Kyoto - Geishas and Foxes

The theater lobby - see the lanterns with the plover bird, their symbol.

After our bike tour, we're off to see a geiko (geisha) performance!  A real one, not the fake ones that tourists normally see.  Twice a year each geiko group has a performance with tickets available to the public.  The Ponto-cho is considered one of the more exclusive geiko organzations (Gion is supposed to be the most exclusive) and they have performances for three weeks in May.  We feel lucky we're able to get tickets.  No pictures are allowed during the show, but I do get a photo of the curtain before it starts.  See the plover birds?  Their symbol is worked into everything.

I'm getting some quilting ideas...

And true confessions - we did not enjoy the show.  Other people in the audience did, though - I think behind us was the family of one of the performers.  Visually it was beautiful, with the elaborate kimonos and costumes.  But I had thought it was a dance (that's how it is always described) but it was like two different short plays, followed by a brief dance performance.  

The musical instruments and singing were unlike anything I'd heard before - I can only describe it as a lot of pinging (is that a word?).  The characters in the plays always had a whiny tone to their voices, which I found annoying.  I couldn't follow the plot of the first play at all - every time I thought I knew what was happening, the next scene would completely change the story.  The dancing is always described as elegant, but in my opinion, a ballet shows more grace.  So, we looked at it as a chance to cool off during the 90 minutes of sitting in air conditioning, and Steve had a little nap during the show. (I was happy to let him sleep as long as he didn't snore!)  I no longer feel like we have to see a kabuki or noh theater performance, since we obviously can't appreciate these cultural acts.

The next morning we have one more shrine to visit while we're in Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Shrine.  It's one of the highlights here, so I follow my usual policy of getting there early to beat the crowds.  We also need to balance having to check out at our hotel, but I figure if we're at the shrine by 8:30 am, we'll have time to hike to the observation plateau, come back down, return to the hotel and shower, before we have to check out at 11:00 am.







This shrine is best known for the thousands of torii gates lining the trails into the wooded forest of sacred Mount Inari.  It's considered the most important of the thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice.  Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, resulting in many fox statues across the shrine grounds.  I don't know the exact date it was built, but it was before 800 AD.  (Thanks to www.japan-guide.com for the info.)  The torii gates are donated by individuals and corporations, so it's possible I could put one up!  Prices range from about $4000 - $10,000 a gate.  Most are located at the lower portions of the path, they thin out a bit as you get closer to the top. 

Something about the torii gates encourage selfies!

Awesome!  Person free torii picture!

See the babbling brook?

It takes about two-three hours to hike to the top and back, but since we're short on time we decide to go to the Yotsutsuji intersection located about halfway up the mountain.  It takes us about 35 minutes, and it's uphill the entire way, sometimes with stairs.  There are some pretty views along the way, through the torii gates.

There are also different areas set up for praying along the path.

Inari fox!

Another selfie!

 

 


We finally reach the intersection and are treated to views of Kyoto. 

Kyoto....again?!?

On our way down I see the way the light is hitting the torii gates.  They seem to glow like embers.  I don't think the photo quite captures the beauty.

The path splits on the way down, and Steve decides we should take the opposite path (for some reason he doesn't consult me on directions...).  We don't have all the torii gates, but we view lots more sanctuaries.

mid-leap inari

hungry inari

I think this statue deals with childbirth.

He just looks really cool.

 





So this was nice - we actually had an explanation in English at one of the shrines.


















When we reach the main entrance, close to 10:00 am, it's packed.  The tour buses have obviously been arriving.  We're able to grab a taxi and go back to our hotel, shower, and check out on time.  We still have a few hours before our train, so now what will we do?