The Floriade in Venlo is an event about gardening, flowers and vegetables that is organized once every ten years.
Our friend Masami from the KDJ NL told us she'd do a kimono show for the Japanese stand on Friday the 3rd of August. Flowers and kimono's !
The weather was sunny and quite pleasant : ideal for wearing yukata.
The weather was sunny and quite pleasant : ideal for wearing yukata.
I arrived a bit early which gave me time to introduce myself to Makiko Goto who's a "Shihan" (master) koto player and has performed all over Europe and Japan.
Lucky me : I love listening to the koto!
Makiko remembered the KDJ NL from the Venlo kimono demonstration in June ! Meeting her gave me a great opportunity to get a few shots of her magnificent kimono , before the show ^^. (As always , click on the pictures to see a full size version ).
Actually , this is the same kimono and obi she wore at the kimono show in Venlo.
Makiko performing on the koto.
This is Naomi Sato who plays a sho ( which looks like a bunch of small pipes and sounds like a small pipe organ with very high notes ).
The sho came from China to Japan around 790 AD.
The other members of KDJ NL finally arrived : from left to right Anne, Mirjam and Carolien.
We went for a short stroll through the beautiful Japanese garden.
Anne photographing the shishi-odoshi (lit. "scare the deer" ) water "knocker".
The white gravel symbolises a river or the sea. The rock and plants in the middle symbolize an island.
Back at the stage we met Masami, just about to start the kimono show.
Masami presenting the show, wearing a kimono with a wonderful flower motif.
Detail shot from behind.
Masami's classic taiko ( drum) musubi.
Makiko showing off the sleeves of her furisode.
Another gorgeous furisode.
So much details !
From left to right : young girl wearing a tsumugi kimono ( the blue one ) , Masami's daughter wearing a yukata and Masami's son in hakama and haori.
First you completely untie the obi.
Lots of Ooohs and Aaahs when people see for the first time how long an obi actually is.
Putting it back on and tying the musubi is a matter of minutes.
But only if you have two experienced people helping you ^^.
All done !
This shot shows the motif on the back of the furisode.
Sato is wearing a kariginu (hunting garment) from the Heian era (about 800-1200AD). The white strings in the sleeves aren't for show : you can tie up the sleeves with them if needed.
A view from the back shows how very wide the sleeves actually are.
The cloth around her instrument is quite beautiful too.
.
Of course, as representatives of the KDJ NL , our friends were 'volunteered' to go on stage and show off their yukatas.
Showing the musubi , which are a lot more modest when wearing a yukata.
"Any volunteers to wear a yukata? " "Yes : me. "
It's like putting on a bathrobe, actually.
Getting my obi tied. I liked the nice pattern on the other yukata too , but that one was way too small.
All that was left was to squeeze my feet in a very undersized zori ( amazingly the straps held ^^ )
Tadaaa !
Anne, me , Carolien and Mirjam.
My very first KDJ NL tabi shot. The straps are very tight, but the zori are quite comfortable.
You've probably seen glimpses of them in the pictures above : the furisode and the uchikake that were displayed on stage ( the uchikake was also displayed at the kimono show in June ) .
Details from the blue one at the back of the stage.
View from the front of the uchikake.
The embroidery on this uchikake was quite amazing : view from the back.
One of the sleeves.
Lots of yellow gold embroidery : pine trees and cranes.
After the show , we took a walk through the rest of the Floriade.
There was a lot to see at the Japanese stand : this display with glass pearls and white koi over squares of moss was quite beautiful.
Carolien at one of the many patches of rose bushes.
The Chinese garden had some beautiful buildings around a lotus pond.
This model of the Borobudur temple was built in the India stand. Quite lifelike if photographed from ground level ^^
Heuchera caramel.
A display of Gladiolus , in gorgeous colours ( even palegreen ).
Beautifully purple variety of Anthurium. The real flowers are those small pink 'dots' on the central stem.
There were huge displays of many type of orchids : this one is probably an odontoglossum
Vanda orchids hanging from a lattice of bamboo
These Paphiopedilums come in a large variety of colours
The graceful shape of these flowers and the beautiful colours make them one of my favourite orchids.
Don't the two slender side petals remind you of the long sleeves of a furisode ?
So much details !
This type of musubi sticks out quite far.
This kimono is rather special : it's designed to be worn mid-summer ( July and August ) . The see through fabric is specially woven silk called 'Sha'. The Obi is made from silk material woven in such a way that it is quite airy : it's called 'Ro'. Really nice looking handbag too.
Musubi shot
The sleeves on a men's haori are still fairly long.
As part of the show Masami remade the musubi on one of the furisodes.
First you completely untie the obi.
Lots of Ooohs and Aaahs when people see for the first time how long an obi actually is.
Putting it back on and tying the musubi is a matter of minutes.
But only if you have two experienced people helping you ^^.
All done !
This shot shows the motif on the back of the furisode.
Sato is wearing a kariginu (hunting garment) from the Heian era (about 800-1200AD). The white strings in the sleeves aren't for show : you can tie up the sleeves with them if needed.
A view from the back shows how very wide the sleeves actually are.
The cloth around her instrument is quite beautiful too.
.
Of course, as representatives of the KDJ NL , our friends were 'volunteered' to go on stage and show off their yukatas.
"Any volunteers to wear a yukata? " "Yes : me. "
It's like putting on a bathrobe, actually.
Getting my obi tied. I liked the nice pattern on the other yukata too , but that one was way too small.
All that was left was to squeeze my feet in a very undersized zori ( amazingly the straps held ^^ )
Tadaaa !
Anne, me , Carolien and Mirjam.
My very first KDJ NL tabi shot. The straps are very tight, but the zori are quite comfortable.
You've probably seen glimpses of them in the pictures above : the furisode and the uchikake that were displayed on stage ( the uchikake was also displayed at the kimono show in June ) .
Details from the blue one at the back of the stage.
View from the front of the uchikake.
The embroidery on this uchikake was quite amazing : view from the back.
One of the sleeves.
Lots of yellow gold embroidery : pine trees and cranes.
After the show , we took a walk through the rest of the Floriade.
There was a lot to see at the Japanese stand : this display with glass pearls and white koi over squares of moss was quite beautiful.
Carolien at one of the many patches of rose bushes.
The Chinese garden had some beautiful buildings around a lotus pond.
This model of the Borobudur temple was built in the India stand. Quite lifelike if photographed from ground level ^^
Heuchera caramel.
A display of Gladiolus , in gorgeous colours ( even palegreen ).
Beautifully purple variety of Anthurium. The real flowers are those small pink 'dots' on the central stem.
There were huge displays of many type of orchids : this one is probably an odontoglossum
Vanda orchids hanging from a lattice of bamboo
These Paphiopedilums come in a large variety of colours
The graceful shape of these flowers and the beautiful colours make them one of my favourite orchids.
Don't the two slender side petals remind you of the long sleeves of a furisode ?
