And Geishas Make Three

Blessings at Small Shrine in Shosei-en Garden
see all photos »

I had three visual goals for the Tokyo trip - cherry blossoms, Torii Gates and Geishas.  I managed to check off cherry blossoms just about everywhere we went - Tokyo, Miyajima Island and Hiroshima - and now Kyoto.  Torii gates were also fairly popular, since they are at all Shinto shrines - but I had a specific one in mind - at Miyajima Island - and I checked that one off.  Now for Geishas.  And what better place to try for a glimse of a Geisha than old Kyoto.

After another speedy journey on a bullet train, we arived at modern Kyoto station in the early afternoon.  After checking in at our hotel (see separate discussion), we headed off to our first Kyoto garden - the Shosei-en Garden associated with the nearby Hagashi Hongan-ji Temple.  And what greeted us but a Geisha and her male companion leaving the garden, hopping (well, maybe gliding in the case of the Geisha) into a Beamer, and moving on.  Missed the photo, alas, but it was an auspicious start for our stay in Kyoto.

And the blossoms were just beginning to fall on this warm spring evening - the peak of the peak blossom experience.

Zen Garden at Ginkaku-ji Temple
see all photos »

The Gardens themselves were lovely, with, surprise, surprise, cherry trees (both white and pink) in full bloom.  After a leisurely stroll, we headed east to the Temple, which was in the process of being reconstructed.  It was huge - one of the largest if not THE largest wooden structure in the world - all inside of a temporary metal protective building.  Not great visuals, but it still an impressive site.

Over the next several days,we visited other temples, shrines and even a castle.  Specifically, Nijo Castle, the Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) Temple, Nanzen-ji Temple and probably a few others to boot.  We strolled the shopping arcades of central Kyoto, gawked at the endless variety of strange-to-us foods at the Nishiki Market Alley and found several great dining experiences in the area.  We walked the Philosopher's Walk with blossoms in full bloom.

More Cherry Blossoms - on approach to Ginkaku-ji Temple
see all photos »

We finally made it to the Gion District, the traditional haunt of the Geisha (and their apprentices, the Maiko).  Again, our overall timing was supurb.  April is one of only two months of the year (October being the other) that Geisha and Maiko perform public dances.  We attended the Kyo Odori dance and it was worth every yen we paid for it (and, surprisingly, cameras were allowed to be used!)  An hour of singing, dance performance and music on traditional Japanese instruments made for a fitting conclusion to our Kyoto stay.  And, upon leaving we, as we strolled the Gion, we came upon several Geisha and Maiko encoute to small restaurants in the area to meet up with their clients.  And this time I was ready with the camera!

Guardhouse at the Nijo Castle in Kyoto
see all photos »

We concluded our Kyoto stay with a walk to the Gion's Yasaka Shrine, the home of one of the most famous cherry trees in all of Kyoto - singularly lit at night.  The Shrine grounds, part of a larger park, were filled with folks, sitting on their tarps beneath the cherry trees, eating and drinking into the evening, with the crowds ever thicker as we neared the tree.  And the blossoms were just beginning to fall on this warm spring evening - the peak of the peak blossom experience.

Street Food Vendor in Kyoto - Octopus Balls, Yakisoba and Okonomiyaki
see all photos »

The next morning it began to rain - and stayed that way through our departure from Tokyo's Narita airport the next afternoon.  We were on our way home now to the Pacific Northwest and the rain began our transition home.  Sayonara.