Janita
Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies
(photo by author)
The first time I saw a Japanese traditional dance was in movies when I was a small kid; it was either Japanese movies, documentaries, or other movies that took place in Japan. I have always thought that it is very beautiful to see people donning traditional attire, such as kimono or yukata, gracefully holding a hand fan, or sensu in Japanese, while dancing to traditional music. Sometimes, they also dance in a group during festivals or matsuri, like in bon odori, which I think is very lively and exciting. When I was younger, I sometimes imagined how it felt to be among them.
This Spring semester, the ICC at Waseda University announced a Japanese cultural event to wear summer kimono (yukata) and learn a few traditional Japanese dances. I was truly overjoyed, and I registered myself in a heartbeat. We had this cultural event on July 9 at the Garden Hall, a really nice place to enjoy the view of the traditional Japanese garden in our campus complex. The members of the Waseda Wakamono- Kimono Club helped us get dressed and showed us how to wear the yukata. I was surprised by the beautiful yukatas that ICC had prepared for us, all complete sets with obi sashes and accessories, such as hand fans and kendama toys, and we could use them for the event. I had the chance to also ask them how to tie an obi—in case I want to do it myself, if I attended an event in a yukata. The obi knot is a bit complex, but we are trying to learn to do it properly.
During the program, we could have a stroll outdoors at Okuma Garden, and some of us took pictures and videos for memories. After a few moments with friends in the garden, we went back to the hall and started a traditional dance workshop. Ms. Caari Koide was our instructor for the day, a highly respected master in Japanese traditional dance, and we were very lucky to have her as our teacher. The first dance that we learned was a sensu fan dance with the Sakura Sakura folk song, and later we practised the bon odori dance, a group dance that is usually held during summer festivals. It was also beautiful to see our colleagues dressed in colourful yukatas and dancing to traditional music together.
I have been studying at Waseda University since 2021, and during this period, I have had the chance to study more about the Japanese arts, something that previously I could only imagine. Our university gives us many opportunities to try and learn together all about Japanese culture with fellow students, both Japanese and international students, for which I am really fortunate.
