Posts Tagged ‘kimono costume’

2022 Obon Festivals in the USA

Saturday, June 25th, 2022

What is an Obon Festival?

The Obon Festival is a time for celebration in Japan. It’s also an opportunity to get together with friends and family members.

The tradition entails music, dance, and crafts as well as martial arts. It honors ancestral spirits from your past who have watched over you throughout life.  The lighting of candles represents wishes fathered by these same energies during happier times gone by.

Entertainment will be offered with groups playing drums including taiko drumming groups.

Plenty of groups and cities participate in this cultural experience in the USA.  Find an Obon Festival near you.

Downtown Denver – Cherry Blossom Festival – June 25 and 26.

Venice, CA Japanese Community Center – June 25.

Salt Lake City, UT – Salt Lake Buddhist Temple – July 9.

Fairfax, VA  Ekoji Buddhist Temple – July 9.

Seabrook, NJ – Seabrook Buddhist Temple – July 16.

Pasadena, CA Buddhist Church – July 16.

Long Beach, CA. Cultural Center – July 30.

Portland, Oregon – Oregon Buddhist Temple – August 6.

Kingston, NY – Kingston Point Beach – August 6.

Palo Alto, CA Buddhist Temple – Aug. 7

Lahaina Hongwanji Mission – Lahaina, HI – Aug 12 and 13.

Gardena Buddhist Church – August 13.

Charlotte, NC – Wells Fargo Atrium Plaza – August – Dates TBA.

San Diego, CA – Japanese Friendship Garden – August – Dates TBA.

Las Vegas, NV – Location TBA, August – Date TBA

St. Paul MN – Como Park – August 21.

St. Louis, MO – Missouri Botanical Garden – Sept 3-5.

Atlanta, GA – Gas South Convention Center (Duluth) – September 17 and 18.

Dress for the occasion. Kimonos and Yukatas are very popular to wear to these festivals. The yukata is lighter weight and will help keep you cooler on those warmer days. Check out our wide selection of robes and headbands for your celebration. Shipping is always fast. Shop our ONLINE STORE now.

Search the web for more dates and cities near you. Buddhist temples and Japanese clubs and gardens may have more information in your local area.

 

mens shodo yukata in 100% cotton

The Shodo Yukata is available at       www.chopa.com

Kimono Costumes for Halloween

Sunday, September 26th, 2021

If you’re looking for Halloween costumes that will turn heads, geisha costumes, kimonos and yukata are some very popular choices. These traditional Japanese robes come in a wide variety of colors and designs, and can be paired with any type of wig or headpiece to create an authentic look. Whether you want to dress as a mysterious Japanese princess or an exotic dancer from a faraway land, these options will make your costume unforgettable.

The trend for adults this year is to find that one-of-a kind, creative costume. There’s nothing like the feeling you get when your outfit comes together perfectly and everyone loves what you are wearing. While some people turn towards movies, TV shows or magazines for inspiration, others just have their own idea come across their minds, which makes them unique among all other Trick or Treaters with its memorable look.

Versatility is another factor, and you will score more attention at your next Halloween gathering if your costume includes fashionable elements that can be incorporated into the outfit for a night out after trick or treating.  A unique idea is to find clothing from different cultures like Japan. There are many designs specifically made to wear over their traditional clothing, while still being able to reflect some culture through design inspiration outside of one’s own heritage.  This gives guests something modern yet cultural about themselves when viewing them all together. Your outfit will look great for future parties too, given that these types of ensembles can easily transition from one occasion into another without looking dated or played-out like some other costumes might do after just one use.

How about a Geisha?

Geishas are artists who create an air of Japanese culture and ethnicity. The word “geisha” means artist in traditional terms. A Geisha is someone who dresses up in the historically-inspired costumes of a bygone era. Japanese geisha girls have been performing for centuries in a range of different art forms, including elegant dance performances to classical music. Kimono costumes and traditional kimono dresses can be found at most Halloween stores, but these costume-shop versions are not the kind that one would wear themselves as an outfit, they’re more like cheap replicas with elaborate hair ornaments which aren’t practical everyday clothes.

Geisha costumes are a great option for Halloween because they allow you to dress up as an elegant and stunning Japanese woman. The Japanese culture in general offers a more sexualized take on this old-world tradition that allows you to be your most seductive self.  Geishas are sexy, fun and flirty which means that these outfits offer endless hours of entertainment at parties while also providing fun fantasy play at home.

Want to be a Samurai Warrior?

Choose from any of our authentic Japanese kimono or yukata for men. With a wide selection of colors, patterns and styles, you are sure to find the robe that brings out the warrior in you.  Add a sword, a headband or Hachimaki and you are ready for style and fun at your Halloween party.  The best thing about purchasing a kimono or yukata for a costume is it becomes your daily loungewear at home afterwards. Why pour your hard-earned money into a cheap costume that you wear once and toss or donate to charity? Wear your kimono with pride at your festive event and enjoy adding this fine cotton robe to your wardrobe at the same time.

Chopa offers many sizes of men’s and women’s kimono and yukata. From small, medium and large, to wide, plus sizing to tall, we have it all.  Want a shorter kimono? Look no further than our selection of Happi Coats.  Happis are short length kimono and yukata. Stylish, fun, dressy and playful. This year, don’t spend your time and money at a costume shop. Visit our online store to find the perfect costume for your party and then enjoy wearing it for many years to come.

Photo courtesy of Rodnae Productions

                Halloween Kimono Costumes