In the Meantime

I know I'm dragging a bit with finishing up with my Japan trip, so in the meantime, here are pictures from Kyoto.

Besides, this is really to serve my aging memory with the side benefit that someone might actually take interest anyhow, right?

Fushimi Inari

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

Our first temple visit in Kyoto was at Fushimi Inari, which honors the rice and sake gods. It was no coincidence to visit a shrine which honors sake, first.

Okome (rice) plays a signficiant part of Japan's culture. Quick nihongo-ga lesson: words that hold a place of honor are preceded by "o" such as okome (kome = rice) ozushi (sushi), omizu (mizu = water) or okane (kane=money). Likewise, Norv should refer to me as "Olumpia"!

The draw to Fushimi Iniri are the thousands of torii that line the hillside like a hallway. Torii are the telltale signs to a shrine entrance.

Quick Hollywood movie reference: I hate the use of artistic license and there's one in "Memoirs of a Geisha" where the young Sayuri is running through a hallway of torrii much like these. It makes absolutely no sense, except for pretty imagery, because the paths created by the Fushimi Inari torii loop to the top of the hill and back down. That's the long way home if you ask me. It was a bad movie anyway...

Several small tea and sake houses dotted the pathway up. Despite the fact that it was late morning, we convinced ourselves to have some sake while we were there. And why not? I was already a bit pooped climbing the stairs and needed a break (and many of the older shopkeepers make this route everyday to their tea or sake house).



Along with the torii, kitsune or spirit foxes were everywhere. These magical creatures guard the shrine, and folklore claim they can be mischevious. Don't mess with them.

Naughty by Nature

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

Upon closer inspection of the cheerfully colored wooden block prints, I realized that the pictures were quite erotic! The "kitschy kitschy Kyoto" restaurant is also playfully kinky, too. The wood print that looks like a fried egg? Well, it isn't.

I've seen examples of Japanese erotica or "shunga" where amorous couples were strategically draped and sometimes not so strategically drapped. These prints were definitely more playful!

How to Dine with Geisha on a Budget

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

After a bowl of ma-ma (so-so) ramen (the only bad meal we had) and a few maiko sightings, Norv and I stumbled onto the Gion district. Partly out of hunger from a less than satiating meal and partly out of curiosity of what we could see being grilled, we were easily beckoned into the restaurant.

Norv felt more comfortable trying to speak Japanese so he tried to chat with the waitress and ask for a menu. She seated us at a table with these two lovely ladies, dressed like geisha. Mannequines, like these, were sitting at various tables, some by themselves, others with patrons. At first glance, we assumed that a businessman had his wife with him.

The waitress tried to explain something to us when we asked for menus, but we didn't understand. What should we order?



Only to find that there is only ONE item on the menu, which was Okonomiyaki.

It was both savory -- from the seaweed topping and a bit tangy -- from the Okonomikyaki sauce (which probably had Worcestershire sauce as a base). It was a pretty hearty meal, so Norv and I shared a plate, but didn't share beers. Our cold beers were refreshing and great to wash down the food. In Japan's cultural capital, I did not expect to find kitschy, kitschy Kyoto.