A new home for the Blue Lotus

A lot of things have happened since our last post in this blog, even though we have unfortunately not written about it. For this months-lasting absence in our blog we apologize to all our patrons.

Over the last months the Blue Lotus Okiya has developed and grown bigger, which has not only reflected in the modification of our dorms and the landscape in Zarathud, but in the restructuring of our internal organization as well. These various changes have prompted us to move our home to a new place which we have found in an Edo-styled sim (Edo is the first period of modern Japan, also called Tokugawa period, 1600-1868). Please find the SL URL here.
The moving of our home also means a new start for us in a way, because not only will Blue Lotus be the new home of our Okiya but of the Kanzeon clan as well. So, fittingly to the Edo period, you will probably encounter Samurai now and then.

We apologize for all inconveniences caused by the construction of our new place. Still, we would be very happy to may welcome you again to future events. Meanwhile, you can still visit Zarathud till December, 31st. On this day our old sim is going to be closed. Please find a time to say goodbye to it!

May the never withering flowers and trees of our old sim continue to grow and bloom in this new place!
Please continue to support us, douzo yoroshii otano moushimasu!

Ichisumi
Sr. Maiko of the Blue Lotus Okiya

A month full of events: reviewing Miyako Odori

Today, with our final dance and a ryurei tea ceremony, a month full of events and celebrations has come to an end. Not only we had a diversity of things we did, like cherry viewing, celebratory dances, a play and a time to share poetry, but also various places to perform at - be it under the splendor of the cherry trees in our Okiya gardens or the Noh stage at our teahouse, on the SS Galaxy cruise ship or in the home sim of the Kanzeon clan. And to each single event a lot people came to witness this special time with us and make this month full of successful, enjoyable and rememberable days, making us look forward to next year already. Thank you, dear patrons, for all your time, presence and support!

As we had so many differents events, a summary of each one would make this post too long. But please enjoy the attached pics and let the past month pass by your eyes once more!
All pictures but the last three are from our flickr photo pool. Please follow this link to see more.

Lining up before the opening dance on April 9th

Okaasan's opening speech on April 9th

Sharing poems about the cherry blossom in SS Galaxy, April 10th

Hanami, cherry viewing, on April 15th

Celebratory dance in Asuka, April 17th (above & below)


The winter scene of the stage for the play "blossom flower", performed on April 21st (no other pictures available yet, but please follow this link for a video)

Closing ceremony on April 30th: the final dance, performed to a story of shikomi Siell

The ryurei tea ceremony with Umeha preparing the tea, Ichisumi explaining all steps and minarai Kiki and Icefyre (left) serving the tea to the guests, April 30th. Picture taken by Izzy Yuhara

April: month of Miyako Odori

When you travel through Japan this month, you will encounter a country covered with blooming trees: red, white and pink blossoms of peach and cherry unfold their splendour, and here and there still lingering plum blossoms can be found. It is the month of hanami, cherry blossom viewing, when thousand of people gather for a picnic around blooming cherry trees, it is the month of chatsumi, the start of picking tea, and for tea people it marks the start of the summer season when they part from the sunken hearth (ro) built in into the tea room to the portable hearth (furo). But this time I don't want to set the focus on tea, as April features another exceptional event: the third anniversary of our Okiya on April 9th! And it also marks the start of our Miyako Odori.

Miyako Odori is a whole month lasting dance festival performed by the Maiko and Geiko of Gion Kobu that goes back to the 19th century. In 1869 the capital of Japan was moved to a former fisher village called Edo, now known as Tokyo, and caused the decline of Kyoto (back then still known as Miyako) that had been the capital for more than thousand years. That changed in 1872, when Kyoto used the there put world exhibition to promote prosperity with an a whole month lasting "dance festival of the old capital" - Miyako Odori. It is now one of the main events in Kyoto.

We are very happy to invite you to celebrate the following events with us!


Miyako Odori Opening Ceremonies and Blue Lotus Anniversary
Friday, April 9th, 12pm SLT
Blue Lotus Cherry Paths

~*~*~ Sakura Poem
~*~*~ Saturday, April 10th, 2pm SLT
~*~*~ SS Galaxy

Blossom Viewing
Thursday, April 15th, 1pm SLT
Blue Lotus Cherry Paths

~*~*~ Festival of Blossoms
~*~*~ Monday, April 12th, 5pm SLT
~*~*~ Blue Lotus Okiya

Celebratory Dance
Saturday, April 17th, 12pm SLT
Asuka

~*~*~ Play "Blossom Flower"
~*~*~ Wednesday, April 21st, 12:30pm SLT
~*~*~ Blue Lotus Noh stage

Blossom Dance
Thursday, April 22nd, 7pm SLT
SS Galaxy

~*~*~ Blossom Viewing
~*~*~ Thursday, April 29th, 1pm SLT
~*~*~ Blue Lotus Cherry Paths

Closing Ceremonies
Friday, April 30th, 7pm SLT
Blue Lotus Cherry Paths

"The First Rabbits" in Babbage Square

On this Saturday, Feb 20th at 2pm, the Blue Lotus Okiya will revive the rabbits. Once more we show the traditional story about their origin, but this time in a different location - in the New Champagne Rooms in Babbage Square.

If you weren't able to attend the last performance in December or wish to see our play again, don't miss this chance! You are cordially invited!

Please use the SL Url below for finding the way to the venue or ask us for a teleport. Douzo yoroshii otano moshimasu!

* ~ * ~ *

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Square/214/219/106/?title=The%20New%20Champagne%20Rooms

February - harbinger of spring

Tani kaze ni
tokuru koori no
hima goto ni
uchi izuru nami ya
haru no hatsu hana

The wind from the valley
melts the ice,
revealing the waves
that might be called
the first flowers of spring.

(Fujiwara no Kintô)

February is the month between two seasons - winter, as there's still ice and snow outside, and spring, when the first plum blossoms begin to bloom. Therefore, a traditional name for it is hatsuhana-zuki, first flower, but it is also called yukige-zuki, snow melting, because according to the lunar calendar it is the time when the snow starts to melt. The lunar calendar also has it that the real New Year begins in February - Setsubun on February 3rd marks the last day of winter, the day following it (Feb 4th, risshun) marks the first day of spring, and the night between is traditionally regarded the beginning of the New Year.

On Setsubun, as the last day of winter, is the day to drive out the bad spirits of the past year. This is done with oni-yarai, a custom originating in China and first celebrated in Japan in 706: first the devils are addressed with prayers, then they will be expelled with peach bows and reed arrows. This is still done at some shrines and temples, but often it's simplified into a folk custom with people dispering the devils by scattering beans and shouting "oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi" - "devils, get out! good fortune, come in!".

Coming along with setsubun is the obake festival; the world becomes topsy-turvy because people dress up; and so do Geisha and Maiko as well! They dress as actors/actresses, TV celebrities, heroes of old myths, etc and go to their engagements. And also their guests dress up and entertain them in turn.

There are some more old traditions for Setsubun, like yaikagashi, the hanging of a holly sprig over your door, together with a sardine head (if you can't stand the smell, you can just hang up the sprig of course =), but it has already got out of fashion - more popular, on the contrary, is the custom of the takarabune-makura, the treasure boat pillow: in Japanese folklore, there are seven treasures (takarazukushi) and seven deities of good luck (shichifukujin), coming over the sea on a treasure boat (takarabune). On the night of Setsubun people put a picture of this boat under their pillow and if they have a lucky dream that night, it is believed that they will be lucky for the whole year.

The Blue Lotus Okiya will celebrate the New Year with setsubun on February 3rd at 10am with bean throwing and later the day with obake, and you are cordially invited to celebrate it with us!

Hatsugama 2010

Every January as a herald of the New Year the Blue Lotus Okiya celebrates Hatsugama.

This year as always it was a collection of the okiya family and some close and honored patrons, assembled together for the early morning event. For some hours the sim was closed to all but those on the special guest list. Giving the invited patrons full use of the okiya grounds after the event to relax.

Hatsugama, the first tea of the year, was hosted by our Okaasan, Mikido Yoshikawa. Maiko Umeha and Ichisumi assisted her in presenting the ceremony. The event was simple enough to follow for novice tea aficionados but still held all the charm and traditional aspects of Hatsugama.

Guests were greeted in the entrance of the entertainment retreat and guided through a walking tour on the spirituality of the Japanese Tea ceremony on their way to the tea house.Everyone sported kimono lending to the serenity of the gathering. The Blue Lotus women were all attired in complementary kimono formed a welcoming line near the entrance of the tea house.

Once inside the tea house was tasteful and serene, the perfect showcase for the traditional kaiseki meal followed by the first tea ceremony. The meal it self was a work of art each traditional dish painstakingly recreated. The guests bantered quietly and everyone had a relaxed good time. Sharing this moment with friends, family and close patrons made this Hatsugama one of those snapshot moments you cherish of your time in Second Life.

For more pictures of hatsugama please look at our photo album.

Akemashite Omedetou-san Dosu!

In other words, happy new year to all our patrons!

The ladies at Blue Lotus have wrapped up our to-dos for last year, and we are feeling refreshed and ready to face the year 2010 with big plans and, as always, the aim to continue bringing the beauty of the flower and willow world to Second Life. We look forward to sharing the year with all of you!

Already we'll be ringing in the year with some auspicious events during the month of January. First, the geisha will be going back to work on the 2nd to host the first ozashiki of the year on board the SS Galaxy. We hope to start off the month with a lovely performance there and as always, a relaxing bowl of tea. The ozashiki will begin at 4pm, we hope you will join us!

Another of the events we'll be hosting during the New Year period is Shigyoushiki, the hanamachi's annual awards ceremony honoring the maiko and geiko who have made significant contributions during the last year. This will be our first time hosting Shigyoushiki at Blue Lotus. The date and time is still to be decided, so keep checking the calendar to find out when!

Yet another of our events planned for the month (and the one I am personally looking forward to the most) is Hatsugama. Literally translating to 'first kettle,' this is a reverent event marking the first full tea ceremony of the year. As the chado instructor at Blue Lotus, okaasan Mikido Yoshikawa will perform the honorable task of serving tea for her students. We are very fortunate to have a teacher with such great knowledge of the way of tea, and it will be an event to remember.

More events will be announced throughout the month, so keep up to date with the calendar and we'll look forward to welcoming you all again to Blue Lotus in 2010! Blessings to you for the year ahead!

Regards,
Maiko Umeha 梅 葉