auggy wrote:Chamekke, you would have loved my host grandma when I was in Japan. She had this HUGE 7-drawer wardrobe in the tatami room in her house. It was filled to the brim with pre-WW2 kimono. She liked reminiscing with me and she spent a night with me taking out the kimono and showing them to me. She came from a very affluent family and even her "everyday" pre-war kimono that she showed me were gorgeous. She had at least 30 kimono in that wardrobe alone. All the accessories were in the closet in that room, along with some other kimono that were more recent. Sadly, at 18 I didn't appreciate it near as much as I would now.
Oh, I would have loved that so much. I'm glad you had that experience, auggy.
Actually, it's not so much looking at the kimono that I wouild enjoy (although of course they would be delightful to look at), as hearing the stories and memories associated with them. I have some vintage kimono, and often wonder about the woman or women who first wore them. Especially the older ones from the Taisho era. If only those kimono could talk!