Kyoto, Part 1

this morning found me back at Denny's, having my first western meal of the trip - eggs, hash browns, toast and salad. i actually used a fork and knife for the first time in over a week. that was also my first bread or potato in a week. it was good, but i don't think i'm missing much by having my noodles, rice and fish.

already a whiz at the nagoya train system, i easily got on my 45 min commute to kyoto, and from there, found it only a short walk to my hostel. i am staying at K's Hostel Kyoto - another in the chain of hostels that i stayed in at fuji. this one is very nice - 3 floors, interet, cafe with beer and coffee and spirits, japanese-style tatami mat lounge and more (have yet to see the rest). my room was not ready, so i hit the town.

today is the last day of the Gion Matsuri - one of the big 3 festivals in japan. to commemorate the final day, there is a big parade through town with 30 ornately made up floats and everyone dressed in traditional japanese garb. i caught a nice front row seat and both parade and people watched for a few hours. the floats were stunning - such amazing work with wood and tapestry. the costumes were beautiful. and atmosphere was joyful. and there was nothing forced (nor western) about it. the people watched went well too - i love how the japanese dress and carry themselves. many men and women in kimono and yakata, umbrellas and fans, impeccably tailored suits to rival any italian, and youth styles that best anything i've seen stateside. did i mention that japan is amazing?

a few hours later, quite hot, and to be honest, done with watching floats go by, i went for a little sightseeing, and checked out Nijo Castle, a UNESCO world heritage site, and home to the shogunate back int he 1600s when kyoto was the capital. now to set the scene, all castles are fully surrounded by moats and are protected by large stone walls. inside are vast gardens and the palaces and castles themselves, decked out with the best architecture ever and done up with such precise inscriptions and paintings that words cannot begin to describe them. this castle, being on slightly elevated land, in kyoto (which is surrounded by mountains) provided the most stunning views i have seen in japan (fuji aside). i took many photos of the grounds, but was prohibited from doing so in the castle itself. but take my word, stunning. my favorite thing is that the floors all squeak - they are meant to. they are called nightingale floors, as their squeak is like a soft bird chirp. they, and much of the castle, was designed to protect against intruders. so the floors always let the guards know if an intruder had come in. there were also trapdoors for ninjas and samurai to leap out from hidden corners, and paper panels to perm it shadows to flow in, illuminating unwanted guests. love it. intrigue and power. and again, as i mentioned regarding Nagoya-Jo, this castle was very understated - perhaps like the japanese themselves. cultured, enlightened, advanced, but demure, modest and elegant. can't say enough.

at the castle, my camera batteries died and i knew i had to head back to the hostel for a recharge. on the way, i stopped and bought some japanese fans as souvenirs and some sushi on the street (get this, these were wrapped with a sponge cake around the outside of the rice - so good. i want more). i also had some ice cream.

kyoto is a marvelous city so far - a mixture of the modern and the past. it is not as futuristic as tokyo or nagoya, as much of it is still in its original state, and it is more idyllically located in the mountains. down every street, even those with modern, cosmopolitan shops, are temples, shrines, and homes in classic japanese style. this is the japan of legend and poetry. to quote depeche mode, i just can't get enough.

btw - how's this for a simile?! (from Murakami's "Wind Up Bird Chronicle"): the blades of grass stood motionless around the stone statue, like a greek chorus awaiting the oracle to speak.

damn!