Monday 13 April 2009

Kyoto - the romance of Gion

Much of the magic of Japan is nestled in Kyoto, formerly the imperial capital of Japan (794-1868).It took a heavy downpour to discover skills (or not) in balancing an umbrella to protect the precious camera, rather than oneself, and taking zoom shots of sakura buds.
The Imperial Garden visit while it was raining bullets turned out to be a bad idea. The shops at Kyoto Station, which extend underground for about a kilometer in diameter, would have been a better option.

Not to be deterred, we soldiered on to Gion, the famed geisha district.
The first glimpse was reward enough for earlier disappointments. Picture a fairyland of cherry blossoms, the warm glow of lights from traditional wooden houses beside a canal of running water. . . pure magic! A few more steps and you hit the soft warm center of this romantic place . . . where all your dreams come true.
The umbrellas add an interesting dimension to the almost perfect setting for an epic love story. . . Some wishes were granted when this beautiful geisha appeared being photographed by her escort. Note the nape of neck, a sensuous part of the anatomy in the eyes of Japanese men, heavy with make up in true geisha style. Restaurants along the canal offer premium cuisine and views at premium prices.
Low lit side streets exude an air of mystery and secrets untold.

'Memoirs of a Geisha', brought to life. Another intriguing Japanese cultural practice that continues to this day.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Those pictures are all so lovely! Yay for the cherry blossoms finally in bloom. Would love to go see it one day.