CL <flothru@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > OK, so not trousers. Could you run this past your Official Keeper of
> > Japanese Customs? Pleated skirt (the upper layer is a bit voily, but not
> > revealing), shirt that looks like a blouse when tucked in, cummerband to
> > link the gap (strange---it seems to have got much shorter than I
> > remember), all in black silk. Black wool jacket. Black leather bag and
> > flat shoes. I do have a pearl necklace, but it's multiple strings of
> > small river pearls, so is probably too fancy. Pearl drop ear-rings,
> > provided I can get the wires in (been a bit careless about maintaining
> > the piercings recently). 
> 
> She ... and her mother ... both say "Yes.  If you look good wearing it,
> then go for it."  

That might be the problem, of course, given that I haven't worn a skirt
for so long and that cummerband really has got embarassingly short. But
there's no way I'm going to buy a black dress just for funerals--too
creepy. Maybe I'd better make sure I keep my coat on.

> They also say that it is so cold, you should go for 
> the black tights.  

Yup--thermal ones. 

> One thing they both said to remind you is that you 
> should keep the make-up to a minimum.

No problem there.

> > As it happens, I have this beautiful new ¥5000 note, curved from being
> > in my wallet but not creased. And the special envelope... The inner
> > envelope has a field that seems to be for writing the amount into, but
> > the outer envelope also has a similar field, with "tokoro" (address?)
> > and "denwa" under it--do I fill in both, and where does my name go?
> 
> Again back to resident experts:
> 
> Amount on inside envelope.
> 
> They say name only on the outside.  None of us have ever put the name,
> address, and phone number on the envelope.  We always put name only on
> the envelope and name, address, and phone in the condolence book you 
> sign when you give them the envelope.

Thanks.

________________________________________________________________________
                   Louise Bremner (log at gol dot com)
   If you want a reply by e-mail, don't write to my Yahoo address!