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March 26 to April 5, 2007
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Masami and Toji Temple's pagoda
We timed our trip so I could visit the Toji Temple antique market. The red ikat bundle in my hand came home with us. Markets are held on these temple grounds twice per month. Shopping time was cut short due to rain. No bargains to be had -- everything was priced appropriately and bargaining is not a Japanese custom. However, a vendor offered a discount on a vintage cotton futon cover he said, because he likes women customers, he exports to the U.S. and he knew that is were I travelled from -- so cute, he was! The cloth had been sensibly and charmingly hand-patched in several places, so there was plenty of personality and history to go with it. Post shopping lunch: These pictures make me want to eat again.
Unagi mabushi, shredded egg, dried seaweed over rice; sumachi soup; assortment of pickles, ebi, potato & tamago
Tempura tendon; dish of pickles and noodles
Chicken katsu "set" with tofu
Roses made from sliced mangos seen in a bakery window
Inari Fushimi Taisho is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of fertility, prosperity in business, worldly success and rice (think of inari sushi -- the soybean pockets of vinegared rice). Masami taught us how to pray at the shrine: ring the bell to let Inari god know you have a wish, bow twice, clap hands twice, pray with hands together, and bow once more. I wished for good business and continued creativity (new Secret Keeper Dolls sold well at the next show!) and Tien asked for Promediate's success. Inari is with us.
Shake the container until a stick comes out; read the number on the stick; tell the person at the counter your number; receive and read your fortune. Masami received a good fortune! She folded it and kept it in her bag. If her fortune was less than positive, she would fold it up and tye to a tree so the wind could blow away the bad luck.
Closely installed torii form a tunnel up a hillside, each one wooden, painted red/orange and carved with names, often a company name, wishing for success in business -- beautiful! In the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha," young Chiyo runs happily through the gates. Is Tien happy about my antique market purchases or that the rain ended our shopping? Wink!
Man, if all this could be had just by eating here...
Tien slurps sake overflow from the cup's saucer. If you want a choice of restaurants, visit Pontocho Street, which was established ~1500. Old wood structures lined a narrow stone-paved street where one might spot a geisha on her way to entertain clients (we weren't so lucky). There were more restaurants than I've seen in one place. Masami chose for us, and chose our dishes too at this izakaya (drinking and food establishment) since menus were in Japanese. Many restaurants had English menus, but this one did not. This restaurant served the best fried shrimp -- the entire length was evenly crunchy from the head to the tail - unforgettable. Pontocho was once Kyoto's red light district.
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