Aya's Opinions on Common Kimono Questions: I Have This Kimono I Want to Sell...

So, I've been gone for a while -- long enough that Blogger has made a ton of changes and I'm not sure how I feel about them. Eh, I think the old system was easier to navigate. But I'll figure this one out. Anyway, I was gone for a while for a whole host of reasons, but now I'm hoping to start posting again. Maybe not 1-2 times a week like I did before, when I was most active with this blog (I will run out of pictures and topics to talk about eventually, after all), but hopefully more than once every six months.

I need to go digging through my pictures and figure out what I haven't posted and talked about yet, but in the meantime, here's a written post to keep you occupied. As always, feel free to comment if you have questions or input.

Aya's Opinions on Common Kimono Questions: I Have This Kimono I Want to Sell...

As a kimono buyer, I have some fairly strong opinions on how sellers who wish to develop and maintain a good reputation should present their items for sale. However, there are plenty of people out there who only have one or two kimono (or items they think are kimono) and want to sell those items. Sometimes folks like that will wind up short-changing themselves by posting a lovely, high-quality piece with inaccurate labels, poor pictures, and terribly high or low starting prices, and as a result they won’t earn anywhere near what their kimono is truly worth. Other people will go in the opposite direction, overstating the value of a low-quality, casual, or badly-damaged piece, and trying to charge way too much for it. Here is my advice for people wanting to sell kimono.

1) EDUCATE YOURSELF. Take the time to research what kind of kimono you have -- assuming it really is a kimono, which is something the research process will help you figure out if you’re not sure. If you can’t figure out what you have on your own, don’t be afraid to find someone who might know and ask them. I’m happy to offer my thoughts on pictures or links to pictures you post in the comments here. Just be aware that I'm not a professional appraiser or anything like that.

2) Label accurately. Yes, labeling your item as a “geisha maiko wedding princess kimono furisode hikizuri antique” might bring in more views, but unless your item is actually a “geisha maiko wedding princess kimono furisode hikizuri antique,” you’re not doing yourself or potential buyers any favors by lying. If your item is just a komon, there is no shame in labeling it as a komon. A komon might be just what many buyers are looking for.

3) Take good pictures. I and other kimono buyers I know would like to see at least a back view with the kimono open (so the pattern can be seen), a close-up or two of the pattern, and pictures of any damages. It’s also a good idea to provide a picture of the inside of the kimono, because stains and discolorations on the lining might show up when the item is worn.

4) Be honest about damages. Mention anything like stains, discolorations, snags, holes, seams coming loose, areas where it seems like paint has worn off, and the like. Take photos of the damages and post them along with your other photos. You might want to consider copying sellers like Ichiroya who include a diagram showing where the damages are, and then show actual photos of damages with some kind of item to show the scale, like a ruler or a brightly-colored square of paper or fabric in a certain size. When choosing an item to show scale, try to use things that people across cultures can understand. A ruler with both inches and centimeters or a square of brightly-colored paper that you provide the measurements for (in both inches and centimeters or millimeters) are good choices because pretty much everyone can figure out how big 1cm/0.5inch square is. But not everybody knows how big the coins in your local currency are or how big that button from your button collection is.

5) Provide measurements. At the very least you should give the kimono length (shoulder to hem) and the length of the hem (total kimono width). You might also consider giving measurements like shoulder width and “wingspan,” the length from one hand hole to the other.

6) Put some effort into displaying your kimono. Ideally you would hang it on a kimono stand or kimono hanger, but that’s not possible for everyone. Which is fine. It just means you might have to do a little more work to find a good spot for your pictures. You’ll want to find a place where you can spread the kimono out a bit so people can see the pattern well (like in point #3), a place where the lighting is good, and most of all a place where the background is CLEAN (or at least not noticeably dirty!).

7) Use your own photos of items already in your possession. There has been some drama in the past about items being sold on eBay where the seller used pictures from elsewhere (e.g. pictures from someone else's sale of the item) as their pictures. To my knowledge that kind of thing is against the eBay terms of service, but you also need to be aware that experienced kimono shoppers can often recognize items that are being resold -- especially if you’re trying to sell something special, like a maiko or geisha item. Using your own pictures will go a long way towards putting everyone at ease about the authenticity and honesty of your sale.


8) Educate yourself some more. I recently bought a lovely shiromuku (white uchikake) that is in perfect condition (something that's almost impossible to find with shiromuku) for $15. Let that sink in for a second. Imperfect polyester shiromuku usually go for $50-150, depending on things like the extent of the damage and the reputation of the seller. A silk one, especially a silk one in good condition, can go for more. The seller claimed that mine was silk, and based on the feel of the fabric I'm inclined to believe her. How on earth did I get a kimono like that for so little? It's hard to find komon and yukata for that kind of price! My honest opinion is that the seller didn't do her research to see what kimono like hers usually sell for. She tried to sell it with the "buy it now" option twice, in both cases charging several hundred dollars more than kimono like hers usually sell for. I'm sure that drove more than a few potential buyers away. Obviously part of my winning $15 bid was sheer dumb luck -- the bidding started low, only a couple of other people bid, none of them bid very high amounts, etc. -- but I think that if this seller had started the bidding or "buy it now" sale of her kimono at a more reasonable price, she would have made more money off of it (just not from me -- I'm going back to school again this fall so I'm on a kimono-buying hiatus at the moment).

The moral of the story is that if you take the time to figure out what kind of kimono you have and then take the time to figure out how much kimono that are similar to your (in terms of type, condition, etc.) sell for, you can ask for a much more reasonable price to begin with. In my opinion, that increases the chance that you will successfully sell your kimono and make a reasonable amount of money off of it. Yes, you could be the lucky one who sells a yukata for $500. There are so many people out there who believe that they can only get a authentic kimono by spending thousands of dollars that it wouldn't surprise me if some sellers have luck selling their items for much more than they are really worth. But wouldn't it be better to ask a reasonable price to begin with?

To my readers, whether you only buy kimono, only sell kimono, or do a bit of each: What tips would you give an inexperienced kimono seller so they could make the best sale possible?

Kanzashi Resource List

It occurred to me recently that I talk a lot about kanzashi here and have mentioned places to get them, but never really made a list like I did with kimono shopping resources. Well, this post is here to fix that! Rather than breaking it down by online vs. brick-and-mortar, though, I’m going to break it down by maiko vs. non-maiko styles of kanzashi

Authentic Maiko (or geisha/geiko or tayuu) Kanzashi

• Ikuokaya: Without a doubt my favorite kanzashi shop in Kyoto. They also have a website (FYI: they have music that plays automatically on the homepage), and I know people who have ordered things from them. The owner and his son speak excellent English and the son also speaks German, so don’t be afraid to fax them (unfortunately the other staff members at the shop don’t speak English or any other languages but Japanese, so if you don’t speak Japanese or don’t feel confident in your Japanese skills calling might not be the best idea). You can buy full maiko kanzashi sets or just parts of the sets. They also sell other authentic maiko and geiko items, like maiko obi dome and han eri, as well as mini versions of maiko kanzashi, kanzashi for the average person and more tourist-related items. It is also the only shop I have found in Kyoto that sells tayuu items.

• Kazurasei: Another kanzashi shop in Kyoto. Like Ikuokaya, you can buy full sets of maiko kanzashi or parts of maiko kanzashi. They also sell kanzashi and other kitsuke items (like obi dome and obi jime) for regular people. Their specialty is their series of pure camellia oil products, including shampoo and conditioner.

• Kintakedo: The third kanzashi shop location on the Gion side of Shijo-dori (along with Ikuokaya and Kazurasei). They sell maiko kanzashi and also some mini version of them -- my little morning glory (asagao) is from them. You can also get kanzashi appropriate for regular people here. I don't know of a website for these folks, but if you do please feel free to share the link!

• Hannari-ya: An online shop that sells all kinds of Japanese stuff. They have a small selection of maiko kanzashi, which they apparently purchase from Kintakedo.

Non-Maiko (or geisha/geiko or tayuu) Kanzashi

• Jyuusanya: The fourth kanzashi shop on Shijo-dori, this particular one is on the non-Gion side of the Kamogawa. Their specialty is carved boxwood combs, and they provide the offering of new combs presented at the renewal of the Grand Shrine at Ise ever 20 years. Those of you who collect BJDs or other dolls might be interested to note that I have found miniature carved combs of all kinds at this shop. In addition to the boxwood combs, they sell a variety of lacquered combs, bekko pins, and tsumami kanzashi appropriate for all occasions. They don’t sell maiko goods, but if you’re just going for a maiko-like look for cosplay or something some of their items might be a good option, especially if you want something you might be able to use in other situations later.

• Maya Kanzashi: An online shop with a large variety of pretty, generic kanzashi appropriate for more formal occasions. Most purchases from this shop come with two side pieces, but some come with just one piece or one larger side piece plus two or more much smaller pins. This is another good options for people looking to do maiko cosplay without actually buying maiko goods, or who want a fancy kanzashi to wear with their yukata for a more over-the-top style.

• Department stores and kimono shops: Even small kimono shops or limited wafuku sections in department stores often have a small selection of kanzashi appropriate for some kinds of kimono, especially more formal varieties. You may even be able to get super-casual styles to wear with yukata during the summer. And speaking of yukata…

• Claire’s, Icing, and similar stores:  Though in my opinion the things here aren’t substitutes for authentic kanzashi, many of the hair flowers can be a nice touch with yukata.

Other Resources

• eBay: You can find just about anything on eBay. That said, if something is advertised as a maiko or geisha piece, take it with a grain of salt and try to confirm that it is an authentic maiko or geisha piece before spending big bucks on it. I have found eBay to be a good source for antiques, bekko kanzashi, and wedding sets (though those might be particularly expensive). Doll hobbyists can also find some mini kanzashi for dolls on eBay with some careful looking.

• Etsy: A great place to go for unique, non-traditional kanzashi made with traditional methods. Ever thought a headband with kanzashi would rock? You can find them on Etsy. Some sellers will even do commissions. That said, use caution when dealing with sellers who claim that their pieces are authentic maiko or geiko pieces. I know of at least one seller there whose pieces strike me as way overpriced when I compare them to what I can get from places like Ikuokaya and Kazurasei. I would prefer not to name names publically though.

• Flickr’s kanzashi communities: Thought not everyone here is making pieces to sell, some people are and some even link to their Etsy or other sales pages in their profiles and/or picture captions.

• Ningyoukan: A site for doll hobbyists who want to buy kanzashi for their dolls. Pieces range from the tiny to the relatively large, so whether you’re buying for a Barbie or a Volks SD17 you can probably find what you need here. Humans, however, will be out of luck.

Is It A Kimono or Not? Separating the Good Stuff from the Rest

So you’re looking for a kimono, perhaps on eBay or simply by using your favorite search engine to search for kimono. And you’re coming up with a lot of questionable results. That is absolutely not surprising. Many people on the internet will claim that their items are authentic kimono, either to attract more customers (many of whom probably don’t know any better) or because the sellers themselves don’t know what they have.

So your non-real kimono fall into three basic categories:
1) Items that may share some characteristics with kimono, but that are not in fact kimono;
2) Items that are not kimono but are other traditional Asian clothes (of course there are plenty of low-quality fakes in these categories too); and
3) Items that ARE authentic kimono but are terribly miscategorized.

Examples of each category:

1) Items that may share some characteristics with kimono, but that are not in fact kimono.
 The most common item in this category is the satin bathrobe. Some of these are strictly bathrobes, while others are designed to fake out people who don’t know any better. These kinds of garments may include kimono-style sleeves and patterns you might see on authentic kimono, but are made of cheaper materials that would never be used for a real kimono (e.g. satin). They may be sold as yukata, though some people do try to get away with selling them as kimono.

2) Items that are not kimono but are other traditional Asian clothes, or cheap imitations of such clothes.
Many people have little or no knowledge of the many different cultures in Asia, and assume that there is little or no difference between them. So if they wear kimono in Japan they clearly wear kimono everywhere else in Asia, right? Wrong. Each culture in Asia has its own unique traditional garments, and in some cases several of these cultures may be found in a single country. Perhaps the most glaring example of this crops up all the time around Halloween, when people try to sell cheap satin “cheongsam” or “qipao” (Chinese garments) as “geisha” outfits. Kimono have very distinctive features and are the traditional clothing of Japan. While they might share certain features with other traditional Asian garments -- not a surprise given how much influence Chinese culture exerted over the entire region in the past -- a kimono is not the same thing as a cheongsam, qipao, hanbok, ao dai, or any other non-Japanese garment. Also, though I don’t know much about traditional Chinese garb, I have to assume that the cheap satin outfits sold as Halloween costumes have little in common with high-quality, authentic Chinese garments.

3) Authentic but miscategorized kimono.
Various forms of this crop up all the time. You may find any random kimono labeled as a “geisha” kimono. A brightly-colored komon might be presented as a wedding kimono. Many people like to claim they have super-special kimono given to their families by princesses in the past. A kimono that has clearly been lengthened by adding material to the middle of the kimono may be presented as a hikizuri or susohiki. Often, these miscategorized kimono might come with inflated price tags to match. Identifying fakes in this category requires you to know enough about kimono to know that not every kimono is a geisha kimono, that wedding kimono have a typical look to them, that authentic hikizuri and susohiki are typically MADE long and don’t have to be lengthened by adding fabric to the body, and so on. Some of these items get advertised with inaccurate names because the sellers don’t know what they have (e.g. how many people make the mistake of assuming that any woman in a kimono is a geisha? The logical extension of that assumption is that any kimono is a geisha’s kimono). Sometimes the sellers DO know what they have and are mislabeling their wares on purpose to draw in more potential buyers by expanding the number of search results that will lead to their item, or less honestly by taking advantage of a customer’s ignorance.

What can you do to make sure you buy authentic kimono?
1) Educate yourself. Get used to what real kimono look like, and get used to what different kinds of kimono look like -- especially if you’re interested in buying high-end or rare items like furisode, wedding kimono, or geisha kimono. For example, a real maiko or geisha kimono will never have rhinestones on it. However, some uchikake do, especially shiromuku (white uchikake). Places like Ichiroya, Yamatoku, and Shinei are good places to get used to looking at all kinds of kimono. You may also have luck on Rakuten.
2) Trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not.
3) Don’t be afraid to ask a seller questions.
4) Buy from reputable sellers. I have included some of my favorites in my second blog post. You can also hang out on places like the Immortal Geisha forums or other kimono blogs to see where your fellow kimono enthusiasts like to shop.
5) Don’t be afraid to get advice from people more in-the-know than you, whether you feel like asking about an entire shop or a specific item you’re thinking of buying. In fact, you’re more than welcome to use the comments section of this post to share links to questionable items it you want a second opinion.

Kimono shopping resources

A list of a few of the places I have used to buy kimono, obi, and other accessories. Most of these will be online links, and a few will be physical shops in Japan.

Online:
- Ichiroya Probably my favorite online kimono shop of all time. Most of my best pieces come from here. The company is based in Osaka and offers a lovely selection of all kinds of kimono, from yukata to wedding kimono and even the occasional geisha hikizuri or susohiki. They specialize in second-hand kimono, and have lots of vintage/antique items, but every so often they offer new (or at least unused) items as well. They also have the best system I have seen for pointing out the flaws in the items they sell.

- Yamatoku Another online shop I sometimes use. They also specialize in second-hand items and have many kimono from the1960s-1980s. At the moment they feature a never-ending furisode and uchikake festival, where they post furisode and uchikake with huge price cuts. They also feature $9.99 and $19.99+ sales, which is a good way to grab some less expensive items. However, at the moment they have the annoying habit of tagging every newly-listed item they offer as a "geisha" item, which is simply not true -- I don't think I have ever seen them sell an authentic geisha item. I'm pretty sure it's just to make sure they get more hits on their website, since they didn't raise the prices of their "geisha" items. Just keep that in mind when you're shopping and don't be taken in by the geisha tag.

- Shinei If you run a Google search for the old Ryu Japan website, you will get this page directing you to three different locations: Ryu Japan's eBay site, Shinei's eBay site, and Shinei's actual shop. I bought a few items from the old Ryu Japan, back when Shinei was a separate (but related?) shop, and the items were quite nice. I haven't bought anything from Shinei yet, but they seem to have quite a variety of lovely items. The prices are a little on the high side, but the people I know of who have bought from them have been very happy.

- Kimono Market Sakura They actually specialize in yukata, but they also sell silk and modern polyester kimono, as well as kimono accessories. They even have a (small) selection of plus-sized yukata. You will want to take their measurement information with a grain of salt thought -- in the past they used to claim that their standard yukata fit a huge range of size, but that simply isn't true if you intend to wear the yukata properly. Sure, if you just want a robe to wear around the house, any kimono that first over your arms and shoulders will do, but if you want to wear it out in public it really needs to fit properly. So make sure you double-check the actual kimono measurements, and then double-check your own measurements before you buy.

- Jshoppers.com They have a small selection of kimono and kimono accessories. In the summer they might also offer yukata. One year they offered a small selection of plus-sized yukata and obi that went as high as Japanese 10L, but I haven't seen those offered since and as of this posting they haven't begun offering this year's yukata selection.

- Rakuten A Japanese shopping site consisting of thousands of shops, all in one place. There are special versions of Rakuten for different countries -- pick the country of your choice at the link I posted. This is a good place to get a huge selection of yukata, kimono, and related accessories, but make sure you take the time to figure out the ordering system before you order.

- Yahoo Japan Auctions A good place to find kimono and accessories if you don't mind an auction site. However, be aware that most (maybe even all) of the sellers are unwilling and/or unable to ship overseas, so you will need to go through a shopping service like Celga or Noppin to order from them.

- eBay Everyone knows eBay, right? The biggest problem with eBay is that you get a lot of junk mixed in with the good stuff, but if you know what to look for you can find some really wonderful things there. If you're new to kimono shopping, I would suggest spending some time on non-auction sites first to get a feel for what kind of kimono goes for what kind of price. You'll be less likely to pay too much for items that way.

- Ikuokaya Not a kimono shop, but rather my favorite kanzashi shop in Kyoto. They sell kanzashi for everyone as well as selling authentic maiko kanzashi and other authentic maiko items. They don't list an email on the webpage, but they do have a telephone and fax number you could use to contact them. The shop owner and his son (but not the other staff) speak English, and the owner's son also speaks German. Very friendly and helpful people. If you're in the area, be sure to stop by and have a look around.


Shops in Japan:
Japan being the place kimono come from, it's usually not that hard to find shops selling kimono. You may have to hunt a little depending on where you are, but there is most likely going to be at least one shop somewhere near you. A good place to look if you're not having any luck is your local mall/shopping center or department store. There is usually at least one kimono shop in the mall or one floor with kimono and kimono accessories in the shopping center.

- Kyoto: the Isetan and Daimaru department stores both have kimono floors. There are other department stores as well, but I haven't been in them. Teramachi-dori has several small kimono shops. You can usually identify them easily because they display kimono, yukata, and/or accessories outside the shop entrance. The second floor of the Chicago Harajuku (or is it Harajuku Chicago?) is filled with second-hand kimono and accessories of all kinds. Mimuro typically has a large selection of kimono for good prices. There are tons and tons of smaller stores all over the place in Kyoto, selling everything from brand-new kimono to vintage pieces. I usually stumble upon them while wandering around and never really learn the names. There are one or two in the general vicinity of Yasaka-jinja, and at least one other one on the non-Gion side of Shijo-dori. That side of Shijo-dori is also home to Jyuusan-ya, a famous kanzashi maker. Their specialty is boxwood combs, but you can pick up lacquer and false tortoise shell combs, tsumami kanzashi, and kanzashi in various other materials as well. The Gion side of Shijo-dori runs from the Kamo rive to the front of Yasaka-jinja and features three more kanzashi makers -- Ikuokaya, Kazurasei, and Kintakedo -- all of whom sell kanzashi for maiko and geisha.

- Tokyo: I haven't spent as much time kimono-hunting in Tokyo as I have in Kyoto, mostly because I haven't spent as much time in Tokyo. I'm definitely a Kyoto girl. But you shouldn't have trouble finding kimono in Tokyo. Asakusa has several kimono shops, including at least one branch of a second-hand chain Tansuya. And of course there are plenty of malls and department stores to check in as well.

- Nagoya: If you're looking for second-hand kimono shops, check the street filled with second-hand shops near the Uso Kannon shrine. There were at least two the last time I was there.

- Hiroshima: There are a couple of kimono shops in the pedestrian-only shopping street, and I spotted at least one more on the way there.

If you know of any interesting shops, feel free to mention them in the comments!