We decided to go "against the flow" and have a friend take Jun and our pictures for 7-5-3. Generally one pays a lot of money - the cheapest in our area is $70 - for one picture. This includes rental of a kid's kimono, make up and hair for the child and...one picture. No CD of the shots. Extra prints are an extra cost.
So, we wanted to do something else, as we have at least two sets of grandparents who might like a copy of a picture or two of us.
We used the kid's kimono that Obaachan (Grandma in Japan) DYED (the design on it) for her older granddaughter. And Ryu and I dressed in our Engagement Clothes from 8 1/2 years ago!
And I did Jun and my make-up. Not so hard, it turns out. Though Jun got four mosquito bites on her face Thursday night! So, a little foundation and powder was in order. The more make-up the happier Jun is, though, so that was fine. She loved the lipstick too. Putting lipstick on those soft little lips was a bit challenging! For hair - we gave up. She got a hair cut a few days ago, but the hair accessory we had for her to use was too big and heavy. Her head wouldn't have shown up!
Then came the challenge. In Japan people go to school for YEARS to learn to put kimonos on themselves and others. YEARS. Now, Jun's kimono doesn't have an obi (fancy tied belt), but, just the same - I was pretty nervous when we decided that I would be the one to make the neck look right and tie the strings around her tummy! I checked out some pictures of other 3 year olds' in their kimonos and then - just did it...thinking all the time about how many many many times in my life I have had to "fake it" - doing what I did NOT know how to do, but not giving THAT big fact away. ARGH! As the photographers and Daddy were "boys," as Jun pointed out, they were neither a help or a hindrance. I'm sure I will get the TRUE review when Obaachan (Grandma) sees the pics. Oh well!
And, though I was nervous, Jun had a wonderful wonderful time. She woke up excited about it and had her picture taken for about 40 minutes. She got pretty tired, but did a good job. I want to weigh the kimono she was wearing. It was HEAVY! And she had to wear tabi - the white socks with a special place for your big toes, and zori - the Japanese shoes.
We came home and SLEPT for a long long while! You will get to see some pictures in the near future! We get the whole CD!!!!
3 comments:
I can't wait to see the photos. She looks like a doll, Kim.
Hey - I had another idea. It appears that flying from Eugene to Misawa will be an ordeal involving 15 hours in SEA and 15 hours in Tokyo....maybe we'll drive up and meet the girls, stay a couple of days, meet the boys and drive back.
Or maybe I'll take the Shinkansen to Tokyo - meet the girls and zip them home....and pray for better connections from TX for the boys.
All that to say....will you be around in December? AND if you and Ryu and Jun EVER want to come down this way you are WANTED in our home....
just gorgeous!
And while I'm sure you felt pressure what an incredibly stress free event for Jun.
I'm being nosey now but how did you explain the ceremony to Jun? I'm assuming(again rudely) you didn't do the Shrine visit?
And now to share and make it less of an interrogation! We didn't do the shrine visit either as K's mother's family are Christians. We explained to the girls the origin and that *some people* do this because of that but that we just thought it would be fun to get all dressed up and have a family photo as these were clothes you could only wear when you were three and how lucky that you are three! I'm not at all sure this was the best way to cover it which is why I'm interested in what you did.
Happy 7-5-3 Jun!
How exciting! Good for you for going for it and styling her kimono yourself! I'm sure the photos will be stunning!
I can't believe she's 3 already!! Time does fly doesn't it!
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