08/08/2010 - A traditional Japanese Dinner

Yesterday night, we got a good idea: My friends will trouw a nice good bye dinner for me with traditional cloths. This means with Kimono or Jokurta. I worn a Kimono when I was a geisha. So, I know, it is really hot and difficult to wear. Next to it, it is expansive, so I decide I will wear a Jokurta. A jokurta is a traditional japanese bath robe. It was worn to get to the bath or to wash yourself. Nowadays, it is appropriate to wear it in public and for official events. In difference to the Kimono, it is worn without underwear (= without the 5 layers of cloths). It is pretty light and still looks somehow like a kimono.
So, the sister of my friend picked me up in the noon to go with me and her family to buy a new Jokurta. In Kyoto those traditional dresses are very popular and you see a lot of men and women wearing it on the street. Therefoer, they sell them also in shopping malls. Lucky for me, they have sales at the moment and I can get a complete set of dress, belly loop and shoes for 6800 Yen. They have a lot of different colors and patterns and it is really hard to choose one of them. Finaly, I choose a cute pink one and a yellow belly loop. It looks amazing and my friend also buyes himself a new one. The kids are getting tired and we have to pick the up in the game zone. Oh my god.. I never saw such a game zone in a shopping mall... thousands of machines and computers, thousands of yelling kids, music, lights and tralala. It is really too much for normal adults. but the kids love it. We went fast with the kids to a sushi restaurant, where we have a light lunch. It is so cute, they have a kind of happy meal for children: different sushis, french fries and orange juice.
After that it is already time to go home, take a shower, making my hair and getting dressed. Luckily, one of the girls from my dorm took some classes in traditional Japanse culture and knows how to wear a Jokurta. So she help me to get in it and fix it.
Than, I went trough the street to find the restaurant. I feel very beautiful with that dress. The restaurant is a very high class establishment and we have a place (no table) outside on the terrasse with view over the river. The fresh breeze is perfect in the hot weather and we enjoy a perfect evening. We are traditional sitting on pillows and everyone has a small table in fron of him /her for the food. After a while, the sitting gets a bit complicated :) but it is really nice. The owner of the restaurant is a member of my club, so he join us and gives us a great menue of 12 dishes, all absolutly tasty. After the long dinner, we decide that we went all together to sing some karaoke. It is so much fun! In Japan karaoke is a private thing. This means, there are no public bars, where everyone grab the microphone and sings. We order a room, which is only for us with "all dirnks inclusive". It is amazing how good they can sing! And how much they enjoy. they are really freaking out with some songs. Unfortunatly, i cannot sing that well... and they are a bit dissappointed that I am so bad in singing and do not know any lyriks and so. But for the next time, I will train :-)
After the karaoke, we went to the bar we also ended up yesterday morning and go on with our party... somewhen in the early morning, I was tired and went to bed, to get a bit fresh before I go to my first training in Akashi. Kyoto was a great time!