Hi Justine, I’ve been wondering about this for the past couple of years now as to whether or not Gion Kobu will reconsider having the girls walk in Kutomontsuki for Hassaku. With climate change, it’s been getting hotter and hotter each year it seems. Do you know if there’s been any talk about perhaps letting them walk in something lighter and cooler? Or, I hope that many will consider using taxis as much as possible.

Wearing kuromontsuki shows their dedication to their gei, but I agree that August in Kyoto has never been as hot as it is now. The only time in recent memory that the Gion Kobu girls were allowed to wear casual kimono was during covid, as they didn't want to spread germs with otokoshi going to so many okiya to dress. It's up to the kabukai on whether they'd ever change that tradition, so we'll…