Kuniko Kanawa

Priestess, Consultant, Model

Kuniko Kanawa is a certified Kimono consultant, Kimono model, founder of Washington D.C. Kimono Club, Edo Tsumami Kanzashi artisan, and also a certified Shinto priestess.

In 2007, Kuniko officially became a certified Kimono consultant of All Japan Kimono Consultant Association after graduating from Sodo Reiho Kimono College. This certificate is approved by the Ministry of Education/Science and Economy/Industry. Since then, she has been offering the Kimono dressing services, instructing Kimono classes/workshops, and producing Kimono fashion shows/dressing demonstration and so on. She also works as a Kimono model, treasuring six years of classical Japanese dance training under Hanayagi style by the great instruction of Hanayagi Wakana sensei.

In the same year, she became a professional Edo Tsumami Kanzashi artisan through intensive training by a designated master Kazuyo Hozumi, the one of only few designated Edo Tsumami Kanzashi artisans in Japan. As a successor to preserve this disappearing traditional handicraft, she creates both traditional and modern designed Tsumami Kanzashi, including custom orders. Her beautiful creations can be purchased online at atelierkanawa.com. She occasionally participates Arts&craft shows. She currently offers on going workshops at Japan-America Society of Washington D.C.

In early 2013, she founded Washington D.C. Kimono Club. The Club welcomes her Kimonos class students who loves and sincerely respect Kimono, Japanese seasonal culture, and Japanese custom/manners. Members can participate in Japanese seasonal cultural events in Kimono, attend Washington D.C. Kimono Club's special workshops, and model at her Kimono fashion shows/dressing demonstrations. For more information about the club, please visit www.atelierkanawa.com/#!wdc-kimono-club.

In October 2015, Kuniko humbly became a certified Shinto priestess through Ama-no-Iwakura-Jingu, the independent Shinto shrine in Horoshima prefecture. As she has been deeply pursuing the traditional Japanese culture due to her profession, she was naturally guided to this path to rediscover Shinto, the indigenous religious beliefs and practices, as a core and the base of Japanese culture/spirituality. Now she offers Shinto ceremonies/rituals, such as Shinto wedding, Shichi-go-san, Seijin-shiki(Coming of age ceremony) , Shinnen-sai/Hatsu-moude (New Year prayer), Jomaku-shiki(Unveiling stature ceremony), Anime convention opening ceremony, Shokuju-sai(Planting trees) and so on.