captivating kyoto

lost in a maze of shrines

golden pavilion in fresh snow

bamboo grove in the same blue jacket

emil says:

i loved me some tokyo.  but after visiting kyoto i found yet another new favorite. kyoto is the powerhouse of culture in japan. gardens, shrines, temples, buddhist figures, geisha walking the streets, rock gardens and a "path of philosophy" (how fabulously pseudo-intellectually emilian is that).  its clearly calmer than tokyo but downtown has that edgy techno feel to it nonetheless and this against a backdrop of super genuine ancient shogunate and feudal culture. japan as a whole i would say has developed plenty of uber modern technology but has been able to maintain some real cohesion to its past. most countries and societies have a few museums or structures where people go to pay homage to the past, but in japan, and most notably kyoto, the past is part of their daily lives. in fact, in some ways it is as though they live in the past, but in a good way.  bow, have respect for self and others, be honorable, have pride in what you do, be in control, be thoughtful in your action; all characteristics of a seemingly bygone era for most of us.  i must confess i have never laid eyes on a more serene, more beautiful city than kyoto. i had been looking forward to seeing angkor wat in cambodia for a long time but it was in kyoto that i found the zen eat prey love moments: rock gardens that have seemingly been tended to by a one armed buddhist monk for 7 generations all by his lonesome, to an endless bamboo grove that rocks, pitches, and sways with every gust, to kinkaku-ji (the golden pavilion) against the backdrop of a killer snowy day, you can be lost in a sea of tourists if you wish or you can sit and lay like broccoli alone beside a shrine built 1000 years ago.  for me kyoto ranks up there with places everyone should see one day, alongside paris, rome, and sayville.    

finding peace in the zen garden

laurel learning her craft from real geishas

one of kyoto's many shrines

cinderella

my carriage awaits

walking the streets of gion

paparazzi

a geisha needs her sustenance

off to write my memoirs

laurel says:


kyoto is a cultural gem.  loaded with 17 unesco world heritage sights, more than 1600 buddhist temples, and over 400 shinto shrines you could spend your entire trip here and still not scratch the surface.  we had 4 wonderful days in kyoto and packed as much sight-seeing in as we possibly could- out the door by 9am and home at 9pm!  by the end of it we were both exhausted and enlightened.  kyoto was the capital of japan until the meji period when it was moved to tokyo in 1868.  and it remains the cultural heart of the country.  the center of the action is the higashiyama district, where geisha still roam the teahouse lined streets.  in many ways it feels trapped in time, like a scene out of memoirs of a geisha.  to get in the spirit, i spent a day getting my very own geisha make over or "maiko-henshin."  emil was such a trooper and even came along for the ride.  i had my hair done in the traditional style, which in reality turned out to be a bit of a long island prom circa 1980's look.  then i selected my kimono, obi belt and purse.  but that was just the beginning.  it is not easy being a geisha! it took 2 women, and nearly 15 minutes to get me into my frock.  there are layers, upon layers, upon layers under that kimono!  and even as a petite american, i could not help but feel like a plus sized geisha next to my tiny japanese counterparts.  emil and i both got a kick out of my nickname for the day, "fat geisha!"  after slipping on my split toe socks and sliding into my sandals, my transformation was complete.  we hit the streets of gion for a stroll and emil served as my trusty photographer.  turns out a white geisha is quite a novelty, and we were inundated with well wishers and requests for photos.  needless to say, i hammed up every second of my fifteen minutes of fame!  it wasn't until my toes began to freeze in the 30 degree temps, that i finally surrendered and returned my beautiful kimono for my boring old western clothes.  sad face.  other highlights of our time included seeing the golden temple of kinkaku-ji, strolling the tree lined path of philosophy, hiking up the countless vermillion gates at fushimi-inari taisha and taking in the mesmerizing bamboo forest at arashiyama.  i can't recommend kyoto highly enough.  it is a must see and should be at the top of everyone's japan itinerary.

raked sand and stone garden

mobbed by japanese teens on the path to enlightenment

oh deer!

giant buddha daibutsu

strolling between temples

emil's zen master