Geisha!

After arriving in Kyoto station, I made my way tithe bus stand to get the bus to the gion district. The line da huge so I opted for the subway. After a short EIDE an a pretty straightforward walk (considering the lack of street signs in japan) I made it to the hostel. After checking in, I started my walk down the most beautiful street that was full of cherry blossoms and a small sleepy shrine. Then just as I took out my camera, a maiko stepped out on full paints face for a small photo session. Not even an hour on Kyoto and I captured what may be the best piece of photography of my life. I couldn’t stop taking photos. Each one was a work of art. I cannot wait to post them!

After a bit I headed to find some lunch.

Miyako odori

Everywhere in Kyoto has signs for the grand miyako odori, a yearly dance that displays the skills of the geisha. I went this morning and was able to get a nose bleed section seat for a good price. After I was heading out, a woman stopped me on her bike and started asking where I learned Japanese. After a short walk she asked to meet again at 2pm after the dance for tea. She also gave me a special tiket to have tea ceremony with the geishas after the dance.

After the walk I go on the train and heads for fushimiinari since I had a couple hours before the show. This temple is famous for it’s thousands of torii gates.

Another long walk

Walked from miyako odori to heian jingu and through philosophers walk.

Dinner with teru

After my long walk I arrived back to the hostel and rested in the room while I chatted with teru, a guy who’s traveling from Hokkaido. He’s in university for architecture so came to Kyoto to learn about the styles. We went around the area to find a place when we came across a tiny noodle shop. We went in and the menu had 3 options. The one that I liked was a bowl of noodles, fried chiken, and salad. Teru liked that one as well. When we started our order to call out the name of the set, it turned out to be a “ladies set” so we said yup, two ladies sets please. :)

After dinner we came back an I tried to plan what I was going to do a I ouknt stay at the hostel more than what I had booked. Cherry blossom season is obviously a peak time to be going to japan so places are quite full.

After talking with the other travelers and looking at the guidebooks, I planned the next day of my trip.

I will head for hikone to visit one of the national treasures of japan–a castle that has the original structure still In contact. After visiting that I’ll head for kinosaki onsen, a village famiuse for it’s outdoor spring baths. I was able to book a night in a traditional ryokan so stay tuned for how that unfolds. After staying there, I’ll head for Nagoya to visit shoko, a friend from San francisco, and then after Nagoya, I’ll visit takayama, another sleepy village with unique houses and crafts. I’m excited to see parts of japan I haven’t before, and definitely am excited to get away from the tourists!

Check out and off to hikone

After checking out, hitting up citibank, and getting breakfast, I headed for the station to get the Shinkansen for hikone. It’s an overcast drizzly day so I’m happy about moving along and getting use out of my jr pass.

Hikone castle

What a cool place! Just this little town with a village like setting enclosing this grand castle that watches over. You can see lake biwa, the largest lake of japan.

It was lunch time so I stopped at this random pasta place. They had a lunch set with soup salad bread tea and a pasta dish for really cheap. So I tried it. The soup bread and salad came out in little dishes.

Unfortunately the rain didn’t stop so I had to get an umbrella. I’m glad I did because it rained the entire time. As you weave the way through the town I the castle, cherry blossoms are in bloom and add a hint PC color to the otherwise monochromatic color palette of the castle.

Once you cross the moat, you walk all the way up the hill through the winding platforms forming a sort of staircase to the top. At the top, a beautiful panoramic view of the town below adds to the regality of the idea of being in this historic castle.

There was a long queue for the entrance, and in typical Japanese fashion everyone stood happily waiting until we got toy the foyer where you Havel ba tour umbrellas and shoes. Then there was a mad dash for the bags as if they were going to run out. They didn’t, so we were soon on our way through the castle.

There really wasn’t much in the castle, but cling to thtr top was fun. The stairs were practically at an 80 degree angle and I was amazed that no one stepped out of line to forego the climb. Old grannies were climbing up these huge steps with the rest of us!

After taking some pictures, I headed back towards the station just to make sure I was in time for my train onward to the hot springs village.

Kyoto station

I’m sure glad I took an earlier train. If I had waited for re train that I was told to catch I would have never made my train to the onsen village. Kyoto station has got I have one of the worst signage problems I’ve ever encountered. I have a pretty good sense of direction but it took me about 20 minutes, 6 people, and two full circles around the station before I found my coin locker. On top of that is another 20 minutes getting from my locker to the right train platform. So frustrating! This onsen is in high need!!

The train is definitely a different style of trim than what’s used in the cities. I found tjebight one and there were already lines formed or the non reserve areas so it was good I got there when I did.

Arrival in kinosaki-onsen

After a long train ride through the countryside, seeing all the rooftops of the farmhouses, I arrived at the station in darkness. As I walked out I the station and saw all the shops closed I got a little nervous thinking what if that old woman at the ryokan not get that I was coming tonight to stay.

As I Found my way from a print out map, I got to the street where naruya ryokan was located. Once I crossed a bridge that was lit and turned the corner, the entire village was alive with cherry blossoms, wood lankinf from the wooden clogs everyone was wearing as they ventured out To the onsens.

Now I was excited. I then found naruya and went in. An old lady was there waiting or me an asked if I’d found the place ok. She then gave me slippers, took my shoes and showed me I my room. The room was traditional tatami mat with a flat screen tv and paper doors. I was happily surprised. She also made me tea as she explained how everythin worked. She gave me a traditional bath yukata and kimono to wear out to the baths and a little bag to carry a towel and wash cloth in a there are no baths onsite.

After drinking my tea, I donned the yukata and robe and got my clogs and headed out in the crisp wet night air. The clanking of all the shoes out on the streets brought a smile to my face I what a cook experience it was. All along the river the cherry clossoms are lit, people are laughing, playing “afrerbath games” like at festivals like shooting at targets, water fishing for toys and such. I continued walking along the river and starts seeing lots of smoke coming from places. There were groups I people huddled around the foot baths where the wage vubvkes up in a shallow area just deep enough to put your legs in.

After visiting the shrine in town, I headed for a bath that was recommended by the woman at the ryokan. There was a sign out front though that read it was quite conjested so I continued on to another one down the street.

Once I entered three women in the foyer greeted me with bows and a hearty welcome. They took my clogs and I went in.

The first room is a locker room where you leave your robes and head for the bathing room. Here you sit and bathe. After bathing, you can go to the hot spring indoors to sit or go outside. I headed outside and sat in the rock filled bath with the sounds of trickling water surrounding the cool fresh air.

It was like sitting in a hot tub outdoors. Was very relaxing and nice. After I got pretty warmed up, I left and bathed again, then donned my robes and walked out along the river. The clanking was like crickets at night, loud but rhythmic and actually soothing. After my walk I went back to my room and relaxed, watched tv and talked with shoko about my plans for the next couple days. I’m glad I decided to stay two nights here as there’s a festival tomorrow!

Nagashi hina

This morning I woke up to the sound if those clogs, so it wasn’t so quaint when it wakes me up. I slept a little longer then got up and dressed to walk around. At 10:30 there is a festival called nagashibina in which hina dolls are released into the river with prayers on them. As I returned to the ryokan for a pit stop, the old woman said, won’t you put a doll in the river too? And handed me the floating doll late where I could write a message.

Eight on time, the festival started with a Buddhist prayer and girls dressed in kimono to release the first basket of dolls. Then the long line began with individuals dropping their own plates in.

Exploring kinosaki

I spent all day today exploring this town finding hidden shrines pathways and hikin trails. Speaking with the local shop owners, restauranteurs has been fun but surprisingly no one here seems phased that I can speak. I wonder why in the bigger cities everyone is shocked, but here in this little town no one seems to notice.

I had the best skewer I’ve ever had. It was wagyu steak and at about $10 a skewer I decided one wasn’t enough. Now I’m sitting at a foot bath relaxing and thinking about the day :)