2015-11-15, Kyoto, Ikebana and Koyo

This morning I got up early to catch a train to Kyoto.  I was meeting Takakosan on the train as she lives north of Hikone.  We decided to meet on the last car of the train.  I said the first car would be ok as well but she said if there's an accident it's the people in the first couple of cars who are injured.  I thought she was worrying too much but just as I arrived at the station my phone rang and it was Takakosan saying we'd have to wait for the next train because the one we were supposed to take was in an accident.  I haven't been able to find any details but even when we went home in the evening our train was late due to the morning's accident.  So from now on I won't go into the first couple of cars.  My grandfather would be proud of me (we used to call him 'nervous Grandpa')

Anyway, we did meet on the train and had a busy day.  We started by talking to the information people about where the leaves had the most color.  They're turning much later than usual it seems and as it turned out their information wasn't all that accurate.  Then I wanted to show Takako the great bakery and tea flavored ice cream place in the station.  We bought some bread to take home and since the ice cream place was almost open we decided to wait and start our day on a sweet note.  While we were eating the sky started to clear.  

We took a bus to Ginkakuji, the silver pavilion.

I really love these trees with the twisty branches.  

There wasn't a whole lot of color, just little accents here and there.

We decided to walk to our next destination stopping here and there at some temples and shrines.

It was pretty warm walking, actually the weather was perfect but we had dressed too warmly since both of us would rather be too warm than cold and the day before had been cold and windy.

A family at the shrine for 7, 5, 3 day.  So the little girls must be 7 and 3.  Boys would be 5.

One gets reduced admission at many famous sites in Kyoto if you wear a kimono.  It's a great idea since it really adds to the 'old Kyoto' atmosphere for foreign tourists. 

The reason we went to Kyoto together on this day is because Takakosan had gotten tickets to a special Ikenobo ikebana show.  The show took place at 2 different locations.  We took the subway to the headquarters of the Ikenobo School of Ikebana where there were a few floors of exhibitions.  I'd seen this building from the outside when I visited the temple behind it with my friend from Tokushima, Noriko.  Takakosan had never been to the temple - Ryokoku jinja - so we stopped there too.

We walked through the famous Nishiki market on the way to our next location.  I haven't been there in years, well actually I think I went with Kathy when she visited in Tokushima.  It's really a fun place to see and smell all kinds of delicious foods but it's sooooo crowded and hard to get through.  We both bought some pickles to take home and as a result were pretty smelly for the rest of the day.  Despite the fact that the sales woman assured us that the smell wouldn't escape the sealed plastic packages.  Oh well.

All we had eaten up to that point was the ice cream earlier in the day and we were pretty hungry.  Takakosan spotted a 'hole in the wall' tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) place and we decided to try it.  

This is the entrance, little more than 1 person wide and it's all you see of the place.  But the inside was very nice.  Lots of wood.

Everyone gets a little bowl of sesame seeds to grind.  And then you put some sauce - there are 3 to choose from - into the sesame seeds.  Yum!  I've never seen this before but I think I might even do it at home.

I opted for the yuzu (citron) dressing.

They put a little barley in the rice, And it came with pickles and miso soup.  Delicious.

Another unusual feature was this communal table in the middle of the basement room.  Upstairs  was a counter, no tables.

After dinner we made our way to Takashimaya a very upscale and large department store on a main shopping street.  That's where the rest of the exhibition was being held.

Shijo dori (street)

Back to the subway, through Kyoto station onto a crowded train, both of us pretty exhausted.  I was not looking forward to my ride home but what can you do...  There really wasn't much color, just a tree here and there so I think I might go back on the 23 when we have a day off.  But Kyoto is always fun and it was nice spending the day with Takakosan.

Feeling better after a good night's sleep and trying to think of something to take for a picnic since it's a beautifully sunny day.  I think all I have is peanut butter and jelly...