A bunch of amateur photographers were chasing after this maiko, while she was walking back after a tea ceremony at a shrine. When she arrive her house, before entering, she politely and gracefully turned around and posed for us.
In one of my many snaps, I got this one while she was blinking, normally a picture to discard, but it seems so right here as if she closed her eyes deliberately, maybe praying, maybe thinking, maybe imagining something, it’s up to your interpretation, anyway it’s definitely more interesting.
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Aah! You caught a picture of Maiko Katsuna-san! She’s so gorgeous! And I love this picture of her! The Tea Ceremony she was participating in was actually called Baikasai, it’s a special ceremony held to celebrate the plum blossoms ^^
OMG! I’m shocked that you know who she is, I googled and indeed is her! and indeed on that day she participated the plum flower tea ceremony at Kitano Tenmangu!
Could you be one of those photographers chasing down the lane? 🙂
Oh goodness no! XD I would never chase a Maiko or a Geiko down an alley or anywhere, usually they don’t like that but she seems fairly comfortable with everyone XD Plus I’ve never been to Japan. I’ve just been studying the Maiko and Geiko culture for about a year and a half now and Maiko Katsuna-san was one of the Maiko I’ve become familiar with. I recognize the outfit from other pictures I’ve seen her in when she was participating in the event. Her hikizuri was one of my favorites there. (Along with Maiko Umechie-san’s hiki. That almost maroon color was amazing on her ^^) But, Maiko Katsuna-san is just gorgeous, she’s really a face you can’t miss. I would even say that her beauty and positive attitude even rivals Maiko Satsuki-san’s (She’s the most popular Maiko in Gion Kobu which is one of the higher class Hanamachi in Kyoto, so she’s basically the most popular Maiko in Japan right now ^^) I can’t wait to watch her grow and hopefully become a Geiko some day.
I’m glad she did not really mind so much. She is beautiful!