Bamboo and Moss

April 23, 2023

Terin took us to the Arashiyama district this morning. What a wonderful place!

We took a bus up a mountain to a haunted tunnel, then got off, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. However, there was a Buddhist temple, partly hidden among the trees. As we followed the path, we saw hundreds of small Buddhas, sprawled up the side of the mountain. Each one was different. In the 1980’s most of these statues were made by individuals, under the guidance of an artist who thought that whatever the statues looked like, it was a reflection of the inner Buddha of the person who made it, and it was therefore okay. The Buddhas had different faces and positions. Some were holding something - a camera, a tennis racket, a pet. It was an amusing but impressive sight.

As we began to make our way down the mountain, we came upon many interesting sights - a cemetery, shrines, a moss garden, a pottery studio, a shop selling fabric-like items that were made out of paper, some residential pockets farther down, and, of course, vending machines. It was all very quaint and charming, and there were very few tourists.

Hundreds of grave markers, found in various parts of Arashiyama, were moved to this cemetery and placed facing Buddha, to honor the dead

Family plots in the cemetery contain the cremated remains of family members

A moss garden in the cemetery

Scene on the path down the mountain

A torii gate marks the entrance to a shrine

Our route down the mountain terminated at the iconic Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. It was interesting to learn that the rings on a bamboo stalk represent a single day’s growth. They are incredibly fast-growing. We also spotted quite a few new bamboo shoots poking up through the forest floor. They are edible if harvested promptly.

With Terin in the Arahiyama Bamboo Grove

Numerous bamboo shoots on the forest floor

We had a vegan lunch at a Buddhist temple near the bamboo grove. It was elegant and delicious. Bamboo shoots were included, but the eggplant was to die for.

At this point we said farewell to Terin and headed to Nishiki Market in central Kyoto. It was a covered street several blocks long, forming a “T” with two covered shopping streets at one end. it was quite crowded and there was a lot going on. It would have been a fun place to go for lunch. There was so much street food, and plenty of sake and plum wine.

We had tickets for Miyako Odori, so we had to hustle over to Gion, the historical geisha neighborhood. Miyako Odori is a traditional dance performed annually in April by geisha and maiko, or apprentices. The women play the roles of men and women in the various dances that make up the performance. The performance is different every year, and it takes the entire year to prepare. There is music, played on traditional instruments such as lute, drum and samisen — a stringed instrument. There are songs to go with the music and explain the stories. (We listened to an English audio guide recording which was very helpful.) There are gorgeous costumes. There is scenery. And there is very precise choreography. In all, I think there were over 50 performers who appeared in various parts of this production. 

Unfortunately, photos were not allowed. We were treated to eight dances representing the four seasons of the year. Some were based on folk tales that seemed well-known to most of the audience. It was a thoroughly captivating performance that showed the great skill that the geisha have acquired through practice and hard work. I am so glad we were in Kyoto during the brief time that the Miyako Odori is available.

Returning to our hotel afterwards, we stopped at one of the nearby 7-Eleven stores for some snacks. Most of the Japanese junk food is really delicious.

 

Today’s color is bamboo green.