May 19 - First full day in Kyoto

PLEASE NOTE: I have not had the chance to watermark all of my photos, and it will take me a great deal of time, as I published this and my other blogs between 2010-2017. I ask you to respect my property. Feel free to use them as long as you credit me as follows: Photo by Jody McBrien, learningtheworld.org. Thank you.


Today the goal was the famous Fushiminori-taisha Inari Shrine, famous for its tori gates, and Tofukuji Temple, one of the “five great Zen Buddhist temples of Kyoto,” known for its beautiful gardens, especially in spring and fall. I also found a 1-hour show in Gion that we wanted to catch at 7pm. As we knew we’d be out all day once we left, we took our time in the morning and arrived just before noon. As usual, there were throngs of students on field trips, along with many Japanese visitors and some gaijin (foreigners).

So many cats at Shinto shrines! Not to mention all the waving cat statues. I finally looked up their significance and found the following on a website about the Shinto belief system:

"As an example of the potential for divinity: there is a story of an emperor who, while travelling in a rainstorm encountered a cat on a porch that waved a greeting to him. Intrigued by this extraordinary phenomenon, the emperor dismounted and approached the porch. As soon as he reached the porch, a bolt of lightning crashed down on the spot his horse was standing and killed it instantly. From that point on, cats were, in Shinto, worshipped as beneficent and protective kami [divine]; if you walk into a Japanese restaurant, you are sure to find a porcelain statue of the waving cat which protects the establishment from harm."

One can find far more Japanese dressed in Kimonos and yakatas in Kyoto than any other place in Japan

Going from the right, we got to about the second down white caption

Just yesterday we called Brendan to see how his interview went at the Georgia Aquarium. He said he passed his swim test (one of three to do so) and thought the interview went well. I let superstition take a hold of me, and I rang a shrine bell for him and did the traditional bow twice, clap twice, and bow once more while sending hopes that he be offered the position. Then we proceeded to walk the path through the forest that is covered by literally thousands of tori gates (over 10,000, if you walk the whole trail), leading to the top of Mt. Inari. We made it about 2/3rds of the way up, then spoke with a visitor who let us know it was about another hour to get to the top and back from where we were. As we wanted to visit Tofukuji, we decided to turn around. On the way back down, you see writing on every pole. Yoshio later told us that the writing is names of those who donated a pole. People go there to pray for success. Then, when they become successful, they donate a pole with their name inscribed. So I was at the right place for Brendan! (May I need to donate a pole in the future.)

Most popular visitor's site in Kyoto three years in a row!

We hoped to find a place to sit for a while and have something cold to drink, but no such luck. So we got on another train to our next destination. This time, the temple was about a 15 minute walk, unlike Fushiminori-taisha Inari, which was literally across from the station. We were tired and a bit hungry, and I wondered if we should press on. I was glad we did. Originally built in 1236, the temple burned and was rebuilt in the 15^th century. Some buildings have been burned and rebuilt in succeeding time periods. The grounds include both Zen dry stone gardens (including this patchwork gravel and stone garden) and moss and tree gardens. It was peaceful and relaxing.

We arrived in Gion around 4:30 and walked a bit til the Maharachi, an Indian restaurant, opened at 5, where we gratefully headed in for dinner and a much-needed rest. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. 

Street scene in Gion

We are guessing this is a well-known geiko (term for geisha in Kyoto), as there were many people clamoring for a view into the car, both Japanese and gaijin

We finished and arrived at Gion Corner, the theatre for the performance, about a half hour before it opened for ticket sales. This show introduces the audience to classical Japanese arts: demonstrations of chado (tea ceremony), koto (Japanese harp), kado (flower arrangement), gagaku (court music with a masked dancer), kyogen (an ancient comic play), kyomai (Kyoto style dance), and bunraku (puppet play).

Displays in the waiting area 

I was selected as one of two volunteers for the tea ceremony. A tea master brewed the tea, and it was served with the help of another woman. As the tea was brewed, we were to begin eating the sweet biscuits that would balance the bitter taste of the tea. The teacups were brought to us, turned twice, then placed down. As I recall from a previous time, the guest is to also turn the cup twice, then begin to drink. I thought it was delicious! According to the performance program, tea was brought from China to Japan by Zen Buddhist monks in the 12^th century. They used it to overcome drowsiness during hours of meditation. It became popular among Japanese people by the 14^th century. In the 16^th century, a merchant named Sen Rikyu created the ritual of a tea ceremony, trying to symbolize the Japanese love for simplicity and gracefulness. Although many forms of the ceremony have developed, the basics of serenity and calm remain with each.

As the chado was occurring to the side of the stage, the koto players began. Koto have 13 strings, and they create the melodic music that most people associate with Japan. The koto was also brought from China, about 1,300 years ago.

As the program explained, Japanese have been placing flowers in vases since the 6^th century. When Buddhist monks brought the religion to Japan, they began creating arrangements for altar pieces. With the creation of the tea ceremony, people wanted to add flowers, but they needed to keep with the theme of simplicity. There are several schools of ikebana, or kado.

Gagaku it likely an acquired taste, literally meaning “elegant music.” It was also introduced from China in the 8^th century and enjoyed by the imperial court and nobles, especially during the Heian period (9-12^th centuries).

Kyogen plays contrast with the symbolic Noh dramas and were often performed during intermissions of Noh plays. From the 15^th century, they were used during planting and harvesting festivals. They became popular with warriors during the Shogun period. The one we saw was about a master who worried that his servants would drink his sake when he left on business. The master and one servant trick the other and tie him to his cudgel. As the assisting servant laughs at his fellow servant, the master also ties him, and he departs. However, the servants’ hands are not bound, and they help one another figure out how to get at the sake. When the master returns, he finds his servants drunk, merrily singing songs. He beats them, and they run to run away. The play ends with him chasing them.

I will make a separate post about the kyomai, maiko, and geisha, or geiko.

Bunraku developed over 12 centuries as a popular art of the people. It became popularized in the 16^th century in Kyoto by Takemoto Gidayu. Music and dialogue for the puppet plays is called gidayubushi. The plays are about the merchant life of Osaka, and they express the common emotions of humans – love, joy, sorrow.

The scene we saw, “Oshichi at the Fire-Watch Tower,” was from a well-known play called Datemusume Koi-no Higanoko. It involves two star-crossed lovers – a servant who loses a valuable sword entrusted to his master by the shogunate, and the pretty young woman he loves. Her parents want her to marry a merchant they owe money to. She (Ochishi) discovers that this merchant has stolen the sword and wants to inform her beloved, but the city gates are closed for the night. In the scene we see, she ponders how to get word to him and decides to climb the fire-watch tower, strike the bell, and hope her love will come to her. The puppet was beautiful, nearly life-sized, and manipulated by three black-clad puppeteers.

It was a great, but tiring day, and we managed to crash in spite of the heat in the room once we returned.

NOTE: June 2018 date on post is republish date, not date of the event.