Mimiru Riley Information

Cosplayer / Dancer
St. Louis, MO

Biography:
Mimiru Riley had her first encounter with Japanese music when she was seven and visiting her mom in a hospital, believing that the Japanese vocalist she heard was as angel which was going to take her mom to the afterlife. Since then she knew that she wanted to do something with her life that involved Japanese culture. Mimiru has been captivated by Japanese language and music and Japanese culture has become her "closest-to-home" interest and passion. She has found many similarities between her Cherokee heritage and the traditional values of Japanese roots.

A cosplayer since twelve, Mimiru has enjoyed helping others learn about cosplaying, Japanese culture and language, and acting. Mimiru enjoys putting on fully interactive cosplay events to entertain fans of various genres which she has been doing for four years now. Her work in progress, Cosplay: A World Beyond, focuses on the art of Western and Japanese cosplaying. For four years now, Mimiru enjoys putting on incredibly fun and fully interactive cosplay events to entertain fans of various genres.

At fifteen Mimiru began learning Nihon Buyou, a traditional and classical style of Japanese dance. Some popular examples of Nihon Buyou origins include "nohgaku and "kabuki buyou". Mimiru studied with her new sensei at the Tohzan Ryu school while in the US, and then started learning Taiken style from her sensei in Ikeda, Osaka. Continuing her practice of the traditional arts, she also picked up Bon Odori, festive dancing, from her Tohzan Ryu sensei. She was required to learn how to properly wear kimono for dance.

In May 2011, Mimiru embarked on her journey to Japan with Webster University and the ASIANetwork in order to conduct research and study the March 11, 2011 Disasters in Japan. She traveled to Yokohama, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Hiroshima with four other students and a professor, hoping to make a positive difference. She returned in June 2011.

In September 2011 she left the United States once more to study abroad in Osaka at Kansai University in Suita (Kandai). She returned in June of 2012.

Her other hobbies include writing, reading, music, J-street fashion and dance. Her other study passions include Celtic/Japanese/Norse mythology as well as writing traditional faerie tales.