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Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.264.
Recently Taro Aso became the leader of LDP and the prime minister, and for now, he is popular among various people from young to old people. In the opinion poll, he has great lead against Ichiro Ozawa ( he has same name as me!), the leader of opposition Democratic Party. However, at the coming next Lower House elections, ruling LDP is said to suffer a major defeat, and will be brought down from the government People seem to think - no more LDP, but we don't like Ozawa.
I also feel that we can't know what Mr. Ozawa is thinking in his mind, although he must be the one of the toughest politicians and brightest election strategist. I hope opposition Democratic Party come to power, but I understand many people feel uncomfortable if Mr. Ozawa will become the prime minister
Japanese politics is not so major topic compared to US presidential ballot, but these six month will be interesting. Here are their photos -
Ichiro Ozawa : http://ozawa-ichiro.jp/
Taro Aso : http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BA%BB%E7%94%9F%E5%A4%AA%E9%83%8E
Today we would like to write about a traditional motif in the letter. You might recognize the motif while browsing our website.
Items below have same motif - Shoujo.
http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2/133946/
http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2/127709/
http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2/120734/
http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2/121120/
Shoujo is one of popular motifs of kimono, and we have felt that we had to write more precisely about Shoujo some day or other. You had to be wondering why the 'imaginary animal in China' wear such luxurious kimono and has human face alto their hairs are long and RED.
It is because most pictures are of the noh stage. There is a play of titled 'Shoujo' and actors wear like the pictures. Here is the real Shoujo actor's picture.
http://www.election.ne.jp/50/2974.html
This page has a noh mask of Shoujo.
http://nohmask.exblog.jp/i22
Story of the noh play 'Shoujo' is like below.
In olden time, Koufu got a revelation in a dream which indicated that if he sold sake, he had to become rich. He began sake store, did good business. A strange customer came everyday, who never change his face color even with lots of sake. Koufu asked him, and he answered he was a shoujo, who lived in the sea. And he went away.
Koufu brought sake to the riverside, and waited him in the night. Shoujo appeared and drank with Koufu. Shoujo praised efficacy of sake, and danced and went back into the sea.
However, this is a story of noh play 'Shoujo'. Originally shoujo is the legendary animal in China. He was said to be like human, and had red face and understood human language. He was also said to similar to an orangutan, but groghound is said to may be added in Japan.
Here is the Japanese wiki page about Shojo, and a picture of shoujo, which was drawn in early Edo period.
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%8C%A9%E7%8C%A9
(* This letter is written with referring this wiki page.)
Not only in the noh play, but shoujo are often told in the folk story and legends all over Japan. Most of them come from sea, and sometime they are told as ghosts who sometime did mischief.
Shoujo also appear in the festivals of various parts of Japan. Here is the page of Shoujo festival in Nawa(Tokai district).
http://www.nawa-e.aichi-c.ed.jp/gakunen/zenkou/syouzyou.html
In this district, people make large hariko( made of paper/bamboo) shoujo dolls, and wear and walk through the village. Shoujo tap people with 'barin' stick, and it is thought to invite happiness.
Shojo has above meaning, and it also indicates only RED thing or drinker. Anyway, it doesn't have something wrong meaning.
If your father, husband or friends are happy drinker, how about to present these shoujo motif kimono to them?
Thank you for reading to the end!
Today we will list some rare men's haori( rare war motif one is included ), wonderful kimonos ( supreme Taisho furisode set is included), bolt and antique items!
Have a nice autumn weekend!
Ichiro & Yuka Wada
Kimono Flea Market "ICHIROYA"
http://www.ichiroya.com
e-mail: info@ichiroya.com
address: Asia-shoji Bldg.301
1841-1 Nishi 1 chome
Wakamatsu cho
Tondabayashi city
Osaka 584-0025 JAPAN
TEL&FAX ****( international number ) - 81-721-23-5446
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