Advertisement
Published: February 25th 2006
Edit Blog Post
Plum Blossom
One of the miljoene of photos I took of the beautiful blossoms... OOOOH! I found myself out shopping again today. I do love it. I really do. Today was especially good: I could actually afford to buy stuff, and that had nothing to with my scholarship stipend finally hitting my bank account! I have cased every beautiful depaato and exclusive boutique I could find in the past month (yes, I've been living in the northern hemsiphere for a month since thursday), but it has basically all been in vain. But today, I hit the Jack pot!
Under the pretence of going to Kitano Temangu (outskirts of Kyoto) to see the plum trees in blossom (I start learning how to paint plum in Sumie on monday) around a beautiful temple we learnt about in Japanese Architecture class and perhaps having a squiz through the temple market in order to interact with some Japanese people, we basically had a BEEG shop, and then a quick ooh and aah through the temple complex and blossoms. I'm really not as scholarly as I can make myself sound... Shopping... I love being a girl! Note: two boys were part of the entourage and they saw lots of temple architecture.
The Kitano Temangu temple flea market happens
Beeg stone cow.
One is supposed to touch it and then oneself on the equivalent body part in order to use it's sy,pathetic magic. I just htought it was cool that they have great big bulls all over the place. on the 25th of each month and february's festivities are centred around the plum blossoms. There is an ancient plum tree, said to be a genetic descendant of a historical (read: legendary) plum tree that flew back to it's owner when he was exiled. For some reason I find it hard to believe, but it's a cool story anyway. Throngs of Japanese people (and bargain hunting gaijin) were there today, since it is saturday, and I was not dissapointed.
I successfully haggled down the price of a stunning (2nd hand) Kimono! I think the lady was just impressed that I bothered (or rather tried) to use Japanese numbers when I made my offer, despite communicating with her in grunts and sign language up until that point. In departmant stores, outfitters and downtown Kimono shops one can expect to pay more for a single Kimono than many South Africans pay for a house. I continued to filll my backpack up with a few more interesting goodies, but they have to be kept under raps for now. The whole area around the temple and shrine was full of stalls selling decadent Japanese Fair type food as well as children's games, trinkets,
Flying Plum Tree
This is supposed to be a descendant of Michizane's own Plum Tree that flew... Kimono, the funny shoes worn with Kimono, antiques, wannabe antiques, junk and local products such as the famous Kyoto change purses and fabric accessories made with fabric dyed in a special local technique. It was a feast for the eyes (I apologise for my cheeziness), nose and ears. Definately the best "flea market" I've been to since childhood! I proudly used my limited Japanese as often as possible, but in truth I did not really need much more than "Sumimasen, kore wa, ikura desu ka?" (Excuse me, how much is this?) or for more cryptic situations, "Kore wa, nan desu ka?" (What is this?).
I SAW REAL LIVE GEISHA TOO! After we had shopped and fed ourselves and actually got to the temple complex we saw Geisha in their full regalia walking quickly through the area on the way to their appointments, amateur makeshift papparazzi in full pursuit. They weren't much more than a motion blur, but we could see that they were all kitted out and made up. I didn't manage to take any pics, so you will have to believe me, because an old Japanese man stopped to tell me how beautiful my hair was at the
Maaketo
The bustling market. This is a view from the steps of the temple complex gate. only photo-op! But I must say I did enjoy the compliment and our little miscommunicated conversation (rescued by a Finnish kid who does academic Japanese)...
Due to the length of our shopping we didn't make it to the temple of the golden pavilion, as planned, but we did make it to downtown Kyoto for my first taste of SAKE!!!!!!!!!! All I can say is that it is very strong, but kinda grows on you. Thankfully we shared 180ml 3 ways at the descretion of a more educated companion. It was enough to put a smile on our faces all the back to makino station in the train.
About the train ride... It was probably the most weird half hour of my month in Japan. We sat correcting english grammar for an old Japanese man's transcript for an English-Japanese dictionary. Well, that's what he said it was at any rate... I found it hard to believe a man who claimed to be a linguistics professor who has written 42 books, visited every state in the US, 10 cities in Oz and Jo'burg and Cape Town. Hmm!
I'm falling asleep at the keyboard and fighting with the
Moo ichidoo...
White plum this time. varsity network, so photos will be posted asap.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.05s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 12; qc: 22; dbt: 0.0307s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
bee
non-member comment
Hello shopaholic
A month! i can't believe it! time just flies!your time out in the flea market sounded amazing! im so jealous! essenwood has nothing on that market (if thats the right phrase to use) can't wait to see the pictures! plums yum yum! hope you get to taste them! keep up the good work and making us other shopaholics feel proud of you!