Maiko dancing at Heian shrine Kyoto Japan
by Loren Dowding
Title
Maiko dancing at Heian shrine Kyoto Japan
Artist
Loren Dowding
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photograph
Description
Photograph of a junior maiko from the Gion Higashi district performing a traditional dance with bells at Heian Jingu Reisai Festival, an annual performance at Heian Shrine in Kyoto, Japan. The maiko photographed is wearing a light cream hikizuri kimono showing a seasonal floral motives and a vibrant green darai obi belt depicting butterflies. As the photograph was taken in April, she wears seasonal cherry blossom flower hair ornaments, perfect for spring.
Maiko(舞妓), are apprentice geisha or geiko in Kyoto, Japan. There are 5 geisha districts in Kyoto, the most famous of which is Gion. Maiko are distinguishable from geiko by several key areas, they style their own hair and wear floral hair ornaments known as hana kanzashi, the hairstyle shown here is known as ofuku and is the sign of a senior maiko. They also wear colourful hikizuri kimono with long sleeves and a trailing hem and a very long darai, or dangling obi belt which displays the crest of their okiya.
Heian shrine, or Heian Jingū (平安神宮) is a large Shinto shrine located in Kyoto, you can see the huge entrance gate to the shrine in the background of this image.
Uploaded
August 6th, 2020
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