Deb Space

Kūkai was the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. He was given the name Kōbō-daishi posthumously, hence the name Kōbō-san. In life he was a busy man wearing the hats (so to speak) of monk, scholar, poet, artist, engineer amongst others. He built the original lecture hall at Tōji temple in Kyoto in 825 A.D.

In honor of him, there is a fair held on the 21st of every month within the temple precincts. (Today is the anniversary of his death.) I was lucky enough to visit back in August. From all the literature I’ve read it’s THE temple market of temple markets in Japan. Who am I to argue?

You’ll notice the umbrella down at the bottom of the picture. You never know when you’re going to need an umbrella in the summertime in Japan.

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This means heavy light rocks. I saw them at the Fushimi Inari Shrine on my honeymoon, but I forgot to write down what they were. I also didn’t take a picture, but I found a couple here and here.

Maybe this means my wish is going to come true soon.

Last year my friend Marie brought back a wonderful canvas bag from Kyoto. I’ve been dying to get one ever since, and not just because I’m a recovering fashionista. In a world increasingly filled with megastores, I appreciate small businesses and the unique products they provide.

My first destination was Ichizawa Hanpu Kogyo (Ichizawa Sailcloth Enterprises).

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For Toby because she asked about it!

Every city in Japan has its own candy. Since I spent the most time in Kyoto, I collected the most candies there.

These pretty blue crystals were the first package I picked up. The shapes remind me of sea urchins even though the colors remind me of the sky. These crystals also came in pink and if I remember correctly yellow.

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One of the charming things I discovered in Kyoto are the covered shopping arcades. In several areas of the city, the street is roofed for several blocks. That provides much need shade and relief from the hot summer sun as well as rain. The effect is wonderful. The street becomes a long, often sinuous tunnel where surprises await.

More below the fold.

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That was the name of my first lunch in translation. It was quite delicious. Looks nice, too, doesn’t it?

The restaurant was on the Teramachi-dori, one of the covered shopping arcades in Kyoto, and despite its having a French name, my lunch had a very Japanese feel and taste to it. The pork slices were a fattier cut than I was used to and tender enough to practically melt on my tongue. The vegetables were sautéed lightly so they still retained their crunch. The sauce was tangy, sweet from the rum and slightly acidic (I suspect from vinegar). A healthy sprinkling of freshly ground pepper gave the salad a nice bite. The meal was a real delight on a hot afternoon. It was 95 degrees Farenheit with a heat index of close to 105. The only thing a little out of sync was the potage. It was hearty enough for the coldest winter night, but it was so good I couldn’t resist finishing it.

Arriving at Kyoto Station was a bit of a blur. After nineteen-and-a-half hours of straight travel, that should be no surprise. Despite that, I will always remember the moment in the taxi on the way to the hotel when I saw her. She was dressed in a long, white skirt and white top and she was carrying a white umbrella. That might not seem so strange except that she was also riding a bicycle in the pouring rain. She crossed in front of the taxi as while it was waiting at a light and disappeared into a narrow street. Pure magic.

After 19-1/2 hours of nonstop travel, Scott and I have finally reached our honeymoon destination: Japan!

The flight was twelve hours long because of good winds. When we got the tickets, we thought is would be 13-1/2 hours. Thank goodness for small favors, sleep masks, ear plugs and a continuous stream of movies. I caught Shrek 3, Spiderman 3 (enough the realize that I didn’t need to see more), Blind Dating (great flick; go rent it) and Next.

Getting downtown was easy on the train. The lovely young lady at the Japan Rail Travel Office warned us how crazy Tokyo Station would be. The only things that come close in my experience is Penn Station during rush hour. This was much busier!

The Shinkansen, the bullet train, rocks. It goes so fast that my ears popped when we entered tunnels.

It was raining when we reached Kyoto. The bellhop quipped, “The weather report said this [meaning the downpour] is nice.” She assured us that it would be cooler tomorrow. I’m still probably going to buy both a fan and an umbrella tomorrow.

Not sure whether I should go to sleep or order room service. In either case, the adventure has definitely begun.

For Scott’s perspective on the matter, check out his blog at scottj.net.