Love was in the air in Kyoto today. I saw couples laying by the river holding hands, a couple preparing for marriage, and a few too many strange white people giving Japanese women the creepy eyes.
Kyoto still feels a bit like Japan-Land to me - a place where foreigners pay steep entrance fees to stare at pretty Japanese people/buildings. It's hard for me to appreciate Kyoto's Shinto temples when the sound of chanting is overwhelmed by that of clicking cameras.
Nevertheless I did see some very, very beautiful things...
The first of which was this massive "Super Big Parfait" that five of us split. The waitress tried her best not to crack up when she delivered it - that was nice of her. For the record, we finished it.
We walked straight from parfait to temple. Unfortunately I don't know much about the places we visited. Fortunately they were magnificent.
No picture could really convey the size of this temple. The ceilings must have been seventy feet tall.
There was some sort of ceremony going on inside - rhythmic chanting and bells and thick incense filled the room, which was gold leaved and intricately carved - it was magnificent.
No photos were allowed.
Apparently temple grounds frequently house murders of crows. The ones here were roughly cat-sized.
We were lucky enough to see a bride preparing for a traditional wedding.
Nearby vendors sold traditional goods - such as plastic smiling neon feces and bouncing dragon balls. Classy.
We also managed to see a geisha play put on to welcome summer. It was a sad story - one of honor and unrequited love.
The set changes alone made the show worthwhile. Sections of floor were moved away and new ones were lifted into place as the scenery flipped from Autumn to Winter in the background. The geisha were, of course, flawless. They really looked like china dolls drifting across the stage.
Kyoto was much more impressive the second time around. That said, I would still prefer a less packaged experience. I'm sure I'll find it.
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