Kushi-matsuri



We couple of the name of Kyoto with the image of the Maiko. Not only foreigner but also Japanese visit to Gion area to have a look at the Maiko. The characteristics of the Maiko are a fascinating kimono and a Japanese coiffure. I feel that they are few Japanese who work with that style. I am not sure that the fact that there are many Maikos in Kyoto is the reason, but Kushi-matsuri (The comb festival) which relate to history of Japanese coiffures hold on the 4th Monday of September every year at Yasui-Konpiragu (Shrine) which is at Gion area.

Why is it held on the day? I think that it is the reason below. Because one pronunciation in Japanese of 9-gatsu (September) is “ku-gatsu” and 4 is “shi”, the word that strung two words together becomes “Kushi” which means a comb.



The Kushi-matsuri has not so long history. Kyoto biyou bunka club (Kyoto cosmetics culture club) started it at 1961. It was the 46th time this year. In this festival, people dedicate old combs to Kushi-tsuka in Yasui-konpiragu and appreciate combs which are used everyday.

The highlight of the festival is a procession of women who are doing up own hair to various Japanese coiffures, and wearing various kimonos, and making own faces up. Each of the styles is based on historical investigation from the ancient to today. They parade the street of Gion. They are amateurs not professional models doing up Japanese coiffures using own hair. It is a wig that an actor wears on scenes of the period drama.



We couple of the name of the Japanese coiffure with image of black?

When I watched their hair, they were doing up a Japanese coiffure but I found that their hair was not fully black. It is quite natural that they were so; after all, they are general Japanese people doing modern hairstyle usually (Nowadays a lot of Japanese people are dyeing own hair brown.).



The change of the Japanese coiffure

In old times, the basis of the hairstyle had functional idea to tie an obstructive hair for laboring. The coming of a Chinese culture at the Nara era had influence on Japanese hairstyle. Afterwards, around beginning of the Edo period, the techniques and the decorations had come to be more valued than the practicalities in hairstyles, and be competed with. It is said that the prototype of so-called “Japanese coiffure” was completed in the Edo period. It is the period when a lot of Ukiyoes were drawn. It seems that the hairstyle had been just about decided by a social position, an occupation, and a married woman, etc. on the whole. In this festival the procession of the Edo period had the most abundant styles.



The hairstyle that arranged one’s hair in western-style have increased under the influence of the Western culture at the Meiji era. AT present the Japanese coiffure has declined because it had been thought that it is inconvenient, dirty, and uneconomical. The Japanese coiffure can see only the bride, the Maiko, the Geisha, and the actor. And only the Maiko and the Geisha of all them are doing up own hair.



A lot of amateur photographers were lining up in a near region in Yasui Konpira-gu on that day. It looked as if that place is a large photo session. It seemed that there was a person who was style different from last year. And the woman who was as a model was also different. It is happy because there is a change every year.

Last year’s Kushi-matsuri

http://piita.exblog.jp/3530144

http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~kyonosato/09kusi05.html

You will be satisfied with beautiful Japanese coiffures and wonderful technologies in the festival. However, it might be difficult for Japanese to spend time at present Japan by these hairstyles.