Yes, Let's Go to Kyoto. | Part 4: Things I Don't Want to Admit

Everyone and their mother was wearing it.

While feeling weary from the usual high number of inbound tourists, I noticed something.
I have seen scenes of foreign women strolling around in kimono for a long time, but this time, things were a bit different.
There are many young women wearing a type of kimono I have never seen before.

The colors are white, or pale pink, or other light-colored lace materials.
Among them, all-white outfits where both the kimono and the obi are white stood out.
The han-eri (collar) is also frilly lace, and the kimono lace has a texture that looks like layers of organza—is this wedding dress fabric?
A group of three girls who looked like they might be of Indian descent in such all-white outfits passed by me looking very happy.

Rental Kimono

I wondered if this was the current trend, so I checked a rental kimono site and found that lace kimono seemed to have sparked a boom around 2021.
Since I have always visited Kyoto during the sweltering hot season, perhaps I just haven't had many opportunities to see people wearing them.

Even so, with lace kimono, lace obi-jime, lace gloves, lace accessories, and organza hair ornaments, looking at the models on the site reminded me of that 'Cutie-something' idol group.

I see, I thought, and it clicked.

What is Japanese culture?

Idols and otaku are also Japanese culture. I admit that, but that is different from a Japanese kimono (I feel).

As for me, since my mother was someone who did Japanese sewing (no, she is still alive, though), I own more kimono than the average person. But I never wear them. I don't even wear yukata.
I think every year that I will wear them this year, but the climate is too hot, too cold, and it's a hassle.

And so, they just become dead weight in the chest of drawers...

What are you talking about?

I decided to join the #WhatAreYouTalkingAbout? circle that I had been curious about for a while.

Well then, until next time.
Farewell.