Anniversary Celebration Recap, Part 1

This past week, we were honored to celebrate the beginning of our seventh year of operations in Second Life and to debut our new location in Keisei. While we continue to pack our furnishings and move into our new land (which is amazing, special thanks to Dow-sama for literally moving mountains for us!), you can see a recap of our celebration below.

Fireworks Odori
We began the celebration with a bang, and held our fireworks odori in the theater at Keisei.

Kaguyama-san, Lead Tayuu of Yuugana Fuji, performs
a solo as part of the fireworks odori.

A shot of all four dancers in the odori; from left to right: Aisya
of the Shinmachi School, Kaminari and Kara of Tsukinoya,
Kaguyama of Yuugana Fuji.

After the odori, we celebrated with some real
fireworks right outside the theater. Lead oiran of
Tsukinoya, Kaminari-san, stands next to her patron.

An Evening of Tanka and Haiku
Our next celebratory event was an evening of tanka and haiku, hosted by the lead tayuu of Yuugana Fuji at the Sengoku Teahouse. Unfortunately, I was too caught up in the beautiful (and occasionally humorous) poetry to take a picture.

An Afternoon with Tsukinoya
The ladies of Tsukinoya took center stage in our next event, and held an amazingly emotional performance titled "An Afternoon with Tsukinoya" in their home in Keisei. In this show, we were given a small glimpse into the lives of the four women within Tsukinoya, and how they prepare for an evening of entertainment.

Oiran Kaminari-san contemplates her eventual fate as a
courtesan within the district.

Oiran Kaminai-san stands center stage, addressing the
audience, as her attendants (Lyn, Kara and Hamayu)
prepare for the evening ahead.

The two shinzo of Tsukinoya (Kara and Hamayu) dance along
side the now fully dressed Oiran, signifying that they are
all headed out for the evening.

Farewell to Autumn Tea Ceremony
We closed our celebration quietly, with a well performed tea ceremony by Kaguyama-san in the Shinmachi Garden. With the tea ceremony, we bid farewell to autumn 2014, and welcomed the start of our seventh year in this virtual world.

Kaguyama-san of Yuugana Fuji prepares tea for those gathered.

Pan Yuliang Art Exhibit at Lihai Lily Salon

Have you seen this yet? The Lihai Lily Salon of the Shinmachi District has an amazing art display on featuring Pan Yuliang. You can learn more about it below, and see a few pictures. You should definitely stop by the salon and see all of the amazing pictures yourself!

Pan Yuliang was a female painter known in China more for her legendary life than her artistic achievements. She will have a small comeback during an amazing art exhibit event at the Lihai Lily Salon .

"Born in 1895, Pan was sold to a brothel at 13 where she later met Pan Zanhua, a customs official. Pan bought her out and married her as a concubine. She started learning painting from their neighbor and was admitted to Shanghai Art Institute, becoming its first female student. After studying in Paris, Pan returned in 1929 after receiving an invitation to teach at Shanghai Art School. She left Shanghai for France again in 1937 and settled down in Paris. She was selected by the overseas Chinese artists in France to be the chairman of the Chinese Art Association. She died in 1977 in Paris, and her works were sent back to China in 1985. Her works are now in a collection at China National Art Gallery in Beijing and Anhui Provincial Museum in Hefei." - Lihai Lily

Hunter's Moon Odori this Weekend!

What: Hunter's Moon Odori

When: Sunday, October 12th at Noon SLT

Where: Sengoku Teahouse

This Sunday, the Shinmachi School will host a moon odori to celebrate the Hunter's Moon (visible tonight!) and the shinto moon god known as Tsukuyomi.We last performed this dance during our Moon Viewing festival in September of last year, and we've decided to make this dance an annual tradition. With this new tradition, we can be reminded each year of the relation traditional courtesans, geisha and actors have to the moon's guidance and protection.

The Moon Odori is a performance in five parts, matching with five phases of the moon: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous and the full moon.  It begins with our ode to the new moon, shingetsu, the beginning of the month according to the old Japanese calendar. The moon is beginning its journey around the earth and we are given pause to reflect on what the new month will hold.

By the light of the waxing crescent, we are able to see the first glimpses of an oiran and a geisha in all her beauty. Under the first quarter and reveling in half of the moon’s light, the youngest performers of the Shinmachi District will come out to play. With nearly full illumination from the waxing gibbous, the younger ones rest, and the apprentices (the shinzo and maiko) will take the center stage, hoping that the moon's light will lead their lost love to them. Finally, our performance concludes with a celebration of Tsukiyomi and the magnificence of the full moon.

We hope you can join us for this performance, featuring amazing music, and traditional dance and costumes of Japanese courtesans, geisha and their apprentices.

- Aisya

Shinmachi Update

Wow, so it's been awhile since we've posted to the blog. We've been hard at work at revamping Shinmachi and are finally getting settled into our new status as a functioning district, expanding beyond our initial setup of being a group dedication to oiran and tayuu arts. Shinmachi is now made up of the following five houses:

Tsukinoya, House of the Moon
Leader: Kaminari Mai, Oiran
Location: Keisei Mountainside
Tsukinoya is an exclusive house that adheres to the standards of old: there’s only one Oiran in the house at a time. The ladies are women of accomplishment and beauty who are more than happy to offer ozashiki services, private tea and other ceremonies, and teahouse or theater performances.

Yuugana Fuji
Leader: Aisya Destiny (temporarily, currently hiring an apprentice to train and take over)
Location: Adjacent to the Shinmachi School at Keisei
Yūgana Fuji, or Graceful Wisteria, derives its name and crest from the new and the old: The Interlocking Rings are the crest of the sole remaining tayuu house, the Wachigaiya of Shimabara. These rings are also a link to the Fujiwara period of rule (during the Heian era), when Japanese courtesans first began to show their cultural refinement and ties to the elite of society. As such, the women of Yugana Fuji are expected to exemplify the cultural refinement of the past, have an appreciation for history and enjoy the freedoms of the modern era.

Lihai Lily Salon
Leader: Lihai Lily
Location: Center of Keisei
Lihai Lily Salon in the public domain is a traditional Chinese entertainment hall that specializes in
old storytelling forms. Including shuoshu (storytelling) and shuochang (storysinging) accompanied with instrumental ensemble typically stringed pipa, sanxian or even simple percussion. All include basic pantomime and various symbolic hand props for expression such as fan, cloth, zhiyu (jade mallet) etc.

Izumo Kabuki House
Leader: Jinchi Haiku
Location: Near the Shrine at Sengoku
The Izumo Kabuki House was named after Izumo no Okuni (1572? - ?) the originator of kabuki
theater. The Izumo Kabuki House performs kabuki and other plays in Second Life. These performances are often very complex, with wonderful dances and music. For information on training or events contact Jinchi Haiku.

Shinmachi School
Leader: Aisya Destiny
Location: Oceanside at Keisei
The Shinmachi School is the central training hub of the district, offering formal training in Japanese
and Chinese arts, artists and culture. The current primary focus of the School is to provide formal training for those training to be tayuu, oiran, or geisha within the District. Outside of this focus, the School seeks to develop a comprehensive library containing a wealth of accurate, well researched information concerning East Asian culture.


Lastly, we're interested in getting our geisha house up and running. While we have the framework, we are in the process of hiring an apprentice to spend 2 - 3 months training as an Okaasan to take it over. Below is the overview, and IM Aisya Destiny if you're interested or want to learn more.

Harusame Okiya (start up)
Leader: (currently looking to hire an apprentice to train and become the Okaasan)
Harusame Okiya, or Spring Rain, is based on the ideal that geisha and maiko embody the essence of spring. This seasonal poems forms the basis of Harusama's Okiya's existence, along with the goals for the geisha and maiko who train within - they are "the essential experience of spring beauty.*" As the night falls, the maiko and geisha of Harusame begin their work, lovely flowers drifting along the streets towards their destinations, infusing the areas they visit with their beauty. Like the gentle willow, when the dance they are fluid and flowing with the wind. And like the spring rain, Harusama Okiya women utter soft, enchanting whispers that cause patrons to stop, listen and lean in to hear more.

Yume-chan's Shinzo Debut, part II

Recently, we held a debut celebration to honor the work of Yume-chan (formerly, Six Juriya) as she completed the lessons and tasks necessary for her to become a furisode shinzo of Shinmachi. She is now a courtesan in her own right, but continues her studies in hopes of becoming one of the illustrious tayuu (or oiran) of the district.

Please enjoy these pictures of the event.

 

Yume-chan's Shinzo Debut

  _____________________________

日の目見ぬ冬の椿の咲にけり

hi no me minu fuyu no tsubaki no saki ni keri

without seeing sunlight

the winter camellia

blooms

Please join us Saturday, June 14th at 6pm SL so celebrate the debut of our brand new Furisode Shinzo, Yume-chan.

The debut will be held at the winter kissed land of Sengoku, in their charming  tea house. We will celebrate the blossoming of a new Shinmachi flower through song and poetry. This will be Yume-chan's first performance as a furisode shinzo. We will end the event with polite conversation, giving everyone a chance to chat with the debutante.

Arigato gozaimasu,

Kaguyama of Shinmachi

   

   

   _____________________________

You also see a map, leading you to the location of the debut: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ocarina%20Beach/93/51/24

Kaguyama's Tayuu Debut Recap

This evening 

on Heavenly Kagu Mountain, 

the mist is trailing. 

It seems that spring has ended.

Kaguyama-san, in her debut kimono, standing in
front of the Nekkido Theater.

This past week, we had the distinct honor of celebrating the debut of Kaguyama-san, the newest tayuu of the Shinmachi District. Please enjoy these few pictures of the momentous event and be sure to congratulate the new tayuu on her hard work and accomplishments. 

Sponsor Event: Fuubutsu- Dou Ozashiki
During this ozashiki, held in the beautiful Fuubutsu- Dou sim, we served sake, chatted with a few good friends, enjoyed a lovely performance and played a fun game of Yakuza.

Rai-sama's head is blocking the view of the other guests!

You can see Kaguyama-san's ohaguro here.

Onsen Event
No pictures were taken during this clothing optional event. We had a lot of fun hanging out in Keisei's amazing onsen (really, it's the best in SL), and even got in a game of truth or dare. I can't wait until we hold another event just like it - just to give us another reason to gather and enjoy the hot springs.

Sponsor Event: Bamboo Cutter for Sengoku
Kaguyama and Six-chan worked together to organize the Bamboo Cutter performance for the Sengoku Teahouse. Kaguyama-san designed an amazing stage for her solo dance while Six-chan did a great job providing music on her koto.

Kaguyama-san dancing on the stage at Sengoku. 

I absolutely love the way she transformed the teahouse!

Parade and Formal Debut
The debut ended with a formal oiran dochu (the courtesan's slow parade) and a two part performance in Nekkido. In this case, pictures speak louder than words regarding the awesome spectacle that is a high ranked courtesan's debut.

Lining up for the oiran dochu. Do you see Dow-sama?
He had the best view of the dochu!

Here's a far shot of the oiran dochu.

A much closer shot. Six-chan is in front, holding
Kaguyama-san's tabako-bon. Mase-san provides a
shoulder for Kaguyama-san to lean on as she does the 
difficult figure 8 step. Fuu-chan and I trail in behind her. 

Kaguyama-san takes center stage during the two
part performance.

An amazing shot of daytime fireworks!

And night time fireworks to end the celebration!

Pictures are courtesy of Kaminari Mai, Jinchi Haiku, Six Juriya and Fuu-chan (Ornamental Amethyst). Special thanks to Daddio Dow, Nya Alchemi, Deci, Wishi Wahwah and Vera Johnson for all of their help in making Kaguyama-san's debut a success. We couldn't have done it without you!