Hatsumode and Kimono

One of Frank's groupies asked me to take him to a shrine event. I like going to the shrine although I, myself, am not a Shintoist. I go there to escape back into Japan. It's one of the places where you can truly leave America at the Tori. So naturally, when I go, I like to wear a kimono and attempt to at least greet people in Japanese. Sensei most likely knows why I come, but he's a generous person and unlike other religions, there's no requirement to do anything to prove yourself. It is enough that you show up.
Frank and I put our heads together and consulted the shrine's irregular schedule to find a time when John, the afore mentioned groupie, could come to visit it (and us). We decided that Hatsumode...a three day event at the shrine the first 3 days of the new year would be best because John would be between classes. He would have free time. Also there were 3 days to work with so even though he had to attend a wedding on the 31st, he'd still make it.
Now, I did mention that these are groupies, right? Who, by definition, travel in groups. Also, they tend to jump at any time when they might be able to persuade Frank to run a role-playing adventure for them. He is a master storyteller...so masterful in fact that he has acquired groupies. See? It all makes sense now, huh?
So because the group runs in a pack...it soon became not just a visit by John, but also a visit by Denise, Marissa, Justin, Nicky, and Robin. Most of the East-siders had other people to visit so they all came on the 31st. Denise stayed with us and we took her to the Grubb's for the annual new year's eve board game party. John, due to the wedding, was to travel over on the 1st with his parental units. But fate said, "No!" and the pass was completely blocked by snow barring his passage.
So we took all the people who came to game to Hatsumode instead of the one person for whom the visit was created. Don't get me wrong...most of them expressed geniune interest and just drug the rest (Justin and Robin) along with them. So that's four women, including myself. I only have under things for 3 kimonos, even then I must use a hakama and a mitsuyuki to hide some of the missing parts. However, Nicky luckily had a friend by the name of Elizabeth who has everything for one kimono. We borrowed her things and I was able to outfit 4 women in kimono. Awesome.
When I was in Japan, I learned several method of putting on a kimono, plus I came back with a magazine with wonderful step-by-step pictures. Thus, here is the result:

(P.S. Nicky...the one in brown, is not a groupie, she's the girlfriend of a groupie...is a polymath)