Check Out My Kimono

My New Kimono

So, as S went to see a temple today in Matsuyama, I decided I needed a day of relaxation. For me, that involved window-shopping. I have decided to take up running while in Asia so I needed to buy a pair of running shorts. Refusing to pay $35-$80 at the running stores in the area, I continued looking. It was on the 2nd floor of a mall in the center of the city that I stumbled upon a second hand shop. I found a pair of running shorts and a t-shirt for 3 dollars each and then I realized they were selling used kimonos. I had read in my guide book that buying used kimonos is the way to go, as quality is high and the price is cheap. I also really wanted to find an affordable one before I left Japan in a few days and had been nervous I wouldn't find one. They did not have any kimono and obi (sash) sets, so I needed to create my own set. I really needed to sift through the 20 or so kimonos because, as they were used, most of them were stained. I finally found one that I liked and was stain-free and then set about finding an obi to go with it.
The kimono and obi cost me $10.50, which is a bargain as most prices for kimonos begin at $40.
That's not all.
After researching obis after I got home, I learned that I had purchased a Nagoya obi. That means the sash is shaped like a paddle and it is a more casual sash. The wider part of the obi is used to create the bow in the back. I then spent about 45 minutes watching videos and reading how-to web pages about how to tie a proper nagoya obi. It took me an additional 15 minutes to figure it out in my room. Here is the finished product. As S was out temple-viewing, I did my own photo shoot in the hotel room.
Enjoy!