New Maiko in Osaka

Exciting news from Nanchi: The Misedashi of Kikunami marks a new chapter for the whole kagai as it comes with the opening of a brand new ochaya named Tsuruya as well as the revival of the Maiko tradition in general. There have been no Maiko in the city for many many years, so this is a great turn of event.

Kikunami is the imouto of restlessly hard working Geiko Kikuno of Nara. I believe Kikunami spent most of her Shikomi stage in Ganrin-In, Nara where her onesan is based but since Kikuno opened a club and ochaya, the aforementioned Tsuruya in Osaka, she saw it fit for her latest protegee to debut from there instead. It would ensure a lot of press and attention for the fresh debutante.

Both Kikuno and Kikunami are just winding down from the Nara Odori where Kikuname got to perform onstage with her sisters as a Minarai but there is no time to catch a breath so it seems.

And in true Osaka tradition Kikunami is wearing her obi in the ya giccha musubi, a charming homage to the last golden age of Osaka Maiko in the 1910s. But the best is yet to come so it seems.

Congratulations to Osaka, Congratulations to Kikuno, Congratulations to Kikunami, to much success and prosperity!

Source: ktellus.a.story on Instagram