Kyoto and Geisha spotting...

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Aboard the Shinkansen (bullet train) we catch up on some well needed sleep travelling @ over 300km’s per hour, apparently this particular train was reaching these high speeds way back in the 70’s!

Having not booked accommodation we are grateful to Kevin (who’s Japanese is improving day by day) to seal the deal for us… done Uno House it is , no fancy frills but cheap which is rare in Japan. Time to start exploring Kyoto, as mentioned in the Lonely Planet Kyoto’s first impressions are likely to be something of an anticlimax, so far the “lying planet” is correct, but not for long… We head out for some temple exploring; anyone who has been to Kyoto will understand that there is certainly no lack of temples in all sorts of colours and sizes. With a few temples under our belt we enter Gion in hope of spotting a Geisha.
One of my top priorities in Japan was to see a Geisha, I’m sure any girl would back me up on this one, there is a certain mystical presence about a Geisha.

We head for a tiny alley (Shinjo-dori) where they are known to entertain their patrons for a mere $3000.
The moment comes and goes and I miss 2 Geisha’s!! Unbelievable. They float straight past the boys while I am inside looking at a drinks menu in a horribly overpriced bar. Al too ashamed to put his lens to good use, but that’s Japan for you politeness and respect come first.

The feeling of missing out on something that you have always wanted to see was just too depressing so I had to get over it and move on, so into the overpriced bar we go and guess who was sitting opposite to us in the next section? our beautiful Geisha pouring drinks for her patrons. We had the most perfect view, all around her the bamboo shutters were closed except for one, from where we were sitting we could see her every move!! Amazing, no priceless.

For the next two days we hire bicycles and explore Kyoto. Wow who would think that you could have so much fun riding bikes, we dash around from temple to temple only to stop off at noodle bars to fuel our racing legs, good thing the boys are in charge of directions otherwise we certainly would have got lost a couple of times. Each temple is unique, some have aqueducts some which are actually decorated with gold leaf and others that have the most tranquil and idyllic gardens with every leaf in place. I finally get my fix of Japanese traditions I had been longing for. We must have seen close to twenty different temples and shrines so I wont bore you with the details now, but wait till we get home I will do a power point presentation on them all!

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Comments

[Shiv]

Are you going to wear a geisha costume to your wedding now Se?