Shane's performance is today! Unfortunately he didn't tell us what time we were leaving until everyone else was ready to go. Mom and I scrambled to get dressed and pack a day pack while everybody waited on us. We walked with them down to the building of the performance with all the komonos and instruments. While Shane and company were getting dressed and tuning their instruments, mom and I walked around to find a cafe for some coffee and breakfast. We found a Tulley's and headed back before 11 AM. Not before more Japanese men approached us to practice their english! One had a cold and possibly a fever, which made us kind of nervous. After coffee & breakfast, we ran into Shane's roommate's boyfriend and he told us about a Buddhist shrine just down Rokkaku-dori street. We walked down the street and found the Rokkaku-do temple, formally known as Shiwnzanchojo-ji. This shrine is said to be the birthplace of Ikebama flower arrangements. It was a pretty little temple right in the heart of Kyoto. Growing up Roman Catholic, it felt very taboo to be walking around taking pictures while people were praying, it felt awkward to me even though nobody seemed to care.
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| Rokkaku-do temple |
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| Bits of paper with prayers written on them are tied to the willow tree inside Rokkaku-do temple |
We headed back to the auditorium to claim good seats. The show was fabulous! Performances of traditional Japanese music with the koto, shamisen, and shakuhachi interspersed with performances of kabuki dance. The whole show lasted 4.5 hrs, very long! But it was worth if, we got our cultural viewings in. Two of the dances were performed by an adorable 2.5 year old girl! So cute!
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| Ryoko and Chieko on koto, Shane on the Right playing the shakuhachi |
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| Kabuki dancer |
After the performances, we headed to an all-you-can-eat-and-drink place with all the musicians. What a blast! The food was fantastic. I had Japanese beer and plum wine. It was extremely funny though because all the older people in Shane's group got plastered in a matter of minutes! Then they started commenting on how well I held my liquor, impressed that I wasn't drunk after 3 glasses of alcohol. One of Shane's fellow Shakuhachi players considers himself the Japanese Mr. Bean because he looks like Mr. Bean! It was good times eating and drinking. Mom and I received a crash course on chopstick use as I had learned an incorrect holding posture prior to coming to Japan. We ate and drank for 3 hours before heading home. We stopped by the corner market to pick up snacks and food. Mom made fried tofu over rice for Kim and the rest of us ate our evening snacks. Cassi, their friend from Australia was hanging with us. We hung out chatting and watching video clips from the show. Eventually Cassi had to head back home.
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| Post-performance celebration! |
Mom, Shane, and Ryoko were exhausted but I wanted to do some night walking. Kim and Jessica offered to walk with me. However, Shane felt very over-protective and was hesitant of letting me walk with them in the evening. So cute that my younger brother is being so overprotective! Almost to the point of being annoying! Kim and Jessica took me down Kiyamachi-dori street along the picturesque canal. We watched all the people. It's interesting because the prostitutes here dress opposite than in the U.S. The women all wear evening or cocktail dresses while the male escorts wear tuxedos. There were tuxedos everywhere on this street, I was amazed. Shane texted Kim to check in on us and the girls texted him back saying I was pushed into the river by a male escort. Poor Shane got wiled up and called us, ready to rush out the door. I had to explain to Shane he had his leg pulled and even then Shane did not go to sleep until we were safe inside the house again. Crazy boy!
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| Kiyamachi-dori street |
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| Kiyamachi-dori street |
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