We've taken it easy today and stayed around Kyoto. One of the things I really wanted to do in the next couple of days was go to the Gion Odori. This is Autumn Geisha Dance but was only on until 10th November so we had to be sharp. With Scott's bloodhound instincts we found the theatre really easily and off I went to book my tickets - notice I said MY tickets .... Scott was not playing with this (He has a real problem with Geisha Ladies singing) so I was on my own!!!
The dance didn't start until 1:30 so we had some time to kill. We found a lovely street (Shirakawa-minami dori) which is a gorgeous street lined with willow trees.
We noticed there was some commotion in the middle of the street - and when we got there, there was a young girl dressed as a Geisha with her parents taking photos. Although she seemed quite shy, she was happy for the throng of tourists to take her photo ....which was just as well as every man and his dog were surrounding her ..... And shamefully that included me!!!!
She did look really pretty though.....
I decided to leave her alone as the group of people surrounding her was getting bigger by the minute. Still had another hour to kill before the Gion Odori so we wandered along to Murayama Park. There always something going on in here and today was no exception.
First thing we saw was a wedding .... The bride and groom were just walking towards the shrine for the service .... Again the bloody tourists were all over them taking photos ...
(Ahhhh sushhhh - I am a tourist after all!!!)
I only took the one photo and watched a bit of the ceremony........
We stopped for a quick coffee in the park so Scott could work out what he was going to do and where to go.... He was going to sort out our Train passes - so I was trusting him to go out alone and not see or do anything exciting without me!!!!
It was now time for the Gion Odori. Unfortunately photos are not allowed - but I paid for the dance and the tea ceremony ..... So I got a nice cup of matcha and a sweet (and got to keep the plate as a souvenir). The theatre (Gion Kaiken) was lovely...... I was allowed to take a shot of the place before the dance started . . . .
The performance was brilliant ..... The Geisha move so perfectly and their actions are so precise. The whole thing lasted just over 2 hours but I could have stayed there all afternoon and watched them.
So now it's back out into the wilds of Kyoto city.... It's Saturday afternoon and it appears Saturday afternoon is the same world over...... The place was heaving of people shopping and meeting friends - but Scott had a surprise for me...... While he had been left on his own, he had found TOKYU HANDS!!!!! Whoooo hoooo!!! Tokyu Hands is the best department store ever!!! And it's the place I go to stock up on all that wonderful Japanese stationery.
Ahhh a whole floor full of pens, pencils, books and all those items that are cute and all the things you didn't know you needed until you saw them. If you are after an eraser shaped like sushi or a pens that writes in three different colours .... This is where you'll get them. Scott does not need to know how much I have spent ..... Plus it's just down the road from us so I'll be back mwhahahaha!!!!!
Unfortunately, the jet lag has kicked in again and once again I am dropping, so back to the apartment for an hour to rest our weary bones.
After a nice coffee - we hit the combini for our tea..... And I found they do pots of Ramen that can be heated in the microwave for 3 minutes..... Perfect meal for Nic!!!! Scott went to the meat counter and hoped he had bought chicken (he did!!) and added a pot of noodles to it .....
Having tea sort of finished me off.... But we decided what we are doing tomorrow..... According to the weather forecast it's going to rain all day, so we are planning an indoor day...... Wonder if Scott will let me go back to Tokyu Hands?!?!???
Until tomorrow ........ Oyasumi nasai xx
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