Festival in Kyoto

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Yesterday was a beautiful day in Kyoto. We visited Nijo-jo castle, dates from early 1600s and was a shogun residence. Despite yet more renovations going on it was very impressive to walk around the extensive single story building to see the beautifully painted screens, lots of gold with images of pine trees. There were squeaking floors everywhere called nightingale floors so that no one could creep up on the shogun unheard. There were also hidden rooms where the shogun’s bodyguards hid. All the sliding doors were closed to protect all of the paintings but would have looked out on the lovely gardens, lots of pine trees out there too and a big pond. There was another building across the second moat but not for the public, just a look around the garden.

In the evening we went out to the Gion area to see what was going on as part of the festival. We waited by the main temple there and over about an hour watched a number of different groups of variously clad people go past, the most impressive were a troupe of young girls dressed as swans, all white faces and white outfits, a little eerie. Then for the next hour on a stage in the middle of the street there were lots of performances, geisha dances, young girls dancing, lion dance, stage horses and a great group of drummers, really enjoyable. Lots of people around, again lots in kimonos and a good festival feel.

Today is festival day! Walked up to Gion and found a spot to wait, a couple of hours before it all started. Sat on the pavement with a good view of a recommended spot for viewing the floats as they turned a corner. Somehow the 2 hours waiting passed, the old men with their big cameras around us were friendly although no English. The policeman on duty in our section was very jolly, always smiling and seemed to be saying witty things through his loud speaker. Finally the first float arrived at 9:35 as it said on the programme. Massive castle with a troupe of musicians and a god (small boy with white face)on the top, pulled by two teams of men. At the corner as there’s no axle on the cart they have to use thin strips of bamboo which they soak with water and slide the wagon round in about three big pushes. It took about 20 minutes to turn the corner! All to lots of applause from the onlookers. In between the big castles were three smaller ones that could be picked up and turned easily, they didn’t have anyone on the float just decoration. All very impressive, watched for several hours and another beautiful sunny day.

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