Kimono Dressing!

One of the perks the hotel offered was kimono dressing. A Japanese lady from the town offered her time to dress us girls in a traditional Japanese kimono. Having a Japanese grandmother, I know what it's like to have all of your body parts shake when someone adjusts clothes around your waist by tugging and pulling. As a kimono has several adjustable items that go around various parts of your waist, I was thoroughly being shaken like a rag doll. The obi  (silk sash that goes around your mid-section) and belts underneath the obi have to be extremely tight to get the look of a tiny Japanese woman. After the lady dressed me, she taught me how to walk and sit like a lady in a kimono.

She then told me I was easy to dress because I was small. Now is the time to mention once again that body size and weight is not a taboo subject to the Japanese (and much of Asia, actually). They do not think they're being rude when they say, "No clothes in this store will fit you!" they simply think they're being helpful....and they do say things like that to some of my more curvy American friends. Additionally as you make friends with Japanese people they will start to openly tell you when you look fatter or skinnier. Oh, culture differences....*sigh*

Anyway, enjoy some pictures of me in my kimono!!