Today we spent the day exploring Kyoto, which is a must-see on every tourist’s Japan-list. Kyoto is known for its many historical temples and buildings that have been standing for centuries, while a lot of buildings in the rest of Japan are relatively young. It is also known as the city of Geisha, and tourists flock there to try and catch a glimpse of a Geiko or Meiko on her way to an engagement.
Georgie had warned us about the hoards of other tourists packing the streets, even as early as 8 or 9am, so we hoped to be there early enough to avoid as much of the rush as we could, however we still didn’t make it there much before 9.30. Fortunately the weather had cooled down a little, so fighting our way through the streets was more bearable than it would have been on the previous few days.
We started our day at the Fushimi Inari temple, walking through the iconic vermillion torii gates. The first few sections that we walked through were so packed we were tripping over people’s feet, however the higher up the mountain we climbed, the fewer people and the easier the journey. I say easier now, but at the time it was still basically a cardio workout, climbing up 7,000 steps in the sunshine.
Our next port of call was the Tenjuan Garden in the grounds of the Tenjuan Temple. Although the temple was still fairly busy with tourists snapping pictures of the imposing building, the gardens, which cost ¥500 to enter, were completely empty besides us. Having been surrounded by people since we left our accommodation before 9, this was a welcome break, and the walls created a soundproof barrier between us and the outside of the garden, so it became a sanctuary of peace.
Disaster finally struck as we were halfway through the garden. My camera ran out of battery!!! What kind of idiot doesn’t charge their camera battery overnight?? I was stuck for the rest of the day taking pictures with an iPhone which doesn’t quite have the same result. I know, what kind of first world problem is this!? I promise I only sulked for like five minutes about it … (Saf says 3 hours, what does he know??)
The reason that this was such a tragedy is our next destination was so breathtaking, it really should have been captured in better quality. We walked 20 minutes from the garden to ‘Philosopher’s Path’ which in spring is packed full of exquisite cherry blossoms overhanging the narrow canal. People were lining the paths taking hundreds of photos, or just standing admiring (except one small toddler who was running up and down the paths and across the bridges with gay abandon, pursued hastily by various harassed-looking grandparents) and so we joined them strolling up the sunny banks. It really was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, especially when the wind blew hundreds of blossoms out of the tress onto the paths and canals, looking for all the world like pink-tinged snow.
From there, we walked for about 45 minutes to reach Hanamikoji. I had wanted to find a teahouse so we could experience a traditional tea ceremony, however we couldn’t spot a single one. Saf finally spotted a sign promising “Tea House” pointing us down a tiny alleyway, but all the doors were very much closed, and when we got to the final door, we timidly opened it onto what was clearly a kitchen, where a woman rushed over to us saying “closed, closed!” Oh well.
We instead walked through the Main Street of Hanamikoji, which is beautiful to look at, but again, PACKED with tourists (“too many tourists,” complains the tourist…). As we were just about to give up and head off, a woman approached us from Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theatre, offering us the opportunity to watch a dance performance by a Meiko (trainee Geisha) and her Geiko (“big sister”). We went in to watch, passing an exhibition of Yayoi Kusama’s interesting and lovely artwork (including a giant polka dot pumpkin in the courtyard) and a selection of photographs by Hiroshi Mizobuchi, exhibiting beautiful portraits of Geisha and the Gion district spanning the last 40 years. The performance lasted about ten minutes, and I sat cross-legged on the tatami mat (not as easy now as when we were in school) completely entranced. The two women were so graceful and elegant, and had the whole room transfixed by their painted faces and elegant kimono. I took a couple of pictures to preserve the memory, but really all I wanted to do was just watch them forever. They were performing two dances from the Miyako Odori, and if I would have researched in advance, I would have booked tickets to the full performance. Oh well, we’ll just have to come back to Japan again in the future.
To end the day in Kyoto, we made our way to Nishiki Market, just off of one of the main high street shopping roads in Kyoto. The market was narrow and jam-packed full of people, and the shops and stalls were all offering food ranging from dried beans, to ready to eat snacks, to fish eyes. There wasn’t much sense to be made of it, other than to plough through and try and spot some snacks that we fancied. I lost sight of Saf in the crowds about five times, and each time thought; Well, I suppose I have no husband now, I might as well get used to life as a widow. But every time, he would come battling back to find me, like a harassed mother searching for a lost, doe-eyed child. Eventually we left the market, armed with rice cakes (plum sugar for me, Japanese pepper for him) and a steely sense of determination to make it home through commuter hour. The station was another 20 minute walk away though, so by the time we actually got onto the train, determination had turned to sheer desperation to be home.
We finally got back to Doi, and decided that if we didn’t go for dinner now, we would inevitably get home and fall asleep, undoing all that hard work we had done to overcome our jet lag. So we walked around an arcade just behind the station, where the shops were closing but the food places were still open. Saf spotted a Sri Lankan restaurant, so we ducked in to order. We were the only customers, and there was one guy working there and no discernible kitchen other than a few pans and a microwave behind the bar. It was a bit disconcerting, therefore, that once we’d ordered, he didn’t seem to be doing very much cooking. After about ten minutes though, a Sri Lankan woman returned into the restaurant, greeted us and went to to ‘kitchen’. Not long after, the sound and aroma of cooking reassured us that dinner was perhaps on the cards. She served us dinner and chatted to us about London, even serving us spiced tea after, so it was a very homely affair, although by this time I was ready to pack it all in and get to bed. Saf has been tracking our steps each day, and today was above average (around 25,000) so I think we’ve earned an early bedtime and probably a lay in tomorrow. (Camera batteries are also being recharged).
Last day in Osaka tomorrow!
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Claudia Bow 