Mei-Shun’s favorite figure skater chose Ballade, Chopin for his short program this year. Quadruple- and other jumps must be the most difficult, while the piano music requires the finest techniques to play perfectly. It is honorable to see them accomplished with tough practice and never-give-up mindset.
Excellent. Just excellent. Mei-Shun and Shin met Kaori-san, an illustrator Ms. KOGASHIWA, Kaori in Kyoto. Gallery “Merry-go-round” accommodates a bookstore and an exhibition space where you can see her fantastic works by December 3. And this chic flower as well, presented by her mother.
In 2004, commemorating beloved Mei-Shu I, Kikunoe Ryu masters and students held a stage in Tokushima. Kabuki actor Onoe Kikugoro VII, accompanied by his son Kikunosuke V, gave his precious performance in front of the full-packed audience.
Mei-Shu I passed away for cancer in 2003. Her sudden leave caused a lot of trouble, including “robbery” of Kikunoe Ryu. Finally, the youngest sister Ka-Shu took after the name of Mei-Shu and the chairmanship of the board of directors.
Nabe-mono, a Japanese cuisine quite similar to stew, is much preferred from late autumn to early spring. We serve ourselves boiled vegetables, meat and fish from a wide-open pot set on a cooking burner in the center of a table.
Botan Nabe by Hata-Kaku, Kyoto must be one of the best experience. Wild boar meat is served like a peony flower, simmered in white miso soup.
So they’ve come to Mei-Shun. Chon-mage (=samurai) hair style does not seem as unbearable as she has imagined before. However, she still prefers this image with red-hot head. Basic facial color is all white for women dancers. No brown, no black is added even for the role of middle-aged guy.
Not the guy getting along with the magical lamp, our new stove. Aladdin has been delivered, started to work hard. Regarding coldness as the worst for Mikan-chan, we rushed to the net shopping—weather forecast said that it would be the coldest today. And it is. Ohhh, how nice to come to warm-upped living room in the morning …
Mei-Shun received a DVD of her latest stage. She hesitated to see her own image last year, yet all different today – immediately open the package and sit down in front of the display. Maybe the spirit of shishi helped her for further practice and training. She found out much to be improved in her techniques. Thanks, darling.
In her hometown Tokushima, Mei-Shu I has founded Kikunoe Ryu. This name took kiku (=chrysanthemum flower) from late Master Kikuzo, while noe (=above) from the heading family O-noes. Mei-Shu I rejected to head Kikunoe; she knew how hard it was to keep a school of Japanese dance. Instead, she assumed the office of the chairwoman of the board of directors.
Kikunoe Ryu has been established by Mei-Shu I in 1992. She belonged to Otowa Ryu in Osaka for a long time. After her Master Kikuzo had passed away, kabuki actor Onoe Baiko VII advised her to become the leader of a new party of Japanese dance.
meishunkikunoe 