Living dolls and Kimono's

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Just to set the scene we are in our hostel, sitting in our Japanese style room on our Tatami matting, a guy singing as he plays his guitar, ice forming on our noses, a huff of breath as we talk, Kirstin typing our blog wearing Rob's gloves, the same gloves Kirstin suggested didn't need to be packed; an Aussie accent sweetly rings out from the long wooden hall "it's as cold in ere as it is outside!" with the scene now set, we shall begin..............

Once again the train was our carriage, this time to Kyoto; the museum city of Japan on account of its staggering amount of temples and shrines, but more infamously the home to the Geisha.

Temples greet you on every street corner, half way up the street, part way down a street and squeezed between department stores. It is easy to get templed out; we kept our visits to a manageable few all of which were beautiful for their own reasons; the night visit to the floodlit temple and grounds, there were the huge and they are huge wooden gateways leading to even larger temples, and a 10,000 red arched walkway leading up to great views over Kyoto.

Kiro on the Geisha Trail

When walking around ye olde Kyoto we spotted several Geisha together and got rather over excited giggling like two school girls, that is until we realised that young ladies dress up as Geisha to be photographed for fun! Not so exciting then! The genuine article would be harder to come by; as luck should have it whilst on an evening stroll in Gion we spotted a group of young men hanging around looking quite excitable waving their cameras around showing us pictures of Geisha's; we had only stumbled into the street where the Geisha live! Hollywood superstars step aside and forget what's his face and skinny, plastic minger spice, Geisha are the new celebrities. Cabs pulled up, out came the Geisha's and flash went the bulbs, unlike Hollywood stars these ladies were modest and far from seeking attention, having a sad faced beauty, for that reason we got camera shy, give or take a picture or two!

Kyoto has taken us longer to warm to than the other places we have visited in Japan but after three days it has started to feel more homely, having such a quick snap shot of a place always makes it difficult to judge but all we can do is compare what we've already experienced. What we do know is the food continues to come up trumps, found a great eatery for lunch where we sat at the counter area within a foot of the kitchen; these guys were quick and very much in danger of singeing their eye brows and ours come to that, it was our cheapest and probably best Japanese food to date, although we are still reliving the meals and the verdict is still out.

In a previous blog we mentioned the comeback of the Kimono, if any evidence was needed that this was the case we have found it in Kyoto where the young, old and even men wear traditional clothing. You know you are getting old when you see a young couple and you start saying things like "oooohhh don't they look smart" or "they must be very cold wearing that". Incidentally talking of cold it has now turned brass monkeys, we have gone from sunny days in t-shirts to sunny days with hats, scarves and Rob's gloves.

We now leave big city life behind us for a few days and head out to the country for a breath of fresh air!

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Photos

A young Maiko
an apprentice to the Geisha, Kyoto

Still smiling
with our heads in the red leaves!

Tatami room window
our hostel was an old converted townhouse,
Kyoto

Moody sunset
Kyoto

Prayer Wheels
Kyoto

Buddha's Halo
Kyoto

Japanese Tatami
Our home in Kyoto

Living dolls
Geisha of Kyoto

Flower Towns of Gion
traditional Geisha houses of Kyoto

It's a bit brass monkeys
gone is the t-shirt weather

What no leaves!!!
Kyoto

The Geisha
traditional, female Japanese entertainers, whose skills include performing various Japanese arts, such as classical music and dance. Not high class prostitutes!

Stepping back in time
local transport, not as quick as the train but better in these streets!
Kyoto

Silhouette temple
sun setting on one of Kyoto's many temples

Japanese lanterns
Kyoto

Old wooden Kyoto
one of the oldest streets in Kyoto

10,000 arched pathway
each red arch is a prayer to the god of rice and saki

Surreal
it was like one of those dreams when you can't find the way out

Comments

[Natalie]

Hi guys...
Hi guys, your photos of Kyoto look amazing, every inch of your blog just makes me want to charge up the credit card and do a runner to Japan! Can't wait to read about the rest of your adventures. Nat x

[Mum (Jean)]

Hi Darlings
Japan has been the last place on earth that I would wish to visit but you sure have given me a taste and maybe a change of mind. Your photos are fantastic and they keep you both close to me and your mummy too Kirstin I bet... I can understand how emotive it must be for the younger generation to question the terrible wrong doing to the Japanese people in dropping the H-Bomb; was any reason good enough? - probably not, but we also must remember the atrocities and inhuman cruelty of the Japanese army at that time. When the rest of the world layed down their arms in 1944;Emp. Hirohito would not surrender, neither would he surrender after Hihoshima was bombed that is why Nagasaki was next, which bought the war to an end. Who can say some 60 years later whether it was right or wrong at that time. Here endeth the History lesson. Do you know yet when you will be taking off for Australia? Stay well - Stay Safe Love you much

[Jeanna sales]

HI guys
Sorry I've not been in contact for a while - changing jobs etc., anyway photos look fantastic and you look like your having great fun! Bet you cannot wait to get to oz where the weather is loads warmer. ps is brass monkey weather here as well!! Kirstin I hope your armpit and leg hair are not as long as robs beard! Lots of love always Jeanna xxxxx