Greetings from Bali!
It's December and we're in the middle of the rainy season. There are no typhoons, but rain showers are happening almost every day.
When the rain stops, the air feels clean and refreshing, and a cool, refreshing breeze blows, making long sleeves feel comfortable.
Since Balinese Hinduism is the main religion in Bali, there is no Christmas mood. There is also no sense of the end of the year. The reason is that the Balinese New Year is celebrated according to the Saka calendar. The next New Year will be on March 29 , 2025 .
However, it was December .
As a reward to yourself for your hard work this year, or as a token of gratitude to those who have helped you.
Let's welcome the new year with new items!
We will be holding a "Free Shipping Campaign" from Saturday, December 7th to Sunday, January 5th of the new year. If you spend 4,000 yen or more (tax included) , shipping will be free nationwide! Your wallet will be warm too.
The strawberry and canna patterns , with their red and green color scheme, are perfect for the Christmas season. They will add a warm feeling to your mood this season.
Gift wrapping is available for 200 yen (we will put it in a red non-woven bag and tie a ribbon on it!). If you would like gift wrapping, please follow the steps below when adding the item to your shopping cart.
If you have any questions, please contact us here !
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Well, today I would like to write about the time I was invited to a wedding in Bali.
"There's a wedding coming up, so come on over!"
The person who called out to me was Shideh, who lives in Bali. He invited me because his friend's daughter was getting married.
"Oh, is that okay? Then I'll go and see what you have to say!!"
It's a marriage between a Japanese man and a half Indonesian, half Japanese woman, and it's a Balinese-Hindu style wedding. I wonder what it'll be like ~ I'm excited.
Now the question is, what to wear...
There is only one choice here! Of course, it would be traditional Indonesian clothing!
I heard it's a good idea to have matching outfits for the whole family (there is a matching section in the store), so I chose these lol
The colours used in Indonesia are unique, so I had no idea what combinations would be acceptable, so I asked the store clerk a lot of questions, but I eventually found out that "as long as it's bright colours other than white and black, you can go with whatever you like," so I went with pink and brown.
The lace blouse-like parts are surprisingly soft and comfortable to wear! The snap buttons make it easy to put on and take off!
The wedding was held in a beautiful wedding hall. It had a garden wedding feel.
When we arrived at the venue, a welcome drink and sweets were waiting for us. The sweets were like mochi (rice cakes) made from glutinous rice and coconut. They were delicious!
One very unique thing is the ceremony called "Potongigi" that takes place before the wedding ceremony. Because it is a grand ceremony and costs a lot of money, it is often held at the same time as weddings and village festivals.
This is an important ceremony that marks the coming of age in Balinese Hinduism, and involves the grinding of teeth.
What? They grind down your teeth?! I had heard rumors about it, but I didn't know it was true!
This time The bride's younger sister (13 years old) was to receive this ceremony.
The man wearing a mask on the left is the person who files the teeth. The woman on the bed is his sister. The man on the right wearing dark red clothes is his father.
The sharp points of the canines on both sides (and the teeth between them, a total of six) are filed down with something like a file to make them straight and flat. Sharp canines are a symbol of wildness. There is a belief that by flattening them, the animal changes from an animal into a human.
I see~.
To become an adult means to smooth out and round off any sharp edges. I think that's certainly true. I want to become gentler and softer as I get older.
The teeth are being filed down. They do quite a lot of grinding.
The ceremony is performed under the watch of the parents and people around. It is said that evil spirits are more likely to enter the body while the teeth are being filed, so the parents and people around watch over the child to prevent evil spirits from entering.
Along the way, they check in the mirror and continue carving until the child and his parents are satisfied. The mother is holding the mirror. She looks confident and confident, which is hard to believe for a 13-year-old, and I sensed a sense of pride, or perhaps a determination, to be able to perform the Potonggigi ceremony.
After that, the wedding ceremony began. Various prayers were offered to the bride and groom, holy water was poured on them, and incense was burned.
A variety of very luxurious offerings.
There was also a ceremony to plant a seedling (I think it was taro) together. I think it was about living together. Like a first bite?
After the numerous ceremonies, we moved to another venue for dinner. The meal was Indonesian buffet style. We had nasi goreng, mie goreng, which is like fried noodles, fried chicken, jelly-like desserts, soft serve ice cream, and more. There were no designated seats, so we were free to choose where we wanted to eat and chat as we pleased. The ceremony outside was hot, so it was really helpful to have dinner indoors in the coolness.
There were no speeches or performances from the bride and groom, and there was no place to exchange gift money, so maybe they just don't care whether they have one or not?
At the bride and groom's table, people who wanted to be photographed with them were taking photos.
Overall, it was a relaxed and casual ceremony where people were free to come and go as they pleased. I was honored to be able to attend such a rare ceremony that I don't usually get to see!
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That's all for my wedding report in Bali.
It's a busy time of year, so please stay warm!
We deliver with all our heart from our online store.
Oh, good news! I just received the first report that the airmail has arrived (applause!!). I hope you will continue to look forward to it.
Well then! (Kurisawa)
