The past 5 days have been full of so much adventure and sight seeing that I honestly don't know where to begin. For that reason, I will allow my photos to do the talking...
Arriving in Kyoto at 6:30am with only 20 minutes of sleep was no excuse for me to take a nap. I started right away with my friend Calum (English, young and my traveling partner in Kyoto) The first couple of days were spent going from temple to shrine, shrine to temple. Kinkakuji Temple, Nijojo Castle, Kiyomizu-dera Shrine, Tofukuji Temple, the list goes on and on but it really doesn't make sense for me to list them all. Kyoto has over 1,000 temples and shrines and the chances of visiting 3 or 4 before arriving to your final destination is very high. Each one is different, full of history and spiritual presence.
The most intriguing part for me was Gion: The Geisha District. I can't even imagine what it would be like to become a Geisha. It was amazing to see them in person and although Geisha's are irritated when people ask for pictures, I used someone else's opportunity to snag my shot! I have always had this image that being a Geisha means you are stripped free of your personality and set up on a throne to be admired but this is not the case. They are trained to be pure, proper, and classy of course, but a huge part of being a Geisha is to entertain their high paying customers by singing, dancing and flute playing. After graduating school, they then move into a Geisha house where they are cared for by an older sister like Geisha as they slowly establish them selves in the Geisha community...what a world!
By the end of the first couple of days I was templed out and ready for something new! Over much needed sake tasting at the Sake Cafe in our hostel...we mapped out our conquest to see the other part of Kyoto and head out to spend the night in the crazy town of Osaka. Accompanied by another English man...Dominic. It felt like I was in a Japanese Harry Potter World with these two.
Arriving in Kyoto at 6:30am with only 20 minutes of sleep was no excuse for me to take a nap. I started right away with my friend Calum (English, young and my traveling partner in Kyoto) The first couple of days were spent going from temple to shrine, shrine to temple. Kinkakuji Temple, Nijojo Castle, Kiyomizu-dera Shrine, Tofukuji Temple, the list goes on and on but it really doesn't make sense for me to list them all. Kyoto has over 1,000 temples and shrines and the chances of visiting 3 or 4 before arriving to your final destination is very high. Each one is different, full of history and spiritual presence.
The most intriguing part for me was Gion: The Geisha District. I can't even imagine what it would be like to become a Geisha. It was amazing to see them in person and although Geisha's are irritated when people ask for pictures, I used someone else's opportunity to snag my shot! I have always had this image that being a Geisha means you are stripped free of your personality and set up on a throne to be admired but this is not the case. They are trained to be pure, proper, and classy of course, but a huge part of being a Geisha is to entertain their high paying customers by singing, dancing and flute playing. After graduating school, they then move into a Geisha house where they are cared for by an older sister like Geisha as they slowly establish them selves in the Geisha community...what a world!
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