shibuya 109

Shibuya is a fashion and entertainment district in Tokyo that is constantly producing new youth culture. Its symbol is the Shibuya 109 (ichi-maru-kyu in Japanese) building, located close to Shibuya Station. The building itself is unique in that almost all the shops inside cater to teens and young people, and Marukyu (the nickname of the building) has become a byword for youth fashion. On holidays, the building is so crowded that it's hard to walk. The fashion trends that begin here instantly spread across the country, making 109 a fashion hub for Japanese teens.
The young people who gather in Shibuya are very fashion-conscious, so the streets of this district have been the birthplace of many trends. Shibuya was the fashion hotspot for female university students some 20 years ago and the kogyaru fashion among teenage girls that emerged about 10 years ago. Kogyaru fashion has continued to evolve, and the words ganguro and yamamba have been coined to describe girls that wear platform sandals and have heavy suntans and bleached hair. 
Harajuku, a short walk from Shibuya, is another hip district that has developed into something of a fashion town. While Harajuku as a whole has a more relaxed atmosphere than Shibuya, its Takeshita Street is a mecca for Japanese teens. This alley stretches for 400 meters from JR Harajuku Station to Meiji-dori, a main street. Crammed along both sides are numerous boutiques, used clothing stores, knick-knack shops, a big 100-yen shop, and cafes. Some shops sell their own original goods, and Takeshita Street has even become a destination for school field trips.
Not far from Takeshita Street is the local center of fashion, known as Ura Harajuku (Backstreet Harajuku). Street fashion rules here, and there are many shops that offer their own unique style, as well as some that appeal particularly to young men.

HAkama

Hakama (袴) are a type of traditional Japanese clothing resembling a wide, pleated skirt. They were originally worn only by men, but today they are worn by both men and women. Hakama are tied at the waist and fall approximately to the ankles.

There are two types of hakama, divided (umanori 馬乗り, "horse-riding" hakama) and undivided (gyōtō hakama 行灯袴). The umanori type are divided like trousers, but nearer the bottom of the garment. Both types are identical in outside appearance. A third type, "mountain" or "field" hakama, were traditionally worn by field or forest workers. They are looser in the waist and narrower in the leg.

Hakama are worn over a kimono. There are four straps, a long one on either side of the front of the garment, and a short one on either side of the rear. The rear of the garment has a rigid board-like section and a toggle which is tucked into the rear of the obi, and helps to keep the hakama in place.

Hakama were originally worn by samurai; it is often mistakenly said that they used it to disguise their footwork and stances from an enemy, but in reality the warrior would tuck the hakama up through the belt when a confrontation was imminent, just as the sleeves of the kimono were tied back with cord.

Hakama have seven deep pleats, two on the back and five on the front. The pleats are said to represent the virtues considered essential by the samurai. Many martial artists continue this tradition, but different sources give different meaning to these pleats

Men's hakama
The most formal type of men's hakama are made of stiff, striped silk, usually black and white, or black and grey. These are worn with black montsuki kimono (kimono with one, three, or five family crests on the back, chest, and shoulders), white tabi (divided-toe socks), white under-kimono and woven straw sandals of various types. In colder weather a montsuki haori (long jacket) with a white haori-himo (haori-fastener) complete the outfit.

Hakama can be worn with any type of kimono except yukata (light cotton summer kimono generally worn for relaxing, for sleeping, or at festivals or summer outings). While striped hakama are usually worn with formal kimono, stripes in colours other than black, grey and white may be worn with less formal wear. Solid and gradated colours are also common. A hakama makes any outfit a little more formal.

While hakama used to be a required part of men's wear, nowadays men usually wear hakama only on extremely formal occasions and at tea ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. Hakama are also regularly worn by practitioners of a variety of martial arts, such as kendo, iaido, aikido, and kyudo. Sumo wrestlers, who do not wear hakama in the context of their sport, are, however, required to wear traditional Japanese dress whenever they appear in public. As hakama are one of the most important parts of traditional male formal dress, sumo wrestlers are often seen wearing hakama when attending appropriately formal functions.

There are many ways for men to tie hakama. First, the obi is tied in a special knot (an "under-hakama knot") at the rear. Starting with the front, the ties are brought around the waist and crossed over the top of the knot of the obi. The ties are brought to the front and crossed below the waist, then tied at the back, under the knot of the obi. The toggle is then tucked behind the obi, the stiff board adjusted, and the rear ties brought to the front and tied in a variety of ways. The most formal method results in a knot that resembles two bow-ties in a cross shape.

Women's hakama
Women's hakama differ from men's in a variety of ways, most notably fabric design and method of tying.

While men's hakama can be worn on both formal and informal occasions, except as part of martial arts wear, women rarely wear hakama except at graduation ceremonies. In some schools, hakama are reserved for senior students. Only very rarely are hakama worn by women at tea ceremony.

While formal men's hakama are made of striped fabric, women's hakama tend to be of single-colour or gradated fabric. Women wear hakama at the true waist, while men wear them slightly below. When a woman wears a hakama, she must also wear a men's obi.

The method of tying the ties is also different, with women's hakama being tied in a simpler knot or a bow. As with men's hakama, the front ties are first brought to the back, then to the front, then tied at the back in a knot. Then the back himo are brought around to the front. At this point, they may be tied with a bow at the left hip, just in front of the opening, with the ends of the ties at equal lengths. For more secure fastening, the ties may be wrapped once at center front, then tied inside at the back.

Man's kimono

Men's kimonos have sleeves which are attached to the body of the kimono with no more than a few inches unattached at the bottom, unlike the women's style of very deep sleeves mostly unattached from the body of the kimono. Men's sleeves are less deep than women's kimono sleeves to accommodate the obi around the waist beneath them, whereas on a woman's kimono, the long, unattached bottom of the sleeve can hang over the obi without getting in the way.

In the modern era, the principal distinctions between men's kimonos are in the fabric. The typical kimono has a subdued, dark color; black, dark blues, greens, and browns are common. Fabrics are usually matte. Some have a subtle pattern, and textured fabrics are common in more casual kimonos. More casual kimonos may be made in slightly brighter colors, such as lighter purples, greens and blues. Sumo wrestlers have occasionally been known to wear quite bright colors such as fuchsia.

The most formal style of kimono is plain black with five kamon on the chest, shoulders and back. Slightly less formal is the three-kamon kimono. These are usually paired with white undergarments and accessories

Kind of kimonos

• Kurotomesode

(黒留袖): a black kimono patterned only below the waistline, kurotomesode are the most formal kimonos for married women. They are often worn by the mothers of the bride and groom at weddings. Kurotomesode usually have five kamon printed on the sleeves, chest and back of the kimonos.

• Furisode

(振袖): furisode literally translates as swinging sleeves—the sleeves of furisode average between 39 and 42 inches in length. Furisode are the most formal kimonos for unmarried women, with patterns that cover the entire garment. They are usually worn at coming-of-age ceremonies (seijin shiki) and by unmarried female relatives of the bride at weddings and wedding receptions.

• Irotomesode

(色留袖): single-color kimonos, patterned only below the waistline. Irotomesode are slightly less formal than kurotomesode, and are worn by married women, usually close relatives of the bride and groom at weddings. An irotomesode may have three or five kamon.

• Hōmongi

(訪問着): literally translates as visiting wear. Characterized by patterns that flow over the shoulders, seams and sleeves, hōmongi rank slightly higher than their close relative, the tsukesage. Hōmongi may be worn by both married and unmarried women; often friends of the bride will wear hōmongi at weddings and receptions. They may also be worn to formal parties.

• Tsukesage

(付け下げ): has more modest patterns that cover less area—-mainly below the waist-—than the more formal hōmongi. They may also be worn by married women.

• Iromuji

(色無地): single-colored kimonos that may be worn by married and unmarried women. They are mainly worn to tea ceremonies. The dyed silk may be figured (rinzu, similar to jacquard), but has no differently colored patterns.

• Komon

(小紋): "fine pattern". Kimonos with a small, repeated pattern throughout the garment. This style is more casual and may be worn around town, or dressed up with a formal obi for a restaurant. Both married and unmarried women may wear komon.

• Edo Komon

(江戸小紋): is a type of komon characterized by tiny dots arranged in dense patterns that form larger designs. The Edo komon dyeing technique originated with the samurai class during the Edo period. A kimono with this type of pattern is of the same formality as an iromuji, and when decorated with kamon, may be worn as visiting wear (equivalent to a tsukesage or hōmongi).

KiMoNo

Kimono (着物) is the national costume of Japan. Originally the word "kimono" referred to all types of clothing, but it has come to mean specifically the full-length traditional garment worn by women, men, and children. Kimonos are T-shaped, straight-lined robes that fall to the ankle, with collars and wide, full-length sleeves. Traditionally, unmarried women wore a style of kimono called furisode, which have floor-length sleeves, on special occasions.

Kimonos are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial) and secured by a wide belt called an obi, which is tied at the back. Kimonos are generally worn with traditional footwear (especially geta, thonged wood-platform footwear; and zori, a type of thong-like footwear) and split-toe socks (tabi).

Today, kimonos are most often worn by women, and on special occasions. A few older women and even fewer men still wear kimonos on a daily basis. Men wear kimonos most often at weddings, tea ceremonies, and other very special or very formal occasions. Kimonos are also worn by both men and women in certain sports, such as kendo. Professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in kimonos because they are required to wear traditional Japanese dress whenever appearing in public.

Maria Ozawa (Miyabi)

Maria Ozawa (小澤マリア - Ozawa Maria) also known as Miyabi (みやび) (born January 8, 1986), is a popular Japanese AV idol who made her debut in the AV circuit in the last quarter of 2005. Ozawa is half-Japanese and half-French-Canadian, which lends a look many cite for her quick jump to fame.

She started modeling for the site shirouto-teien.com, which resulted in several sets of photographs and two hardcore gonzo videos. She was then signed by the S1 AV company, premiering for them in October of 2005 with the video ‘Miyabi New Face’. the newest released in June 25, 2007 was tittled (Maria Ozawa Painful Orgasm Endless Shiofuki). She has also participated in several S1 compilation videos including the company’s entry in 2006 AV Open, a competition between Japanese pornographic studios that aims deciding which studio can produce the highest selling video. The video that featured Maria Ozawa, among other AV idols Sora Aoi, Yua Aida, Yuma Asami, and Rin Aoki won the first place.

Besides, she has done V-Cinema films, a photobook and several glamour ("gravure") videos, and appeared in Yokohama hip hop group DS455's music video for the song "Summer Time in the D.S.C.".

Birthdate: January 8, 1986
Birth location: Hokkaidō, Japan
Birth name: Unknown
Measurements: 88-58-86 (34-23-34)
Height: 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Eye color: Brown
Hair color: Black
Natural bust: Yes
Blood Group: A
Orientation: Heterosexual
Ethnicity: Japanese and French-Canadian
Alias(es): Miyabi

Tanabata

Tanabata (七夕) a Japanese star festival, The festival is usually held on July 7, and celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair). The Milky Way, a river made from stars that crosses the sky, separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year.

On the day before “Tanabata,” the Japanese express best wishes by writing on a piece of colored paper and tying it to the branches of bamboo trees found in front of the house. they believe their jope will come true if we do that. It is believed that prayers uttered and hanged on bamboo trees on the evening of “Tanabata” will be granted. It appears, however, that today’s society feels less inclined to celebrate this celestial event. Yet, for some the belief is as clearly evident today as it was decades past.

Once there was a weaver princess named Orihime and a cow herder prince named Hikoboshi living in space. After they got together, Orihime no longer would weave cloth for Tenkou and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven. In anger, Tenkou separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa River and forbade them to meet. separated from his husband make orihime sad. she cried and beg his father to mmet Hikoboshi. thouched by her sadness, her dad let orihime to meet Hikoboshi on the 7th day of the 7th month if Orihime worked hard and finished her weaving. after her worked hard finally they can meet, but unfortunately there was no bridge. it make them cant meet each others. it makes them have to wait until next year if they wanted to meet.

Large-scale Tanabata festivals are held in many places in Japan, mainly along shopping malls and streets, which are decorated with large, colorful streamers. The most famous Tanabata festival is held in Sendai from August 5 to 8. In the Kantō area, the biggest Tanabata festival is held in Hiratsuka,

Matsuri

what is matsuri (祭) ? in japan matsuri means or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular or Christian. There are not specific matsuri days for all of Japan; dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays like hinamatsuri, tanabata, bon-odori, hanami, etc. usually when japanesse people hold matsuri, they will wear yukata or kimono, as their traditional chlotes.

One can always find in the vicinity of a matsuri booths selling souvenirs and food such as takoyaki, and games, such as snatching goldfish. Karaoke contests, sumo matches, and other forms of entertainment are often organized in conjunction with matsuri.

GEta (bakiak jepang)

Geta are a style of traditional Japanese footwear. They have a flat wood sole, a "V" style toe thong, and are raised up on two wood strips. In Japanese the strips are called "Ha" which is the Japanese word for tooth or teeth.The soles are rectangular and the thong that goes between the toes is centered between the two sides of the sole so that the left and right geta are identical. The thong goes between the big toe and the next one so the foot is off-center.

In Japanese there are no plurals, so the term geta applies to one, a pair, or a whole teahouse full of them. It's pronounced GE-ta as in "get a job." The geta sandal was termed geta because of the "clack clack" sound they made when walking. Geta sandals are any sandal with a separate heel. The wooden geta sandal is the most well known by Americans for the beautiful pictures seen of geisha women. However, there are many other types of geta sandals including those made of vinyl.

There are several different styles of geta. The most familiar style in the West consists of an unfinished wooden board called a dai (台, stand) that the foot is set upon, with a cloth thong (鼻緒, hanao) that passes between the big toe and second toe. As geta are usually worn only with yukata or other informal Japanese clothes or Western clothes, there is no need to wear socks. Ordinary people wear at least slightly more formal zori when wearing special toe socks called tabi. Apprentice geisha, also called "maiko", wear their special geta with tabi to accommodate the hanao.

Perhaps the strangest of all are the "tengu" or ippon-ba (one tooth) geta. These are worn by the mythical "Tengu the long nosed goblin". Tengu are reputed to wear very tall geta, and are often pictured as wearing tall geta with only one ha. Although the tengu is mythical, the tengu geta are made and sold being described as for "mountain men and priests." I read a comment once that they're good for walking in swampy areas because the mud doesn't get stuck between the two ha like regular geta. Obviously they develop balance, too!