From the CIR's mouth

THE KIMONO

What is a kimono? To many people it is just a piece of cloth; a traditional kind of Japanese dress. When asked this question, many people see only what is right in front of their eyes, without looking for the deeper meaning quietly hiding within the folds of fabric. To be honest I was once one of them. But if asked this question now, I would answer, yes it is those things, but it also holds so much more meaning than that. The kimono epitomizes Japanese culture. It carries the history and customs of Japan within its very fiber.

The kimono has been worn by Japanese people for centuries. Over hundreds of years it has developed in to what we now know as the kimono. The delicate styles, the intricate designs, the beautiful colours all combine to produce what the Japanese call 'clothes', and what I call a 'work of art'. It has soaked up the spirit, history, and culture of the Japanese people, and continues to intrigue in a way that little else can.

The different styles of kimono such as long or short sleeved, festive or reserved, depend on many different circumstances. This includes things like whether you are married or single, old or young, whether you are attending a wedding as the mother of the bride or groom, or simply as a guest; whether you are celebrating a festival or attending a gathering, and much more. These customs provide great insights in to the past and what has given rise to the culture of Japan today.

The designs and colours present on the kimono are just as insightful. Through the delicate designs and colours embroidered on to the fabric, you can begin to get a feel for the way the Japanese viewed the world, and acquire a sense of the Japanese taste of artistic beauty. Kimonos frequently depict images that mimic the changing seasons, and creatively capture fleeting moments of beauty. By pausing to view the intricately weaved scenes flowing across the length of fabric, you can see and feel the past, not just dream about it.

The way a kimono is worn is also deceptively simple looking, yet gruelingly complicated. Having something that looks simple on the surface, yet so difficult in practice, is a typical aspect of Japanese culture. Japanese people do not show off their skills and are humble concerning everything they do. Again, the kimono reflects this desire which has become ingrained within the very being of Japanese culture.

You may be wondering what caused such a considerable change in the way I view kimono. To be honest it was quite an accident. I was having a sleep in on Saturday morning, when I got a phone call from a friend who works at the International Association. He announced that I should proceed there immediately as there was a kimono teacher planning to call in later. This teacher wanted to teach foreigners how to wear kimono in order to have them take part in a competition. I balked at the word competition, but was eventually talked in to at least coming to see the teacher and check it out. As it turned out, I met with the teacher, who showed a movie of last year's competition, and expectantly looked me over, mentioning that I would suit the pink kimono she had brought with her. I simply couldn't refuse.

I had just gone to 'have a look', and was unexpectedly roped in from the beginning. To start with, I wasn't particularly appreciative of the great opportunity I had been given. Kimono, I soon discovered, was very hot, very tight, and very difficult to wear. In the competition we would be required to create the obi, dress the upper kimono, and attach the completed obi in under 10 minutes. The first time I tried to make just the obi by itself, I took over 20 minutes, and it fell apart when I picked it up. I thought to myself it would be a major miracle if I could even put a kimono together, let alone do it all within 10 minutes!!!

My teacher was very patient and understanding, and had taken a lot of time and effort to include me in her lessons. She had given me a great opportunity, and I decided I couldn't waste it. I threw myself in to the training whole heartedly, attending evening lessons, three times per week. Eventually I could put a kimono together by myself, even if it was lopsided and full of wrinkles. I checked the time it had taken me from start to finish, and was disappointed to see a total of 29 minutes. However, my teacher admired the progress I had made and her kind words spurred me on to improve my skills. I got faster. My time started dropping from 29, to 21, to 15, to 12, to 11minutes. The wrinkles and lopsidedness were slowly replaced with balanced edges and smooth planes. I was so proud of myself, I even gave a demonstration in front of my work colleagues, who were very impressed.

Ok, I thought to myself, no more mucking around, I've got to get under ten minutes. I asked a fellow student to race with me, and we faced eachother across the room as if to do battle, all the equipment carefully laid out in place before us. Start! I flew through the movements, speedily attaching the numerous strings and creating the obi, then rearranging the upper kimono, attaching the hidden belts, making sure it was straight and unwrinkled, flying on to the next part, placing the obi on my back, tying it up with strings, creating the final touches, checking it's all in order. Finished! Tentatively, I checked my time - 9 minutes 40 seconds!!! What a great feeling that was! Ok competition, here I come!

The big day had finally arrived, the Tohoku regional finals kimono competition was actually here! I attended the beauty shop to have my hair put up in the Japanese style, and to have my face professionally made up. I felt like a princess. But when I arrived at the Bunka Center and saw all the people dressed up in their beautiful kimonos I felt somewhat overwhelmed and the nerves began kicking in!

We were instructed on how and where to stand during the competition, among numerous other things, and the time passed by in a blur. Before I knew it, my time to compete had arrived. I stared out in to the audience, which appeared to me as a dark blur, thanks to the bright stage lights blinding my vision. Start! I tore through the motions at high speed; everything was going well, until… Oh no! I had attached the wrong string while making the obi and now couldn't finish it properly!!! In a panic, I quickly redid a portion of the obi, and finished it off. In my rush to keep up with everyone else, I had made a mistake that cost me valuable time. It was at this point I realized that the competition is not the important part; it is in fact, beside the point. It is the learning process and the appreciation of all that makes the kimono unique that is truly important. Suddenly I felt much calmer. My motions became much surer, and I finished off the kimono, stepping out on to the line at the front of the stage, gripping my number stick. I had indeed finished last, though not by much. However, upon learning the time to be well under ten minutes, I allowed myself to feel proud of what I had achieved. I can wear a kimono in under ten minutes!!!

There were two foreigners competing in the actual competition, myself and my Chinese friend from the same prefectural office. We competed with the Japanese girls in the long sleeved division, and both of us received a certificate and trophy under the foreigners section. I was so happy to get a prize, but it was not as important to me as what I had learned during the competition. I learned the value of finding satisfaction in the simple act of wearing a kimono.

I am so happy to have had the chance to learn how to wear kimono, and all my thanks must go to my wonderful teacher for giving me the opportunity. And of course to my friend Billy who made the fateful phone call to me. He was very persuasive. It was a unique experience that allowed me to delve in to Japanese culture in a way that many foreigners don't get to.

During my experience I felt like I was standing at a gateway between the old and new Japan. A place where old traditions meet with the present day. A place where you can feel a deep respect for the past and a fervent hope for the future. I sincerely hope that Japan can continue to preserve it's traditional culture, so that many more people can continue to enjoy fabulous experiences like this!

Just recently I had a phone call from my teacher, who I hadn't seen in a while. I had been having a break from lessons since the competition. She told me that the world championships - kimono competition is taking place in Tokyo in April, and that myself and my Chinese friend have been selected to compete in the foreigners section.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS?! Wow! You bet! Tokyo, here I come!