Kimono Dressing Grand Prix 2019
On Saturday, 19th October 2019, the “National Kimono Dressing Grand Prix” was held at Sonic City Large Hall, a spot in Saitama City well known to hold great events such as this one.
As the name suggests, National Kimono Dressing Grand Prix is indeed a race event, not with cars but with Kimono. Participants will enter as a pair: one as the model, the other to dress the model (the dresser). Participants are free to choose any one of the Kimono in preference from the list below:
- Osharegi
- Tomesode
- Houmongi
- Shichigosan
- Furisode
- Hanayome
- Daifurisode
And points will be given according to the type of the Kimono. dressers will dress their models in a Kimono as fast as possible in the span of 8 minutes (long enough to cover the distance between Ikebukuro and Shinjuku by train). This Ikebukuro – Shinjuku comparison is given by the organizer who then explained that we could achieve so much in the 8 minutes spent standing on the train, which in this case, learn how to properly and beautifully wear/dress a Kimono.
This year, I participated as a model and chose to wear Osharegi, the type of Kimono you use when you go out because of its fashion. I was, and still, am impressed by all the dressers’ skills in decorating their models. All the efforts they put in for the event are worth every bit. There was this one girl who stole all the attention in the second half of the event with her beauty though. Yes, she and her partner were that good. But all in all, I am very glad to see our Kimono tradition being passed down to younger generations.
