Journey of a thousand snacks: Update 2 - Kyoto, again. 

At the time it didn't really feel like we did a lot in Kyoto, but sitting down to write about it makes me realise that actually, there was heaps! Kyoto had a much different feel to it than Tokyo. Less bright lights, more relaxed, very lovely, and felt really safe.  I love Kyoto.

We used AirBnB again, and our tiny but very functional room was in the middle of everything. Our host had also stacked the place with a shit ton of food for us! AND he gave us presents when we left - the most generous host I've ever had. The place was right near the train station, next to a Japanese Garden, just down the street from a behemoth of a shrine, 5 mins from the Onsen Victoria went to, and about a 20-30 min walk from Ginza (Gesha spotting funky place). I'm also pretty sure it was right beside the hostel that Isaac & I stayed at back in 2007. The name had changed, I'm my spider sense was tingling. 

We got around and saw the usual Shrines, gardens, and Nijo Castle, but I won't bore you with those. Those are things that you really need to see yourself and having them described to you is even worse than being sat down and forced to watch someones boring travel slideshow when all the pictures are just landscapes and that person wants to spend 30 mins explaining the circumstances surrounding each photo.  May I have a fork please to poke out my eyeballs? 

But I'll tell you about some other stuff. We booked in and attended a traditional Tea Ceremony in Kyoto.  I've always wanted to do one, being as passionate about tea as I am.  It was held in a tea house (specially purposed room which is used only to make and drink the tea - the design is fairly bare to encourage you focus on the tea and your guests) and it was run by a Japanese lady who explained everything in English for us.  She wore a Kimono, and said that while they aren't very comfortable, they have their uses - you can pile one sleeve with tissues and snacks and the other sleeve with your wallet and phone etc, and just empty it out at home. Neat!

The tea ceremony went for about an hour. I won't bore you with all the detail, but basically making the tea itself is really just a focal point for meditation. The whole process of making the tea and serving your guests is highly choreographed, and the process is designed to be meditative, allowing you to clear your mind and really focus on each movement, focus on the instruments that you are using to make the tea (traditionally the host would carve the tea scoop themselves, and may even make and paint the design on the tea cups) and honor your guests by serving them and giving them your time and undivided attention. And they do the same for you.  It was beautiful, and we loved it.

Interesting points to note - the instruments and tea cups are important, being made by the host. The tea scoop is given a name, and when you serve the tea to your guests you give them the cups with the design facing outwards (towards you). They then accept the tea, turn the design in towards themselves to appreciate the art, drink the tea, then turn the bowl back around and put it down. (I think, maybe I got that backwards... anyway, the point is, there is a very specific process which is respectful to your host/guest). The host of the tea ceremony also does not partake in drinking the tea. The host invites their honored guests over purely so that they can serve and honor them. I thought that was nice. 

So tea was had. And we walked away with a Matcha tea set complete with bamboo whisk, scoop that we need to name (scoopy mc'scoop face?), and the matcha tea powder.  Incidentally I made this tea for my friends at work and they all threw up in their mouths a little. It doesn't really taste anything like green tea. But anyway, it's not about the tea. Just choke it down and let me honor you already!!

Both Victoria and I partook in a fair amount of shopping in Kyoto. So many trinkets to be had. I showered my bed friend in gifts including chopsticks with his name in Katakana on them, a Kimono, and a plush Porco Rosso. I bought myself an artwork (it's a wicked intense dude that is just staring at you, intensely) and a fan with a stand to display it. 

We jumped on a train and went to Arashiyama, which is a bit of a mountainous village with a river flowing through it. We went to visit the famed Bamboo Forest, and there was a also a Monkey Park. I was initially against the monkey park as I don't like supporting zoos and things like that, however it wasn't really too bad. The monkeys were free roaming and there actually wasn't anything that was stopping them from leaving the park and getting on the next train to Tokyo. Except the wouldn't have had a hope of buying the right ticket without help.  

I think the fact that there is plenty of food probably keeps them happy. There was a bit of a fence around the place and you had to walk up a really steep fuck-off mountain for about 20 mins to get to them, but that wouldn't stop them if they wanted to go get some ice cream or throw an infant into the river. While the monkeys are still being exposed to humans and are more comfortable with people than they ought to be, as far as a tourist attraction goes it was pretty humane.

You could buy food and feed them, but you had to go into an enclosure (think chicken pen with chicken wire all over it) and stick the food out through the chicken wire to the monkeys out in the open. So the animals knew that only the people inside the box had food and didn't rush anyone on the outside. For the most part they ignored the humans, and sat around foraging for bugs on each others backsides in the sun. There was a baby that was being nursed by it's mother, and a couple of kids that rode around on their parents backs.  There were lots of signs that said not to make eye contact with them and not to stick your phone in their faces otherwise they might get agro and tear your face off. 

So that was a pleasant outing.  We also went to Ginza, which is an area which is a bit like West End I guess. But not really.  It's got lots of shops and alleys full of restaurants, and is known to be a place to go if you want to catch a glimpse of a Geisha. We didn't see any. Apparently no one is very interested in hosting a formal party with an illustrious Geisha at 3 in the afternoon on a Monday. We were amused by the signs that used images to say 'don't grab the Geisha'. I guess it's happened enough to warrant the sign? Stupid tourists.

Oh and we also did a day trip to Nara. I've been there before so you can read my blog post from 2007 about it (I know you won't). Victoria bought biscuits to feed the deer which you couldn't do in 2007, so that was something new. 

That's about it for Kyoto. It's a really beautiful city - no visit to Japan is complete without spending a few nights here. There was so much to do, like Tokyo, and the 5 nights we had here was just enough, barely. We were both thoroughly exhausted when we left headed for Hiroshima.  The trip was coming to a close, and our feet were in a state where they just always hurt. Three more nights to go...