Saturday, March 3, 2007

Baikasai: The Plum Blossom Festival

Bringing in the Spring with Blossoms and Tea

Ichimame prepares matcha (powdered green tea) as Naozome prepares to serve it to a guest.

A long line of geiko and maiko, easily distinguished by the way in which they wear their obi, bow as they serve tea to their guests.

Katsue and the many maiko and geiko of Kamishichikenserving tea to the guests.

Umeshizu and Umechika, geiko of Kamishichiken.

Ichimame performs tea ceremony with Naozome as ohikae.

Umeha and Umeshizu prepare, as Naozome offers tea to the guests.

Ichiteru, a young maiko from Ishikawa prefecture who decided to become a maiko after reading Ichimame's blog, prepares tea as another recently debuted maiko, Katsuryu, prepares to offer it to a guest.