Shamisen Yukata Zarai, three-stringed Japanese guitar recital with Yukata

All pupils played by rotation on the red carpeted stage to show what we studied for this year. Professional singers sung with our play. How honor it was.
Lots of fun to see all of us wearing yukata. This red obi lady’s yukata was awesome. Both side printed indigo dyed cotton cloth. Each side had different pattern. She said she custom ordered it to a wholesale in Ningyo cho near Asakusa.
I think this is the Edo (=Tokyo) Iki chic which is in contrast with Kyoto Hannari gorgeous.

Evacuate to Hokkaido

Since Tokyo is too hot because of the town heat, we escaped to Shiretoko Peninsula, the north-east of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. Shiretoko is 16 degrees C. How comfortable…
Japanese inn serves yukatas (cotton casual kimono) for the guests but they are always too tired and too short. So I brought my own. Even mine was only a few thousand yen at Yahoo kimono auction, I like this design.
Violet dragonfly and white stripe yukata
Violet and blue Hakata Hanhaba obi