“Turn around so I can see if it’s long enough,” she says.

I obey while she checks the yukata’s length from my shoulders to the
ground. “Just right. You are the perfect shape for a tall man in Japan, Morley-san.
Randy is too tall. People should not see your ankles and legs when you are
wearing a kimono, and it should give you a long slim line. Randy has an expensive
kimono that fits him properly, but he can only wear it on special occasions. You
can wear anything.”

“Okay, I’m sold.”(How could I argue with THAT sales pitch?)

“Now you need an obi.”

“Okay.”

“Here’s one that will look good with this yukata.”

Unfolded, it’s a stretchy piece of cloth about a foot wide and eight feet long
with a wide navy border on each end.

“The obi is a belt. Men wear it around their hips; women wear obi around
their waists. You begin tying it with the middle of the obi in front, then wind it
round yourself several times so it can be tied in the back. This type of obi is tied in
a knot. The obi for a kimono is more formal than this and is folded over itself in
the back to keep it fastened. The obi is very important.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“You could buy some geta today, but you can wear flip-flops for now and if
you only wear your yukata at home, you don’t need any footwear. We can leave
that for now.”

Geta are wooden shoes with two vertical slabs under the platform, one under
the ball of the foot, the other just in front of the heel. Most platforms are two or
three inches high. Young toughs like theirs higher, as much as six or eight inches.
Hard to walk in. The higher the better.

With my purchases safely in a bag, we continue down the street. The sun is
shining, but it’s not oppressively hot. The streets are full of things and people,
sellers and buyers. Here are stalls full of produce from the countryside; there are
some tables with newly-fired pots; down the way a display of bonsai.

page:

38

Japanby Morley Evans

November 21, 2000