Post by Saionji Shonagon on Nov 6, 2014 13:44:22 GMT -5
I just got back from my first trip to Japan with fellow board members Ii Saburo Katsumori and Abe Akirakeiko, who are still there for a bit longer. I would like to thank them both for a rockin' good time, not to mention tireless translation services. Most of our visit was spent in the greater Kyoto area, with side trips to Uji, Nara and Arashiyama.
If anyone would care to have a look, my photos are at www.flickr.com/photos/70104978@N00/sets more or less in date/subject albums. There are fourteen of 'em. Of possible interest to forum members are photos from the Jidai Matsuri parade, which took place on a rainy afternoon. Although it cleared considerably by the time the procession got to us, it was something of a challenge to photograph and I didn't manage to get quite everything I would have liked. The set also includes a few photos from our visit to Rokusei, a kaiseki restaurant which served us up their reconstruction of a Heian feast. It was incredible. www.flickr.com/photos/70104978@N00/sets/72157648503484419/
Sandwiched in the Fushimi Inari/Kiyomizudera album is a visit to the Kyoto Shibori Museum. shibori.jp/englishpage/ If you appreciate textiles or want to try one of their make-and-take workshops, they're well worth a visit. www.flickr.com/photos/70104978@N00/sets/72157648610795007/ Abe-hime and I took a crack at clamped-resist shibori, got great results and it's a technique I definitely want to play with some more.
www.flickr.com/photos/70104978@N00/sets/72157648558425138/ includes some photos from our visit to the Costume Museum. If you go, do not expect to see all the costumes on all the mannequins - it just isn't that big. You will see their scale model of the Rokujo Palace from "The Tale of Genji," featuring costumed characters, plus a new scene from "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." We were allowed to fondle the try-on costumes for men and women, and there are a number of things I'd do differently if I were to construct a kasane today. Still well worth your time, as is the highly dangerous Nishijin textile center where I spent a packet on some kinran brocade to upgrade my Nara period haishi with.
Of particular resonance to me were visits to Kinkakuji and the Saionji temple. I learned a bit more about the surname I chose some years ago and saw the place where the original Western Garden Temple was before Ashikaga Yoshimitsu decided he wanted the land in 1397 for his tacky gold covered pleasure pavilion*, as well as the place where the Saionji temple finally relocated to in the late 16th century and still remains (though currently undergoing construction work). (*I wonder if the family desperately needed the money at that point.)
I walked myself lame daily, I ate amazing foods, I met the most wonderful people and I can't wait to save up enough money and vacation time to go back and see more of the country.
If anyone would care to have a look, my photos are at www.flickr.com/photos/70104978@N00/sets more or less in date/subject albums. There are fourteen of 'em. Of possible interest to forum members are photos from the Jidai Matsuri parade, which took place on a rainy afternoon. Although it cleared considerably by the time the procession got to us, it was something of a challenge to photograph and I didn't manage to get quite everything I would have liked. The set also includes a few photos from our visit to Rokusei, a kaiseki restaurant which served us up their reconstruction of a Heian feast. It was incredible. www.flickr.com/photos/70104978@N00/sets/72157648503484419/
Sandwiched in the Fushimi Inari/Kiyomizudera album is a visit to the Kyoto Shibori Museum. shibori.jp/englishpage/ If you appreciate textiles or want to try one of their make-and-take workshops, they're well worth a visit. www.flickr.com/photos/70104978@N00/sets/72157648610795007/ Abe-hime and I took a crack at clamped-resist shibori, got great results and it's a technique I definitely want to play with some more.
www.flickr.com/photos/70104978@N00/sets/72157648558425138/ includes some photos from our visit to the Costume Museum. If you go, do not expect to see all the costumes on all the mannequins - it just isn't that big. You will see their scale model of the Rokujo Palace from "The Tale of Genji," featuring costumed characters, plus a new scene from "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." We were allowed to fondle the try-on costumes for men and women, and there are a number of things I'd do differently if I were to construct a kasane today. Still well worth your time, as is the highly dangerous Nishijin textile center where I spent a packet on some kinran brocade to upgrade my Nara period haishi with.
Of particular resonance to me were visits to Kinkakuji and the Saionji temple. I learned a bit more about the surname I chose some years ago and saw the place where the original Western Garden Temple was before Ashikaga Yoshimitsu decided he wanted the land in 1397 for his tacky gold covered pleasure pavilion*, as well as the place where the Saionji temple finally relocated to in the late 16th century and still remains (though currently undergoing construction work). (*I wonder if the family desperately needed the money at that point.)
I walked myself lame daily, I ate amazing foods, I met the most wonderful people and I can't wait to save up enough money and vacation time to go back and see more of the country.