KANZASHI - 'Hair Ornaments'

KANZASHI are hair ornaments used in traditional Japanese hairstyles. There is a believe that they may also have been used for defence in an emergency.

They were first used in Japan during the JOMON PERIOD. During that time, a single thin rod or stick was considered to have mystical powers which could ward off evil spirits, so people would wear them in their hair. This is also when some of the first predecessors of the modern Japanese hair comb began to appear.

There are many varieties and many styles of wearing kanzashi. The way in which a GEISHA wears her KANZASHI indicates her status immediately to an informed audience; according to the type and location of the KANZASHI. Maiko (apprentice geisha) usually wear more numerous and elaborate KANZASHI than older GEISHA and progress through several hairstyles where the KANZASHI must be worn in a fixed pattern.

KANZASHI are fabricated from a wide range of materials such as lacquered wood, gold and silver plated metal, tortoiseshell and silk, and recently, plastic. In fact, early bakelite kanzashi are extremely collectible.

There are several basic KANZASHI styles that traditionally followed more complex HANA (flower) and seasonal arrangements. Today these arrangements are only followed by MAIKO.

- BIRA-BIRA - also called Fluttering or Dangling style, these are composed of metal strips attached by rings to the body of the ornament so that they move independently, pleasantly tinkling (which is sometimes accentuated by additional bells) or long chains of silk flowers called shidare.

- KOGAI - A two piece kanzashi made of Bekko (tortoiseshell or artificial) or other materials such as ceramics or metals that feature a design on each end. Kogai means sword and refers to the shape of two pieces make up this kanzashi (a sword and its sheath). They are often sold as a set with an accompanying kushi comb.

- Tama - Ball style kanzashi. These prong style kanzashi are decorated with only a simple colored bead on the end. Traditionally a red tama is worn from October-May and a green tama is worn from June-September.

- Kushi are comb kanzashi. These are usually rounded or rectangular combs made of tortoiseshell or lacquered wood that are often inlaid with mother of pearl or gilding and placed into a mage (bun-style hairdo). The spine of the comb is often wide in order to allow maximum space for a design, and in many cases, the design will extend into the teeth. "Flower-combs", also called hanagushi, are made by gluing folded pieces of silk to a wooden base comb and are a popular, non-formal alternative.

- Kanoko Dome - are heavily jeweled accessories crafted with some or all of the following: gold, silver, tortoiseshell, jade, coral, pearls and other semi-precious stones. While the general shape is rounded, they are also found in other shapes, with flowers and butterflies being the most popular. The kanoko dome is worn at the back of the wareshinobu hairstyle of the junior maiko and has two prongs that hold it securely in the mage.

- Ogi - Also called Princess style, are metal, fan-shaped and kamon-imprinted kanzashi with aluminum streamers held in place by a long pin. These are usually worn by maiko in the hair just above the temple. New maiko wear two on the day of their debut (MISEDASHI).

- Tsumami Kanzashi - Literally, 'folded fabric hair ornament'. Tsumami kanzashi are made from tiny 1" squares of silk which are folded into petals using origami techniques. Flowers are made from these folded fabric petals and may contain anywhere from five petals to 75 or more, depending on the particular flower made. A 'hana kanzashi' is a cluster of these flowers, and may or may not include bira-bira and/or long streamers of tsumami petals, fashioned to look like hanging wisteria petals. Generally, hana kanzashi are worn in pairs, one on either side of the head, often with a complementary kushi and/or with several individual flowers scattered about the hair.

Hana KANZASHI
With hana kanzashi, the long fluttering flower is characteristic of maiko. These are created from squares of silk by a technique known as tsumami (pinching). Each square is folded multiple times with the aid of tweezers and cut into a single petal. These are attached to backings of metal or cardboard that are attached to a wire and are bunched together to make bouquets and other arrangements. Additional detailing of stamens is created by the use of mizuhiki, which is a strong, thin twine made from washi paper, and is often coloured and used for decorative works.

Geisha, and especially MAIKO, wear different hana kanzashi for each month of the year.

Seasonal KANZASHI
The seasons dictate which kind of hair ornament is worn in Japan. Usually this applies above all to the geisha and maiko, who tend to be the only Japanese women to wear kanzashi often enough for seasonal changes to be noticeable. Since maiko wear more elaborate kanzashi than their senior geisha, seasonal changes are even more important for them.

-January - The design of January kanzashi differs from year to year, but usually has an auspicious Japanese New Year theme. Sh?chikubai is a popular choice, a combination of pine (matsu), bamboo (take) and ume plum blossoms, (green, red and white) which are usually associated with celebrations. Other popular additions to the January kanzashi are sparrows (suzume), spinning tops and battledore paddles (hagoita).

February - Usually trailing deep pink, or sometimes red, ume plum blossoms, which are to be seen everywhere in Japan at this time and symbolize young love and the approach of spring. Another less common theme is the pinwheel and the flowerball (kusudama) that is worn for Setsubun.

March - Trailing yellow and white rape blossoms (nanohana) and butterflies, as well as peach blossoms (momo), narcissi (suisen), camellia (tsubaki) and peonies (botan).

April - Trailing soft pink cherry blossom (sakura) mixed with butterflies and bonbori lanterns, signaling the approach of summer. Cherry blossom viewing at this time of year is a major cultural event in Japan. Also, kanzashi consisting of a single silver (or sometimes gold) butterfly (cho) made of mizuhiki cord are common.

May - Trailing purple wisteria (fuji) and flag irises (ayame), usually of the blue variety. Irises denote the height of spring. Small silver butterflies also pop up as extra decorations in May.

June - Trailing green willow (yanagi) leaves with pinks (nadeshiko), or less commonly hydrangea (ajisai) flowers. Willow is a traditional image associated with geisha. This month is the rainy season in Japan, and therefore willow (a water-loving tree) and the washy blue of hydrangea are appropriate.

July - Kanzashi featuring a display of fans. These will usually be of the round uchiwa variety, but occasionally folded dancing fans (maiogi) are also featured. The fans refer to the Gion Festival which takes place at this time. This is a huge event held at the Gion geisha district in Kyoto, which involves large parades of portable shrines (mikoshi) and dances. Fans are a staple component of keeping cool during the Japanese humid summers. The fans featured in a maiko's July kanzashi vary each year, in line with the festival. There are common themes such as dragonflies and lines denoting swirling water. Other kanzashi worn during July are the fireworks kanzashi and tsuyushiba (dewdrops on grass).

August - Blue morning glory (asagao) or susuki grass. The susuki grass appears as a starburst of spines. Senior maiko wear silver-white and junior maiko wear pink or red.

September - Japanese bellflower (kikyo). The purple tones are traditionally associated with autumn. Often these will be mixed with the other autumn flowers: bush clover, patrinia, chrysanthemum, Japanese boneset, kudzu, and pinks.

October - Chrysanthemum (kiku). These are well loved in Japan, and are a symbol of the Imperial Family. Usually the chrysanthemums featured are red and white, a combination which signals the height of autumn.

November - Trailing autumnal leaves. These may be a generic yellow leaf or the characteristic red maple leaf. Maple viewing is the autumnal equivalent in Japan of cherry blossom viewing. Ginkgo and liquidambar leaves are also employed.

December - The Japanese make mochi at this time of year, and often decorate trees with them to represent white flowers. It is thought to be good luck to wear kanzashi featuring mochibana, or rice-cake flowers. December kanzashi also feature two maneki, which are tiny blank tags. Traditionally maiko visit the Minamiza Theatre and ask two of their favourite Kabuki actors to autograph them with their Kabuki nom de plume. Kanzashi for senior maiko feature bamboo leaves while junior maiko have a colorful assortment of lucky charms.

New Year - At this time of year all maiko and geisha wear unhusked rice ears in their coiffure (maiko wear it on the right while geisha wear it on the left). These kanzashi also feature eyeless white doves. The maiko and geisha fill in one eye and ask somebody they like to draw the other.