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Published: April 22nd 2007
Miyako Odori 1
Miyako Odori 2 Diana and I skipped off to Kyoto last Friday to see the "Dances of Spring" in Gion. It was an amazing performance that featured about forty maiko and geiko, otherwise known as apprentice geisha. (Geiko are the same as maiko, except that they're at least 20 years old.)
A couple of weeks ago we checked out a kabuki performance, which was incredible, but cameras weren't allowed. So I was very excited that they didn't have such a rule at the Kobu Kaburenjo Theater.
The experience began with a shortened tea ceremony and then a stroll around the adjacent gardens. After about half an hour we were ushered to our seats and the performance kicked off almost immediately. The sets, the music, the beautiful kimono... I was completely captivated. Oddly enough though, I managed to catch several people dozing off around us. I swear that at times the guy in front of me sounded like he was snoring!
There were about seven different acts, but my favorite one was the tale of Kaguyahime. At Christmas my dad gave me a couple of books of old Japanese folk tales. One of them was about Kaguyahime, or the Moon Princess.
Tea ceremony
This was an incredibly brief one...An old bamboo-cutter finds a baby inside a glowing stalk of bamboo. Him and his wife care for the baby, who grows into an incredibly beautiful woman (in about three years time, mind you). As in all tales of this sort, princes from afar come to try and win her hand. She sends each one on an impossible task, and enjoys the peace and quiet for a while. Then it turns out that she's actually a princess from the Moon who was sent to Earth during a period of civil war. However, the war has ended so the Moon people come back to claim her. At the end she sails off into the night sky. It's an incredible story, so you can imagine how pleased I was to see it live.
The show lasted about an hour, but it seemed to just fly by. Neither D nor I wanted to go home just yet, so we decided to start walking... Kyoto is such a wonderful place to get lost in! After a while we managed to stumble across Kodaiji temple, which is open late this month for a special night viewing of the surrounding bamboo groves. On a
side note, I really wish I had a tripod for my camera!
All in all, this was easily one of my best days in Japan. At times it can be hard here, but then something like this happens and you fall back in love with the place.
P.S. - D, I'd just like to thank you. You've helped me make sense of (and even find a little magic in) this crazy place. I treasure the time we've spent together and hope that you have a magnificent time in Nepal. Take care and write me when you get the chance! I miss you already!
P.P.S. - I am writing this late at night, so please excuse any grammatical errors. My editor's out of town. 😉
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Theresa
non-member comment
Beautiful as ususal
Dear Alyssa, Your stories and photos are beautiful as usuaol. At least I can travel thru you and you photos. I saw your parents last night at the Fiddlers Frolics in Hallettsville and we had a short visit as Paul and I were working. Miss you. Love, Theresa Beth