Day 7: Shinto, Bamboo and Geisha Too

(Song Lyric) I woke up in Kyoto with a wine glass in my hand.   Who's wine?  What wine?  Where the hell did I dine.  We ate at Dragonfly Burgers.  Yes we had Japanese Burgers after playing family Thumper (drinking game).  When with college kids.... Fun night.  I think.

 We started today at a famous Japanese Shinto.  It's about 1300 years old.

This is an area of the temple where kids create strands of art and place it in the temple as their way of praying for good grades in school.  Julia likes this concept.  Senior year approaching...

Pearl Gates

We all did our Shinto praying session.  2 bows, 2 claps, 1 prayer, and an ending bow.  I'm getting the hang of this.  I prayed for people to say, "Ahhhhh Jeffsan" whenever I appear.

Say "Ahh Jeffsan" Wendy?

Our guide in Kyoto is Marika.  She taught me that Japanese uses a combination of Japanese letters and Chineses symbols.  You have to learn about 2,000 characters to read the newspaper.  That means if I were Japanese, I could not take the newspaper into the bathroom until I was 30.

It's time to play what do we have in common.  Guess what Marika and Julia have in common?

Go Badgers!

A) Both like American men
B) Both like Japanese women
C) Both are Badgers
D) All of the above
E) A) and C)

Family Shintoin'

Nice Auntie

On our way out Brad signed autographs for some of the kids.  It was funny, they thought he was Steve Alford.  How ironic.

Julia and Evan with the Peace Brothers

Amazing Kyoto start.  Morning worship feels right.  Japanese style.  Off to the Okochi - Sanso Garden.  It took him 30 years to create.  I feel very inferior.  Even though people are Ahh Jeffsan'ing me.

 The views were amazing.  Here's a view of our hotel room

 Quite a tree hut.  Actually a lot of doorways are short.  (Song Lyric) Bang your head... Wake the dead....  Amy doesn't seem to mind them.

BamPearl's

Everyone was in "Ahhhh" of the Bamboo Forest.  Pretty cool place for a Sunday stroll.

BamBroudy's

BamBoobs

We also joined a traditional Japanese street parade.

Amy met some girls and joined their parade....

The Geisha Girls

After our Sunday stroll we were all hungry and headed out to lunch.  Wendy, Reid an I found this amazing sushi spot.  It was HR.A+.

After lunch, we all got dessert.  I felt inferior again after admiring the foot taxi man.    

"Try this Ice Cream Boy"

Back to what do these two have in common?

A) Both like eating salmon eggs

B) Both like doing tequila shots 

                                                 C) Both love Shinto"s:  "Ahh Jeffsan"

Next stop Geisha.  We got invited to a traditional Geisha tea ceremony.

Dancing Geisha

Tea Geisha

Geisha FAQ's:

Have you always wanted to be a Geisha? Since 13
Did your parents approve? Not initially
How long do you have to study to be a Geisha? 5-6 years
Why did you want to become a Geisha?  I like art, music, and the culture of the practice.
How long does it take to do your hair and makeup?  1 hour each day and 15 minutes to dress the Kimono
How do you get started?  I work for an agent.  The woman that owns the tea shop.  I saw her on a documentary
Is it sexual?  No.  It's an American myth.  We are trained to serve and converse with our guests and clients.
Why the white face?  Back when Geisha started they worked in dark rooms, so the white makeup made their faces more appealing

The Geisha we met was 17.  Quit a commitment.  It's a very different lifestyle than my 17 year old experienced, but this is what makes the world go round.  I wish her the best.  I think the end game is to meet someone and get married.  Once married, no more Geisha.  But who knows....

We ended the day going to a sushi restaurant inspired by Julia's dorm roommate Emily's sorority.  

  

Say Ahhh....