We are in the midst of the Gion Matsuri Festival. Today will be exciting.
I started the day with an early morning stroll. It is hot and humid all ready at 9:00. I think we will have to hold off on our celebrations until it cools off a little.
I took a little “photo safari” with the new camera which sustained an injury.
I was incredibly upset but have gotten over it. We patched it up with a band aid and will be able to have it repaired in the States.
In the meantime, I am about to have a coffee and research kimono (yakata) rental for the festival. I will touch base with Owen regarding our options here in Kyoto.
There is so much to see and do and the festival adds so many more activities. Thankfully we are here for five days.
Gion Matsuri
I thought we might explore Nara or Amanohashidate but that isn’t happening. We have more than we can do here in Kyoto.
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Although the festival is really starting to kick off, we decided to have an afternoon / evening experience in another part of Kyoto and it could not have worked out more perfectly. While so many people we coming to Gion we went out of Gion.
The thousands of Tori gates that lined the hike up Inari mountain celebrating the yokai Ianari made for a brilliant evening hike.
Not only were the gates spectacular, the forest was energizing. The smell of the cedars mixed with the incense at the mini shrines accentuated the pleasant gentle hike.
I have been researching Japanese deities and it was fun to recognize many of them an find more to learn about.
Bodhisattva – Bosatsu
We timed the hike to coincide perfectly with sunset.
Owen and I shared great conversations about what we have observed and what we believe in regarding or owen senses of spirituality.
Dinner
We were starving by the time we got back off of the train at Shijo station. We were tempted by so many restaurants but I had my heart set on a little spot right near our hotel. I’m glad we waited. I think that I might have had the best dinner of my life. It was a “mom and pop” restaurant with a counter, one table and one room for sitting on the floor (I don’t know what that is called yet). Their specialties seemed to be tempura, sashimi, and udon. I had tempura and sashimi,my typical order but this was the best. I may be spoiled for life.
The husband and wife were very friendly. They spoke almost no English but were very patient with us. I tried some of my new Japanese phrases like,”itadakimasu”, “oishi katta desu”, and “gochiso sama deshita”. These phrases seem to go along way. The mama-san taught me how to add the minced daikon to the tempura sauce. She indicated it was good for the stomach that way. She also taught me to wrap my last piece if maguro sashimi in the leaf that I would otherwise have pushed to the side. It was such a nice experience and the food was so delicious.
On our way out, the older couple walked us out and gave us the low formal bow. Owen and I both really appreciated them and the experience as we said our thank you’s and made our goodbye bows. We will be going back.
It is interesting to me how Japanese restaurants operate. This place is owned (presumably) and run by an elderly couple. They serve four tables essentially. I wonder how long they have been in business. I wonder if they are “successful”. I wonder how long they plan to continue. I can’t imagine a place like this existing in the States.