My Chemistry Research Internship at Hiroshima University
Monthly Archives: June 2013
Craziness in Kyoto (continued)
After taking a morning nap, we biked half an hour to Arashiyama, a small city filled with bamboo forests, temples, and gardens. Although it had begun drizzling at this point, we decided to risk staying outdoors a little longer and visited Tenryu-ji Temple. Not only were the temples and garden extremely peaceful, but it was equally fun people watching. There were a number of Japanese couples that had come to tour the temple in their traditional dress, and we took the liberty of taking pictures.
After stopping to get a bite to eat at a little shop in Arashiyama (green tea ice cream for me!), we walked outside only to realize that it was pouring. I was a little nervous about biking back in the rain because, at this point in the trip, my biking skills were still sorely inadequate. Looking back, however, I can’t think of anything that helped my bike riding more than that ride in the rain. Because I was so focused on the rain itself, I barely thought about maneuvering and controlling my bike which actually made me a much better driver.
When we finally reached the hostel we took yet another nap before getting dressed and leaving for Gion.
Gion was so much fun. The district is known for Geishas (called Geikos in Kyoto) and Maikos (Geisha apprentices), and we got to see at least six on their way to evening engagements. Sadly, we were not allowed to take pictures because they were working, but hopefully the picture below attests to how much fun we had in the city.
The next morning, after looking outside and seeing cute little boys in their baseball uniforms going to practice, I was inspired to go ahead, wake up, and explore one of the historic sites near by. Only a block away stood Nijo Castle, the perfect candidate for my morning adventure.
It also happens to be one of the few castles in Kyoto in which you can actually take a tour of the inside, so I took advantage of the opportunity and stealthily joined an English speaking group that had already begun their tour. The most interesting tidbit I took from the tour was that some women actually had tremendous political power in the days of the shoguns. These women were in charge of the concubines, and, when those concubines bore children, it was these women who chose the next shogun. Also, the night before, my friends and I had been debating over the reason that the Geiko and Maiko’s faces were painted white. Luckily, my tour dispelled all mystery surrounding that question and I learned that important women’s faces were painted white merely so that they could be seen in the sparsely lit interiors of the castles and other buildings.
After returning to the hostel, everyone (minus Fanny, who was still asleep) regrouped and decided to make a quick stop at Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion.
It was so enchanting, and I really liked the touristy atmosphere. After picking up Fanny, we decided to make our way to Sanjusangendo Hall, my favorite stop of the entire visit.
