Virtual Neko in Second Life

I dare you to take one look at the beautiful kimonos being created in Second Life, and see if you don’t dash off to the best kimono store you can find for a chance to look this gorgeous.  I would expect nothing less of any self-respecting, fashion-minded Neko girl.  The only question remaining: where would a Neko wearing such a beautiful kimono go exploring?

Getsuei Okiya (pictured above; photo by Bobby Yoshikawa)

I began my adventure at Getsuei Okiya and Japanese Tea House, hoping to find a few girls wearing kimonos.  What I found was even better:  a music and dance performance by three lovely Geisha.  Afterwards, they joined Bobby and me for some tea, sake, and a lovely chat, during which we learned that Getsuei Okiya is one of approximately a dozen such “geisha houses” in SL (who knew!) and that there are indeed Neko Geisha in SL (woot!).  I highly recommend you take the time to catch one of their performances on Mondays or Fridays, from Noon to 1pm SLT.

Kenroku (pictured above)

Gently moving shadows under graceful trees.  Fat koi swimming lazily in a broad reflection pool.  Ancient stone temples with far-reaching views.  All of this and more await you at the lovely Kenroku gardens, which offered the perfect backdrop for Bobby’s photo of my beautiful kimono.  A word to the wise: take a healthy dose of patience before you visit (and temporarily turn off your AO if you’re wearing one), as those lovely tree shadows can cause quite a bit of lag.  ^_^

Gion (pictured above)

The final destination was Gion, a sim modeled after the real life Gion District of Kyoto, which is one of Japan’s most famous Geisha districts (apparently my visit to the Okiya whetted my appetite to see more Geisha).  Start your exploration with a rickshaw tour (requires two avatars), followed by some shopping, calligraphy, a game of checkers, or a treasure hunt. There’s even a free kimono for you Nekos, whether or not you’re ready to take the Geisha plunge.  Interesting fact: In real life, Geisha in the Gion district do not refer to themselves as geisha (which means “artist”); instead they prefer to use the local term “geiko,” meaning “a woman of art.”

My Outfit: (pictured above, photo by Bobby Yoshikawa)

| Kimono | Kurotsubaki: Kokuen Kimono (outfit includes everything, even shoes)
| Hair | Eat Rice! Pickle, in Red (store is no longer available)
| Hair flowers | Boon: September ornament, top piece only (wearing this will require you manually attach your left ear to your nose and edit it into the proper location) (yes, I know this sounds crazy!) ^_^

Other Great Kimono Stores:
(mouse over to get a slurl)

- Asian Inspiration (this store also sells geisha hair, katanas, cosplay outfits, and more) 
- Bare Rose (this is their database, just type “kimono” in the search line; you’ll even get a slurl that takes you directly to the wall on which the item is sold in-world!)
- CTK / Cherry Tokyo’s Kimonos
- Fuku Neko
- GB / Giorno Brando
- Handmade RAN Kimonos
- Hina Zakura Kimonos
- Japan Soul / Nonko Romankon
- Juno Kobo
- Kako
- Mare Dresses & Kimonos
- Milky House
- Monsoon
- Orchid Dreams
- Orihime
- Rabbit Kiss / Umi Usagi
- Sweetaholic

Visit Getsuei Okiya and Japanese Tea House:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Antiquity%20Township%20East/237/109/24

Visit Kenroku:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kenroku/115/103/60

Sadly, Gion no longer exists (at least not in its former beautiful state)

When in Japan…
Good morning = Ohayo (formal: ohayo gozaimasu)
Good afternoon = Konnichiwa
Good evening = Konbanwa
Thank you = Doumo arigatou gozaimasu
You’re Welcome = Dou itashimashite

=^..^=