Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Miori's Dad's Kimono Shop

   By Emi Tsuruta

   Note: this is one in a series of posts about my life.  If you'd like to
know more about my friends and me, drop by my home page at:
http://www.asstr.org/~emitsuruta/

   A while ago, I told you about the summer matsuri (festival) my boyfriend
Ryosuke took me to in Tokyo and how we met this girl, Miori Tanaka, who was
helping carry the omikoshi, the same as me.  Her dad was one of the
organizers of the festival, so she had got roped into helping out.  I got
talking to her, and it turned out that she was going to the same high
school as Ryosuke's younger brother, Keisuke.  Miori and I ended up hitting
it off, and we've been keeping in pretty close touch ever since.

   I guess that all happened right at the end of the summer.  I gave Miori
a call a few days later to see if we could get together again before I came
back to the States.  She's such a nice person really.  She sounded all
excited when I called, like she was really looking forward to seeing me. 
School had started by then, and she had to help out in her father's shop a
lot, but she invited me to drop by some weekday after school.  She said
that if I went up there soon, I would catch the tail end of the festival,
because they still had things going on all that week.  My American friend
Debbie had already gone back to Oceanview, so I had some free time.  I
wanted to go into Tokyo anyway to do some shopping, so the next day, I
headed up that way.

   Summer vacation may have been over, but the weather was still incredibly
hot.  That morning, I just pulled on something light - a mini-skirt and a
loose-fitting tank tee.  My mom always has a fit when I dress like this,
but what was I supposed to do?  It was absolutely sweltering out.  Anyway,
she said I should take a jacket for the train, so I went, and got my lacy
white beach cover-up - sort of like a light cardigan - to wear over my tank
top.  We went into town together to buy some wagashi, Japanese sweets, to
give to the Tanakas for all their kindness.  My mom saw me off to the
station, and I caught the train heading into Tokyo.

   Miori had given me the address for her dad's shop, a kimono shop on the
eastern Shitamachi side of Tokyo.  Shitamachi has a special atmosphere. 
There were all these old-fashioned tiled-roof shops selling tea, dango
(dumplings) or monjayaki (cabbage pancakes?).  It reminded me of something
straight out of the Tora-san movies.

   I just sort of browsed around the streets for a while, window-shopping,
and then a couple of youngish guys came up, and asked me where I was going.
I showed them the address of Miori's father's shop, and they ended up
taking me all the way there.  I thought that was really nice of them.  They
apparently even knew who Miori was, and said she was quite famous in that
neighborhood, the "kamban musume," the 'daughter that drew business to the
store.' I wondered if they were joking, but they seemed quite serious. 
When we got there, they went into the shop, but soon came back out.

   "It looks like she's not here," they told me, looking disappointed.  The
shop clerk standing out front overheard us.

   "Who are you looking for?" he asked.

   "Miori.  Miori Tanaka.  Does she work here?"

   "Yes, she does.  She hasn't come back from school yet."

   My two guides looked heartbroken.  They apologized, and then headed off
back the way they came.  At first, I was wondering if they were hitting on
me, but I guess they were just being nice.

   The clerk looked vaguely familiar.  I must have seen him at the
festival. He looked over at me, and then pointed down to a big aquarium
tank sitting on the ground at his feet.

   "Do you want to try?  While you wait I mean," he smiled.  Maybe he was
just being friendly, but he was kind of giving me the once over, checking
out what I was wearing.  I fluffed down my miniskirt trying to hide my bare
thighs, and then looked down at the tank.  It was filled with little
goldfish swimming this way and that.

   "I...  uh...  I don't have anywhere to put them."

   "We can just put them back then," he smiled.  "Still, at least give it a
try.  We went, and got all these fish, but hardly anyone's given it a go
today." He held out a little net for me to use.  I took off my backpack and
cardigan, took the net from him, and squatted down in front of the tank.

   "I haven't done this for ages," I laughed.  Kingyo-sukui it's called in
Japanese.  They used to have the same kind of thing at the festival in
Kamakura when I was growing up.  I leaned forward, chasing after the little
swimming fish.  It looks easy enough, but actually, somehow they always
seem to know which way you are moving, and swim in the opposite direction.

   As I leaned forward, swaying from side to side, I slowly realized that
the clerk was staring at my breasts.  I wasn't wearing a bra that day, and
my tank top had fallen open at the front.  I looked up at him, but he just
smiled, enjoying watching my tits bounce around.  I tried to ignore him,
and concentrate on catching a fish.  As I bobbed, and weaved though, one of
the straps on my tank top fell off my shoulder.  My collar was just barely
clinging to the nipple on that side.  The fish I was after dashed away, and
I dove after it.  The clerk was ooing and ahing, fascinated by my breasts.
I started blushing, but I didn't fix my top at first.

   Then, suddenly, Miori's dad, Mr.  Tanaka came out.  I pulled my shoulder
straps back up, and stood up.  I think he might have caught sight of my
breasts too from inside the shop.

   "Um, Ms.  Tsuruta, was it?" he asked, showing that he remembered me from
the matsuri.

   "Yes."

   "Oh, Miori said you might drop by.  Thank you so much for all your help
the other day." He bowed a greeting.  I managed a weak smile, but I'm sure
my face must have been red by then.  I felt kind of embarrassed.  I pulled
on my cardigan, and did it up, trying to cover up my tits.

   "You've met Satoru, I see," he said gesturing towards the goldfish
clerk. I bowed to him, but glanced around looking for Miori.  Luckily, she
was just down the street walking this way.  I was so relieved.  She came
over as soon as she saw me.

   "Oh, Emi.  You made it.  That's wonderful.  I'm so glad you came.  We
were all looking forward to seeing you.  Isn't that right, daddy?"

   He cleared his throat.  I shot him a look.  What had they been saying
about me?  I hadn't been wearing much at the matsuri.  I hope it's not
about that.

   "Anyway, come in.  Come in," Miori gushed happily.  "Come on upstairs. I
just want to get changed." She was wearing a sailor suit uniform: red
scarf, a white short-sleeved blouse, a navy pleated mini-skirt, white socks
and black leather shoes.  I wasn't sure which school Miori went to, but the
skirt seemed awfully short.  When she twirled to go inside, her skirt
billowed up giving us a peek at her white cotton panties.  Satoru stared
down at her bottom, a silly grin on his face.  Did he have a thing for
Miori?  I don't think she liked him.

   The inside of the shop was packed to overflowing with traditional
Japanese garments: yukatas, kimonos, zori (slippers) and tabi (socks). 
They had a wide assortment of colors and patterns.  I stopped to take a
look, but Miori told me,

   "We can come back, and try some on later if you'd like.  First come,
meet my mom." Miori led me to the back of the store, and then through this
curtain into what seemed to be their house.  Her mother was there sitting
on the tatami (straw mat floor) sipping a cup of tea.

   "Mom, this is Emi, the girl I was telling you about from the matsuri."

   I bowed a greeting, and handed her the wagashi (sweets) my mom and I had
bought for them.

   "Oh, thank you, Emi.  That's so kind of you.  You shouldn't have. 
Miori's been telling us so much about you."

   I smiled, but I kept wondering what Miori was telling them.

   Miori led me upstairs to her room.  On the stairs, I found myself
staring up the back of her miniskirt.  Her lacy white panties were clung
tightly to her round little buttocks.

   "That's an awfully short skirt," I noted.  Even when I reached the top
of the stairs, I could still see her panties as she bounced along.

   "This?  Oh, this skirt isn't so bad.  Ever since the festival, Dad's
been trying to get me to wear that same outfit - the fundoshi (loincloth)
and the happi jacket I mean." She smiled, and I laughed, pretty sure she
was joking.  Wearing a fundoshi that day was bad enough.  Having to wear it
every day would be torture.

   We went into Miori's room.  The ceiling sloped with the angle of the
roof, so it wasn't that big, but she decorated it nicely.  Soon her mom
came upstairs with some tea, and we all sat down on the tatami around this
low table.  Her mom thanked me for my help at the festival, and asked what
it was like to go to university in the States.  Apparently, Miori was
thinking of studying abroad too.  Her mom was worried about how safe it was
and whether she'd be able to get into a good school or not.  I started
telling them about Oceanview U., where I study, but before I could get into
it, Miori's dad called up the stairs.

   "Here I'll go see what he wants," her mom told us.  "But Miori, I guess
you'd better get changed, and come down too.  I'm really sorry about this,
Emi.  The store's been so busy today."

   "That's alright.  Actually, I'd like to take a look around the store
myself.  I don't have a yukata or anything like that."

   Her mom smiled, and went downstairs.  Miori sighed.

   "Sorry for all that.  My mom is such a worry wart."

   "That's OK.  Mine too," I told her.  "Oceanview is a nice place I
think."

   She got up, slid open the closet door, and pulled out her happi jacket,
showing it to me.  I laughed recalling my embarrassment at wearing one at
the matsuri.

   "Oh, by the way, I ran into some boys on the way here who said they knew
you," I told her.

   "E?" she said surprised.  She turned her back to me, undid her skirt,
and slid it off.  She seemed to be blushing.  Was she embarrassed about the
boys, or because she was getting undressed in front of me?  I glanced over
at the open window, but she didn't seem too worried about that.  I guess
it's just me, but I couldn't help wondering if someone might be peeping in.

   "These boys brought me all the way to the store, and then went inside
looking for you," I explained.

   "Who could it be?" she mused, slipping off her panties.  The flesh of
her bottom was so smooth, like a baby's, but she definitely had a woman's
curves.  The crack of her bottom went so deep it just sort of drew you in,
made you wonder what was there in between.  She went out into the hall, and
tossed her panties into the laundry hamper, and stood there a moment
letting me look at her pussy.  I don't think she trimmed her pubic hair at
all, but it seemed quite wispy like it was still growing in.  In the back
of my mind, I started wondering if she was a virgin after all.  She seemed
surprisingly confident for one so young.  There was something kinky about
the way she was dressed too, standing there in just her white sailor top. I
glanced over my shoulder at my own behind, wondering how I measured up.

   There was something about the way she was undressing here, as if it was
the most natural thing, that reminded me of me.  I guess in Japan, everyone
expects you to be a good girl all the time, but deep inside we all have
these feelings.  We want to be free, to do the things we want to do.  I
think she's that way too.

   "Anyway, you seem to be quite popular here," I assured her.

   She pulled off her blouse, and turned her back to me, getting me to undo
her bra.  I felt a faint twinge of jealousy.  She looked young, but she had
the kind of body that drives boys crazy.  She went out into the hall -
naked this time - and threw her bra in the hamper.  I wondered if she
always scampered around her house naked like this...  or was it just
because I was here?  She came back, and went digging in her closet for a
pair of shorts to wear.  She found some light blue ones, pulled them on,
and finally glanced over at the window.

   "Gosh, it's hot today," she exclaimed wiping sweat from her brow.  "If
you want to take a shower...," she offered.

   "No, I'm OK for now." It was hot, but her lack of shame was making me
edgy.

   Her mom called up from downstairs.  It sounded like they needed help in
the store after all.  Miori pulled on the happi jacket, and we headed down.
'No bra!,' I thought.  Of course I don't have one on either, but still! 
Her mom looked relieved when we came down.

   "Here, I'll go make supper," her mom told us, and disappeared off into
the back.  Mr.  Tanaka was talking to one group of customers, and Miori
went over to help another.  I looked around at all the clothes on the walls
and racks.  They had some beautiful kimonos, but they were so expensive.  I
think my parents bought me a girl's kimono when I was young, but I hardly
even remember wearing it.  I wonder if we still have it.  Soon, Miori came
back, and saw me looking at the kimonos.

   "Would you like to try one on?"

   "Oh, I could never afford it."

   "No, just for fun I mean.  Come on.  I'll help you put it on." She
started gathering up the under-robe, obi (wide silk belts), tabi (split-toe
socks) and zori (slippers), and got me to choose the kimono I liked best. I
was worried about getting it dirty, but she said it would be fine.  Her dad
came back.

   "Emi's going to buy a kimono?" he asked cheerfully.

   "We're just going to try it on," Miori explained.  The changing booth
was kind of small, so we went back up to her room.  I took off my skirt and
blouse, but at first kept my panties on.  "You're not going to wear your
panties, are you?" she asked surprised.

   "Oh, yeah.  I guess you're not supposed to, are you?" I said peeling
them off.  I vaguely remembered Ryosuke telling me something about panties
being a western invention.  Apparently, in Japan, no one ever used to wear
them.  Miori kneeled down in front of me, and stared at my pussy.  On
instinct, I covered it with my hand.

   "What?" I asked.

   "No, no.  I was just curious," she chirped, standing back up.  I
laughed. She was a funny girl.

   Getting the kimono on was quite a struggle.  First you have to tie the
under-robe closed using thinner belts, and then tie on the kimono on top of
that with a big wide obi.  To do it right, the obi has to have a big bow at
the back, almost like you are being gift-wrapped or something.  Miori
seemed to know what to do.  I guess she'd worked in the store ever since
she was little.  She even got out some hair pins, and helped me do up my
hair in matomekami, a bun hairstyle that's supposed to show off the back of
your neck.  In traditional Japan, the neck was supposed to be one of the
sexiest parts of a woman's body.

   "How do I look?" I asked.

   "Great!"

   I examined myself in the mirror, but it was kind of dark in her room.

   "Can we go outside, and take a picture?" I asked.

   "Sure."

   I found it kind of hard to walk in the kimono.  All these layers were
wrapped so tightly around my calves I had to make these little mincing
steps, like geishas do.  I felt almost like someone had tied my ankles
together.  I got out my camera, and carried it and the zori sandals
downstairs, and then put the sandals back on.  Miori's mom saw us, and
said,

   "Wow!  You look like a princess.  We should get you to model for our
ads."

   I laughed.  Miori led me out through the back storage room into their
garden.  I handed her my camera, and she gave me a parasol to hold.  I
tried my best to pose like a calendar model, and Miori laughed.  Soon we
heard noise from up above.  Some boys working on the second floor of the
building behind us had caught sight of us, and had all gathered around the
window to watch.  I went to go back inside, but the boys yelled after us,

   "Come back!  Come back!"

   It seemed like we were quite popular all of a sudden.  I was still
worried about messing up the kimono though, so we went back to the store to
look for something else to try on.  I found some yukatas at the back of the
store.  They seemed a lot more reasonably priced.

   "Could I try one of these?  I might even be able to afford one."

   "Sure, sure.  Whichever one you like."

   I picked out a dark blue one with a lime green belt.  I took off the
zori again, and followed Miori up to her room.  Miori started helping me
undo the obi, but I could see the boys from earlier across the way looking
in our window.

   "Who are those boys anyway?" I asked nodding towards them.

   "I don't know.  I guess they work there.  I think it's some kind of
print shop.  The owner sometimes comes over here, and talks with my dad.  I
don't really know them that well."

   "You don't suppose they were spying on us earlier when we were
changing," I asked.

   Miori's face went white.  She got me to move away from the window, and
then peeked out at them.  They certainly looked to be all excited about
something.  They came to the window pretty quick when we came out into the
courtyard.  Maybe they had seen us.  Miori yelled across at them,

   "Shouldn't you boys be working?"

   They all laughed, but finally, they moved away from the window.  Miori
looked pretty upset.

   "Don't worry.  They probably just noticed us when we went out there," I
tried to reassure her.  I guess we really should have checked the windows
more carefully, but she had seemed so relaxed earlier.  It was hard to know
for sure, but they might have seen us.  Oh well, it wouldn't be the first
time.  You'd think at least on the second floor you'd be safe.  Anyway, we
stayed away from the window while I got undressed.  Miori was sulking, but
I told her I wasn't worried.  If anything, I was excited.  Some of those
boys were kind of cute.

   The yukata was much simpler to put on.  It's only one layer, and it's
made of cotton not silk, so you don't have to be so careful with it.  Miori
got me a fan and a pair of more informal zori to wear.  I sat down on the
tatami, and took off the tabi (socks).

   "Thanks," I said as she gathered up all the kimono stuff, and took it
back downstairs.  As soon as I was ready, I followed her down.  Miori's mom
smiled when she saw me.

   "You look beautiful.  I don't think I've ever seen a customer who looked
better in our yukata.  You should go out front, and show Satoru."

   Miori was still putting all the stuff back, so I wandered up to the
front of the store.  The yukata was definitely much cooler than the kimono,
especially with no underwear on.  It would be nice to have one of these for
the summer.  Satoru was still minding the fish aquarium.  He opened his
eyes wide when he saw me, impressed.  I fanned my face, blushing shyly.

   "Wow!" he exclaimed.  I just smiled.  I was glad I could get such a
reaction.  "You look perfect - like a beauty from old Japan.  If you catch
some goldfish like that, people will flock around for sure."

   I just laughed, but soon Miori came to the door.

   "Don't you think so, Miori?  We should hire her to join our staff."

   Miori laughed too.  I got the feeling she didn't take Satoru so
seriously.  He did have a bit of a goofy quality about him.  He held out a
net, so I finally took it, and squatted down.

   "I didn't catch any fish at all earlier," I told Miori.  I chased after
one, but the goldfish seemed even faster now, as if it knew what I was
planning.  I rolled up my sleeves, and concentrated, determined to catch at
least one.  I almost had one too, but he slipped away at the last minute. I
looked up at Satoru, but this time he was staring down at my thighs.  I
looked down only to realize that my pussy was peeking out from between the
folds of the yukata.  I'd completely forgotten I wasn't wearing panties.  I
jumped up accidentally splashing Satoru in the face with water from my net.

   "What's wrong?" Miori asked.  I guess she was standing too far back to
see.  I looked around, but I think Satoru was only one who'd seen my pussy.

   "Nothing," I winced, embarrassed.  I bowed to Satoru, handed him the
net, and hurried back inside.  My heart was pounding away.  I swear I
hadn't meant to flash him at all.  I've got to be more careful.

   "What's wrong?" Miori asked again.

   "Oh nothing.  Maybe I'd better change into something else."

   She followed me into the back of the shop.  I took a deep breath trying
to calm down.  I checked their racks to see what else they had.  I felt wet
between my legs.  I'd better settle back down here before I do something
rash.  Trying to hide my excitement from Miori, I pulled a colorful red
coat off the rack.

   "What's this?" I asked.

   "That's a dotera." The sleeves and hem are shorter, and the material
much thicker than a yukata.

   "Can I try it?"

   "Sure."

   We went back upstairs, but I was still so excited.  Miori went to the
window to see if the peeping toms were still there, but I just stood there
in the middle of the room undoing my yukata.

   "What are you doing?" Miori panicked, pushing me off to the side away
from the window.

   "Oh sorry.  Right," I said pretending to have forgotten about our fan
club out back.  Shielded now by the wall, I stripped off the yukata, and
pulled on the dotera.  It was sort of a red white and green plaid with a
black band around the collar.  It hung down to my thighs, but the front was
open with just this little tie half way down.  I tied it up, but you could
still see my pussy between the two sides.

   "I guess you're supposed to wear something underneath," she laughed
nodding down at my furry bush.

   "Like what?" I asked slipping my feet into the zori.

   "I don't know.  Like a yukata or rough kimono type thing.  Craftsmen
used to wear dotera in winter to keep warm."

   Cautiously, I walked over to the stairs, and peeked down.  I could hear
Miori's father's voice way off at the front of the store, but it didn't
sound like anyone else was around.

   "Where are you going?" she squealed alarmed that I was threatening to go
downstairs with my pussy showing.

   "Downstairs to find something that will go with it," I teased.  Before I
lost my nerve, I dashed down the stairs with Miori calling after me to
stop. There didn't seem to be anyone around at the back of the shop.  I was
kind of wondering if Satoru would come inside looking for me.  I guess Mr.
Tanaka was making him stay by the fish tank out front.  It was too bad,
because I kind of wanted to show this to someone.  Not flash them my pussy
exactly, but threaten to.  Miori came down, and I whispered to her,

   "Can you get my camera?"

   "What are you going to do?"

   "I just want to take one quick picture," I whispered.  I held one corner
of the thick material against my pussy to show her how I planned to stay
covered.  She looked at me sternly, but finally did as I asked, and ran
back upstairs.  Despite my bravado, my heart was pounding away a mile a
minute.  I cautiously went back through the kitchen where Mrs.  Tanaka was
cooking.

   "What have you got on now?  A dotera!"

   I blushed, embarrassed, but bowed a greeting.  There was a counter
between me and her, so she couldn't see my pussy.

   "I thought it looked interesting.  My family doesn't have one of these,"
I explained breathless.  I was so excited.  Miori came down, but she looked
kind of worried too.  I pulled her into the back room, and then gathered my
nerve to go out.  I noticed a tub up against the far wall.

   "What's that?"

   "Our bath."

   A strange place for a bath.

   I finally opened the door, and stepped out into the sunshine.  The guys
in the print shop all gathered at the window again, so I quickly turned my
back to them.  It was so exciting to be out here with my pussy showing. 
Miori came out, and looked up at them obviously quite worried.

   "Hurry up, and take the picture!" I called to her all in a rush.  She
looked tense, but she slowly raised the camera.  Suddenly, I realized my
hair was still up in a bun from when we put on the kimono.  "Hold on.  Let
me fix my hair." I reached up, and started pulling out the hair pins and
comb.  The boys behind us went silent.  It turned out that when I raised my
arms, it pulled the hem up, letting them see my bare bottom.  Miori rushed
forward.

   "Leave your hair.  It's fine," she shouted, trying to get me stop.

   "Just a sec." Riding on a natural high, I gathered my hair up into a
ponytail, and then bent way forward, deliberately flashing them my bare
behind.  I felt so naughty.  I eventually got the elastic wrapped around my
ponytail, and straightened back up, but the boys were all pounding the
wall, and shouting,

   "More!  More!  Show us your pussy!"

   Soon though we heard this man's voice boom out from inside.

   "What's all this ruckus?  Get back to work!"

   The boys reluctantly backed away, and soon their boss came to the
window. "Oh, hi, Miori.  Sorry about that." He looked down at me.  "Who's
your friend?"

   "This is Emi.  She was one of the mikoshi bearers at the festival,"
Miori yelled up to him.

   "Oh, that's great."

   I vaguely turned towards him, and made a little bow, trying to keep my
pussy covered.  I don't think he realized I was pantiless although he
probably saw my cleavage.

   "Anyway, if my boys ever bother you, just let me know."

   She bowed her thanks, and he turned back to his work.  I quickly got
Miori to take my picture, and then I ran back inside, and got dressed.  I
still don't know what got into me that day, but now that I think about it,
it was kind of fun.  Miori didn't seem angry at me or anything.  I ended up
buying a yukata, some tabi, zori and a few other accessories from their
shop, and I brought them back with me to the States.

   I've got a whole bunch more stories to tell you about Miori and my
yukata and stuff, but I guess I'd better save those for next time.  Hope
everyone has a nice Christmas.

   Emi Tsuruta
http://www.asstr.org/~emitsuruta/