Tsumami Kanzashi: Seasonal Flowers

Tsumami Kanzashi by Hair Flower Designs provides beautifully handcrafted hair accessories that look great with any style or hair color.

The seasons dictate which kind of hair ornament is worn in Japan.

January – The design differs from year to year, but usually has an auspicious Japanese New Year theme. Shouchikubai is a popular choice, a combination of pine (matsu), bamboo (take) and ume blossom, (green, red and white) which is usually associated with celebrations.

February – Usually trailing deep pink, or sometimes red, ume blossoms, which are seen everywhere in Japan at this time and symbolize young love and the approach of spring.

March – Trailing yellow and white rape blossoms (nanohana) as well as peach blossoms (momo), narcissi (suisen), 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.
May – Trailing purple wisteria (fuji) and flag irises (ayame), usually of the blue variety. Irises denote the height of spring.

June – Trailing green willow (yanagi) leaves with pinks, or less commonly hydrangea (ajisai) flowers. This month is the rainy season in Japan and therefore willow and the washy blue of hydrangea is appropriate.

July – Kanzashi featuring a display of fans. These will usually be of the round uchiwa variety, but occasionally folding dancing fans are also featured. The fans refer to the Gion Festivalwhich takes place at this time, a huge event held at the Gion geisha district in Kyoto, which involves hundreds of traditional dances by geisha. Fans are a staple component of traditional Japanese dance. The fans featured in a maiko’s July kanzashi varies 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 (dew drops on grass).

August – Purple 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 featuringmochibana, or ricecake flowers. December kanzashi also feature two maneki which are tiny blank tags. Traditionally maiko visit the Minamiza Theatre and ask two of their favorite Kabuki actors to autograph them with their Kabuki nom de plume.

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

To Celebrate this wonderful tradition Hair Flower Designs will discount the products that match the theme for the month as well as offer unique limited edition products for that specific month.

Enjoy searching our current offerings and feel free to contact us with any customizing requests or questions.  We would love to work with you in making your special occasion that much more special.