応に、安易にやっていた自分が恥ずかしくなり、いつかきちんと着物を着てきれいな所作でお茶を紹介できるようにしようと思いました。
その後、着付けを習った私は茶道のお稽古に通うことになりました。 最初は洋服で伺っていたのですが、ある日、着物を着てお稽古をしていると先生から着物はまだまだ初心者ね、と言われてしまいました。「着付けで習った通りに着ていますが、何故ですか」とお尋ねすると「着物を着なれていないのよ。 着こなすという言葉があるでしょ。」ということでした。母の着物姿が板についていたのは、日々着物で過ごしていたからかと納得しました。それ以来私は月ごとに着物を着る機会を作るようになったのでした。
The opportunities I think of wearing a kimono are as follows
1. Appreciating the nature of the season such as cherry blossom, autumn leaves viewing and so on. Kimono designed with weeping cherry tree is said to wear only in March and April.
2. enjoying traditional Japanese culture such as tea ceremony and the art of identifying incense by its fragrance
3. Sharing Japanese culture with a foreign guest at home
4. Visiting museums and theaters for Japanese exhibits or plays
5. Dining with a friend who likes kimono
6. Visiting an old city in Japan such as Kyoto, Nara, Kanazawa, Kamakura etc.
7. Staying in a fixed place overseas for a long time
I can feel the extraordinary world when I wear kimono. My mother often told me wearing kimono gave pleasure. Her words are true.
