Kimono Hairdos | 和服发型

When I saw Qurator's Photo Quest theme, "Hair," the first thing that came to mind was dog hair. Since I posted some dog photos in my last post already, I'm going to focus on human hair in this one. :)

If you've ever visited Japan, especially towns with a long history, you've probably seen tourists as well as locals dressed in kimono with matching hairdos. I took these photos in Kyoto, Japan's former Imperial capital for over a thousand years. This cultural hub is famed for its ancient temples and shrines, and for the same reason, the traditional hairdos and costumes can be seen all over its quaint streets. It's a perfect match.

On several nights in the old quarters, I noticed a few maiko (apprentice geisha) girls with more elaborate traditional hairdos. In fact, traditional Japanese hairstyles are referred to as Nihongami. These distinctive styles reflected people's societal roles in the past. Today, over 100 different styles survive, but they are most often seen on geisha, maiko, sumo wrestlers, brides at traditional weddings and kabuki performers.

Many of us travelers choose to do some kind of modern hairstyle, which requires less time. From my photos here, you can have a peek of the various hairdos, some are simple and elegant, while others are more freestyle with a bubbly touch. I also had my hair styled in a kimono shop, where a variety of hairdos were available to choose from. In the process, dozens of pins and clips were used. There was a large choice of accessories available for different occasions and age groups, most of which were handmade in fabric.

受到Qurator Photo Quest "Hair"主题的启发，今天来分享一些我在京都街上抓拍的照片, 重点在发型上。:)

如果你去过日本，尤其是那些有着悠久历史的城镇，可能对街头穿和服的游客有印象，偶尔也会看到当地人穿着和服去婚礼或宴会等场合。在京都本就古色古香的街道上，和服美女／男们更是一道靓丽的风景线。

有几天晚上，在祇园看到一些舞妓(艺妓见习生)留着更为精致的传统发型。虽然仍有过百种传统的日本发型(Nihongami)流传至今，但现在最常见会有这种发型的是艺妓、舞妓、相扑选手、传统婚礼上的新娘和歌舞伎演员等。

我们游客去穿和服拍照通常会选择做一些比较简单的现代发型，不用那么费时间，活动也更方便，比如这些照片里的多数发型。