Playing Dress-up - Japanese style!

Some of the coolest experiences you have when travelling abroad are the unexpected ones that God gives you.  Shortly after the Tanabata festival in the beginning of August, my friend Bethany and I had one of those experiences.


Kris, Bethany, and I stopped at Hard Off (an awesome consignment shop with a very...um...interesting name).  We were all in separate areas of the store when I found some yukata hanging in the back of the store with bows and shoes.  Yukata are kimono worn in the hot months for special occasions (such as the Tanabata Festival).  I had just been admiring the yukata women had been wearing during the festival and was wishing I had one too; but it was just one of those things where I thought, "It would be nice to have one, but they are SO expensive and I wouldn't have the slightest clue about how to put one on or what to do with it..."  But I wandered over to look at the yukata anyway -- just to take a look.  Quite a few were on clearance for about $10 - a very cheap price.  But still, I had no idea how to wear one or what to do, so I started to walk away.


Then a sweet Japanese lady (who did NOT work for the store) came over to me and asked if I thought the yukata were pretty and if I liked them (in Japanese).  I said that I did.  She moved away and so did I, but eventually found myself looking at the yukata again.


Then Bethany came over and I showed her the yukata and just as I was telling her about the sweet Japanese lady, the lady came back.  Bethany had picked up a blue yukata and the women started talking to us in Japanese.  I understood some of what she was saying -- telling us it was a pretty kimono, telling us it was inexpensive, asking us if we were sisters and where we were from. No, I swear, she did NOT work for the store -- she was just really excited to see foreigners (there aren't many in Sendai) interested in yukata and Japanese culture.  We could communicate with her a little bit.  I could tell Bethany was thinking about getting the yukata but I still thought -- well, I have no idea how to put it on and neither does she!  It won't do much good.


Then the woman motioned for us to follow her to the dressing room, where she helped Bethany try on the yukata and explained (in Japanese -- she didn't speak much English) how to tie it.  Even though I didn't understand the actual sentences, with her hand gestures, I got the gist of what she was saying.  She was so excited and helpful and it was so cute!  Then, as I picked out my yukata (yes I got one!), the lady sought out a salesclerk and asked her to cut ties for us to tie the yukata with (these ties are hidden under the obi - the large bow).  Then she handed the ties to us and said, "Me to you. Presento!!!!!"  It was SO sweet.  Bethany and I were quite surprised at this woman's kindness and her enthusiasm at  helping us participate in Japanese culture.

When we got home, we played dress up.  Here are some pictures of us in our yukata.  They were taken in the tatami room of our apartment.