Welcome to Kitsune Club - 3rd June

-The first meeting of Kitsune was held at the Sandy Bay campus of UTAS on 3rd July. The meeting was attended by 30 people. A summary of the minutes from the meeting can be found below:

-Dr Barbara Hartley gave a welcoming address that expressed her enthusiasm for kimono and her desire to share and learn with the rest of the club.
SALS staff members Hitomi Yoshida and Yukiko Burns as well as PhD Candidate Emerald King introduced themselves and explained their aims for Kitsune:
1)Learn kitskue (how to wear kimono) and learn about kimono - it's history, fashion trends, pattern names and construction.
2)Club outings whilst wearing kimono - Japanese restaurants, high tea, dinner, picnics, cherry blossom viewing etc.
3)Produce, host and participate in a kimono fashion show/exhibition at the end of 2011.

-Emerald explained the meaning of the Kitsune club name and logo:

'Kitsune,' 'fox' is a word play on 'kitsuke,' a Japanese word meaning the formal art of wearing kimono. Kitsune (狐) uses the following kanji 着-通-祢 (ki-tsu-ne) which can be loosely translated as sanctuary for kimono lovers. Kitsune foxes are often tricksters in Japanese folk lore but foxes are also revered as messengers for the harvest deity. The fox in the logo is taken from a famous print of a fox disguised as a woman. The idea of the kitsune/fox hints at the playfulness with which the club aims to approach kimono and kitsuke.

-Club members expressed their reasons for wanting to learn about kimono which ranged from an interest in Japanese culture to a desire to learn how to wear kimono, yukata and other traditional Japanese clothing.

-Hitomi, Barbara and Emerald introduced the group to a number of their favourite kimono sites which will be posted on this blog for future reference.

-Members of the club were dressed in kimono and yukata and posed for photos.

-The next meeting is proposed for the 22 July where the club will practice wearing yukata. Members are encouraged to bring their own yukata, himo (strings/chords to tie yukata) and half-width obi to the meeting.