Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Seth wrote:

But while I have seen many a kimono have yet to see a live performance with the basket.

Any veteran basket wearers out there?

I have performed quite a bit with the whole komuso outfit. It still is a problem for me to tie the obi! and I am always happy I usually don't wear this whole gear when there are Japanese people around.

But YES, the tengai is fantastic to wear!

The first time I was asked to wear a tengai at a performance was at some party at SOAS (my university, which is a part of University of London) was hosting some fund raising party. I was asked in such way, that I could not refuse. I felt embarrassed about it, but once the hat was on and I was out among people playing, it felt SO good. I was in my own little world - could focus on playing... in fact, it felt really like the music was in focus and not me as a performer. Apart from that, it was good I had the tengai on, as there was the world championship in football (Americans call it soccer) going on at the same time. A violin player kept on telling me the score between England and Denmark.... (Denmark lost 0-3), so the tengai also covered my face that got more and more annoyed for each goal!

To perform with the tengai in a country where noone has no what-so-ever clue what is going on can be fun and challenging at the same time. Just last week, I performed at a private confirmation party. When I came wandering in playing, it was clear people thought to themselves, "What has he now done?" (he = the crazy father of the girl who was celebrating her confirmation. People didn't know whether they should laugh or listen to the music seriously. They thought some crazy idiot had put on a rubbish bin on the head! But after the first piece they got the explanation, and realised how unknown and surprising this musical tradition had been for them.

I would never, myself, go out and do takuhatsu (begging) or busking with a tengai on. But after many performances with the tengai on, I can imagine how it has helped the komuso to focus... as well as cutting for the wind. It is a great part of the komuso costume.
The hakama that most people wear when playing shakuhachi only became a shakuhachi costume after the secularisation of the instrument and the abolishment of the Fuke sect, when shakuhachi players began performing in ensembles. I once showed Dr. Simura some pictures of komuso doing takuhatsu. His sharp eyes immediately spotted they had hakama on, and he said, "That is a new picture. They are not real komuso".

It would be great to hear if others have felt the same when wearing tengai.

Hah! what a great experience Tairaku, I can see them before my eye! I was just reading all these posts, and I find it very interesting! Can you post pictures of the attire you acquired (the special 6 piece) kimono?
What is the main difference in non-japanese terms of Komuso and more contemporary (hakama) attire?

Please help me. I know that there are 2 types of hakamа: trousers and skirt. What types of hakamа suitable for shakuhachi players for the concert ?