Last Day in Kyoto :(

1001 Kannons at the
Sanjusangendo Temple

Here is my first attempt to update from the email on my phone so I apologize for any formatting errors with the attached pictures!

My masterpiece before they
put it into the fan making machine

We woke up early and moved school to an afternoon session as we knew today would be our last day to enjoy this wonderful city. Our first stop- the Kansendo Fan Shop. For anyone that spends a summer in Japan (or if you are a Terry woman), you understand the necessity of a good fan. As you step foot in this historic shop, you are overwhelmed by the elaborate designs and striking colors of the traditional Japanese fan. It would have been a relaxed morning if we were to simply walk through the store, but I've learned already this group likes to raise the stakes. Escorted up to the third floor studio, instead we spent the entire morning designing, sketching and painting our own personal fan masterpiece. I am definitely not the artist in the family as I have two very talented brothers- but hell, I'm only doing this trip once! I grabbed a pencil and the largest eraser available and went to work. My finished piece- a striking silver metallic sky, golden moon and purple lilly covered fan. The studio then will keep them to dry, do all the fancy folding and ship directly to my house! Despite the pressure for perfection, it was a wonderful morning.

Tired artists!

After a deep breath and another noodle lunch, we stopped at the famous Sanjusangendo Temple. The temple's name literally means "hall with 33 spaces between columns", although this name gives it no justice what you see on the inside. As I turned the first corner my mouth literally dropped. Here stood 1001 gold plated life size statues of Kannan, goddess of mercy, each with 42 arms, multiple heads and numerous weapons. Amongst these statues stood the 11 meter gold plated statue of Kannan adorned with 1000 arms and 11 heads. It is believed that each of her arms saved 25 different worlds. In front of the Kannan's were 28 separate guardian diety statues. It truly blew my mind! We finished the night with a sushi dinner as we are trying to get as much in before we leave Japan! Off to bed- heading to Nara tomorrow :) More to come soon.

Kyoto + One Week Stay = Happiness

Okonomiyaki--Japanese pancake

Geisha on her way to work

It didn't take long to fall in love with Kyoto--actually just the few minutes it took the taxi to take us fromt he train station to the Westin where we would be staying for the next week.  As we turned onto every street you could see both the rich history of the old capital mixed in with the modern hustle and bustle.  The same streets with the towering skyscrapers and the crowded shopping districts were scattered with famous temples, Zen gardens and ancient shrines.  Our first few days have been action packed as their is so much to see. Just as we have done in many cities our first stop was to eat.  We decided to try one of the specialties in Japenese culture--okonomiyaki or Japenese pancake.  Cooked right in front of you, the pancake includes pork, shrimp, cheese, spring onions in a batter topped with fried noodles, fried egg and Japanese BBQ sauce. Although it was incredibly delicious, we definitely were slow walkers after the meal.  To walk off the enormous lunch we headed to the Heian Shrine--a 5/8th replica of the Imperial Palace.  Our first night in Kyoto we were led to one of the Geisha districts where 70-75 geishas or young maikos (geishas in training) are still practicing.  With their painted white masks, bright red lipstick, elaborate layers of kimonos and up to four inch high flip flops, we were lucky to see twelve or thirteen in just the short time we were there. 

Day two in Kyoto was action packed.  In the morning we visisted the Nijo Castle--famous for its nightingale floors that squeak as you walk to inform the shogun that intruders are  present.  After hearing much about the famous tea ceremony we were able to experience the tradition--instead of the formal four hour ceremony we opted for the shorter version of 45 minutes.  We packed into a room with  4 1/2 tatami mats (4 is an unlucky number in Japan) and sat with our legs underneath us as we watched the master at work.  The mindfulness and discipline in every motion was a beauty to watch.  I loved to find out that slurping is highly recommended as it is a sign that you enjoyed each and every sip. After lunch we made our way to Shoyeido, an incense factory that has been in business for over 300 years.  We finished the day with a few more shrines, temples and Zen gardens--every sight remarkable to the eye.  After a long day of sight seeing we ventured over to a highly recommended steakhouse in town.  We arrived a few minutes early and were led upstairs to the shrine of pictures of famous celebrities you have dined there--Bill Clinton, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen and Julia Roberts (just two weeks earlier).  We arrived downstairs to an intimate dining area with  small menu consisting of big, bigger or the biggest pieces of Kobe beef.  We knew we were in the right place when the hostess passed around the dinner rolls only to trick Tim into picking the styrofoam one which he proceeded to break and the hostess shook her head "Oh, Otazon (father)" and giggled.  The night continued with a traditional geisha dance.  She accepted Tim's offer to sit down and join us for ice cream and conversation.  We learned a lot about the lifestyle of the geisha--although I was most amazed when she brought out the pillow she sleeps on--a block of wood with a small pad on it to keep their head off the ground and preserve the shape of their hair.  The dessert course continued as the hostess brought out a foil wrapped cake for Sam's birthday--we all looked at one another as he is a December birthday.  As he unwrapped it a long snake popped out surprising all of us and causing the geisha to fall on top of Sam--definitely a big highlight! After a full meal we headed out to put on our shoes and in true form the hostess laid a whoopy cushion down under Tim--what a night :)



BFF w/the geisha



The Last Samurai steps



Day three started with a stop at the Nintendo Museum (Kyoto is home to Nintendo Headquarters),then onto large Zen gardens, a traditional monk's lunch and a walk through the bamboo forest which houses the spirits of many. Friday was all about the ninja as we hopped into a super taxi ride to the Ninja Museum outside of Kyoto.  Here I laerned more about the ninja than I ever could have imagined--they sleep on their left side to protect their heart, there are nine different positions to throw ninja stars ("One Throw, One Cut, One Death") and they told time in ancient days by looking at a cat's pupil.  The ninja show was a huge success as swords were pulled out of umbrellas and flutes!



Creations from fabric class--mine
is the demented girl second
from the right

Saturday in Kyoto was our Cultural Day.  All of us had signed up for classes to educate ourselves on traditional Kyoto culture.  In the morning I joined Hannah, Tess and Megan for fabric crafts--I felt I needed to work on my stitching skills :) Luckily for me, our kind hostess had done a lot of preparation before we arrived, so I only made the face and hair for my Japenese girl I named Kiko. The girls had quite a giggle with my finished process but it was a blast.  Our teacher, along with everyone we have met in Japan, was so kind and thoughtful. After a Udon lunch, we headed to origami in the afternoon--much more of my thing. Our hostess took us on a tour of her house which had been in the family for 17 generations, over 400 years. With incredible stories and artifacts it truly was a great insight into the culture of Kyoto.  We left our origami class with samurai hats, foldable boxes, paper pistols, jumping frogs, spinning tops and more! We even were given several packs of our own paper and books to continue our skill. Sadly, only two more days in Kyoto :(

Whew, I am finally caught up on all my blogs!!! I promise to be better about updating now that I can do it from my email on my phone.  I miss everyone so much and think how I wish so many of you were here to see of all the amazing sights.  I am having an amazing time, feel very loved and well taken care of here!! Hope to hear from you :)


Samurai Hannah and Tess
at origami class



It's Kanazawa Time!




 

Kenrokuen Garden

As we walked out of the train station, I knew this would be a great stop as it seemed we had our own welcoming band waiting for us (turns out it was Jazz Fest 2010).  We were back to a Western hotel with beds and into a beautiful city.  Once we arrived and dropped off our bags, we headed to the Kanazawa Castle and the one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan, the Kenrokuen Garden which covers over 25 acres. In addition to hearing more jazz music, the garden was visually stunning with numerous ponds, varieties of trees, waterfalls and an infinite shades of green surrounded by the imposing castle walls.  Just a few short blocks away we stopped at the 21st Century Musuem of Contemporary Art.  Although our Japanese is limited, I think we definitely have learned the hand motions for "no" or "don't touch"  by now.  We were definitely impressed with "The Swimming Pool" which appears to be filled with deep water, however it is only a few centimeters deep and below is an empty space in which you can enter. I also appreciated the first piece of artwork as you enter the museum being the "How to Work Better" poster.


Advice on How to Work Better
Number 10 is definitely  my favorite!



Tim and Tess in
The Swimming Pool

After a night stroll through the samurai district we came across The Cottage, which may be the only Irish pub in Kanazawa.  A fabulous evening followed as Van Morrison played in the background and pints of beer were readily available. The fabulous owners--the husband from Galway and the wife from Kanazawa--made us feel right us at home and fell in love with the family as they continued to feed us for several hours.  Food was definitely a highlight in Kanazawa as the following night I experienced my first sushi conveyer belt restaurant.  Not only does it involve a constant conveyer belt that travels by your table with the freshest sushi and sashimi imagineable, but if you decide to order off the menu the food arrives via bullet train to your table.  Everyone was happy :) Our second day we ventured over to the geisha district and gold leaf shops, a staple of Kanazawa culture.

Right at home in the Irish pub--bellied up to the bar :)

Tsumago, Matsumoto, Nagano, Yudanaka, Obuse



Tsumago main drag

  The next five days were a whirlwind of numerous cities and lots of sights to see! Tsumago, first on a list, is an old post town along the Nakasendo Highway, the ancient highway between Tokyo and Kyoto. Modern technology is nowhere to be seen in Tsumago--no street lights, telephone poles, etc. Although it rained most of our walk on the ancient highway we were able to see stunning views and the whole group was able to practice/perfect their haiku.  Sam's creation was probably my favorite..
"I am so tired. (5)
 Can we stop the walk right now? (7)
 Please, please, please, please, please." (5)

Nakasendo Highway

In addition to the haiku I was able to teach the kids the classic "Fifty Nifty United States" song which has been a big hit--obviously :) We continued our ryokan living in Tsumago as my body has gotten much more used to the small mats we sleep on and sitting cross legged on the floor for dinner.  The food contiues to amaze me--all seven courses of it.  In an effort to be polite, I continue to eat everything with my now speedy chopstick moves.  There was one dish I particularly enjoyed--a great combination of sweet flavor and crunchy texture.  Our server was happy to know that I enjoyed the wasp larvae so much!  I am having an amazing time with my family as we share numerous stories, games and good times with one another.  The kids seem to love the idea of playing Chubby Bunny and the card games Speed and Spoons are big hits. School is going quite well--although with such jam packed days we are squeezing a lot in!
 


Matsumoto Castle



After a quick train trip we ended up in Matsumoto for a quick one night stay.  We spent the afternoon visiting the famous Matsumoto Castle or "Crow's Castle" for its black exterior.  The size, numerous warrior windows, gun collections and steep staircases were impressive--the English tour definitely helped.  After a visit at the Matsumoto City Museum we were blown away by the handmade dolls--even me, not a big doll person :)

We continued to keep it moving as we hopped on a train towards Yudanaka.  However, with a layover in Nagano (home of the '98 Olympics) we stumbled upon a bus that could take us to the Ninja Theme Park.  With three giddy kids, we took the scenic bus ride up the Japanese Alps to Togakushi to visit the Ninja Park and the birthplace of soba noodles.  After I showed my natural ninja throwing star prowess we took in the sights of soba noodles being made and I decided I was definitely Team Soba Noodle (rather than Hannah's Team Udon Noodle). We finally made it to Yudanaka, famous for their snow monkeys.  In the morning we took a beautiful walk to visit the snow monkey park and everyone but Tim loved the little creatures!!  We finished the day in Obuse for some shopping, more noodles and their signature chestnut ice cream-YUM!

On To Hakone: Ryokans, Kimonos, Oh My!



Gora Kadan

 

First Kimono :)

Woke up Sunday morning and hopped on a train to Hakone, the home of Mt. Fuji, the largest mountain in Japan.  Aftera  stop at the Open Air Sculpture Museum along the way, we reached the Gora Kadan where we would be staying for the next few nights.  Secluded behind the railroad tracks and set back in the woods, once we stepped foot onto property at the Gora Kadan we were greeted with "kinnichiwa" by multiple people wearing the traditional Japense kimono--a true contrast from Tokyo. We were escorted to our room, a traditional ryokan with tatami matted rooms, communal public baths and your own kimonos to wear (or simpler yukatas). This was a night of many firsts--first Japanese seven course meal, first public hot bath, first kimono, first tatami mat sleeping, first Shabu-Shabu. The hot bath may goes down as one of the most relaxing things I have ever done (although not a self esteem booster as I showered next to very skinny Asian women :))  The process is very simple as you walk in, remove your kimono and head to the little bench in front of the shower head.  After sitting to shampoo, condition, etc. and then you are able to step into the perfectly scalding hot spring bath oustide, surrounded by a serene landscape and not a single sound except for the splash of the waterfall. After ample time in the water, you step out to a version of the Japaense salon with every product imagineable.  The experience wouldn't be complete without relaxing in the body massage chair and a cup of hot green tea.  Truly paradise.



Hot spring bath



I couldn't have imagined the night getting much better until dinner came. We enjoyed at least a seven course meal (I lost track) of mouth melting tuna and the freshest produce.  Then came the Kirley favorite-Shabu Shabu. Each person is given their own plate of thinly sliced meat and vegetables and our own pot or skillet to cook. Shabu shabu translates to 'swish-swish', although we liked making our own shabu shabu noises as each of us cooked our own meat! During the meals at Gora Kadan I was also introduced to Japense grapes--the largest and juiciest grape I have ever tasted. I am in love.

Our second day in Hakone we ventured out to get a viewing of Mt. Fuji but the clouds prohibited such a view.  Instead, we did come across the famous black egg which once eaten adds an additional seven years to your life. I only finished half of mine, but I will take the extra three and a half. Although we are staying at the place we somehow managed to stumble upon a Hot Spring Bath Water Park and had to give it a go. Little did I know that I would end up bathing in a coffee, green tea, sake, charcoal and red wine hot spring bath. Photo evidence is definitely necessary.  As we walked around the park I noticed an enormous line which I quickly associated with the water slide of course. Oh no no. Instead it was "Doctor Fish Bath".  We had to see what this was all about. As we walked in they asked us to rinse off our feet, handed us a hand towel and escorted us to a large foot bath.  I looked down only to see thousands of little fish.  Minutes of directions were given in Japanese and we waited to watch what people would do next so we could follow.  And then it happened.  I placed both of my feet in the Doctor Fish Bath and they went to work--eating the dead skin off the bottom of my feet.  Thankfully Tess was next to me as a jumped and grabbed here.  I could never quite get use to the feeling, although my feet were incredibly smotth as we left :) What an experience!

We had another amazing meal at the Gora Kadan, went to sleep and woke up ready for Tsumago!







Tokyo:The Fast and The Furious

Yes, yes, yes, I know this is long overdue! Japan has a serious lockdown on accessing free wireless but I have finally found the International Community House in Kyoto and will get all caught up on my Japan blogging! I've also changed my settings so I can now update from my phone--so get ready for blog update attacks :) So here goes...

After initial travel hiccups that delayed departure for a few days, I finally departed ORD for for NRT in BC (business class).  I knew I found the right portion of the plane when I was greeted with a glass of champagne to calm myself for the twelve hour flight.  After a glass (or two) of red wine and the luxury of watching trashy movies (Sex and the City 2, The Last Song and The A Team) I arrived in Tokyo.  The luxury continued as I hopped on the Airport Limousine to the hotel. That night I was able to meet up with my family I get the privilege of spending the next 10 months of my life with--my uncle Tim, aunt Megan, Hannah (12), Tess (10) and Samurai Sam (6). 

Tokyo makes the lights of Vegas look dim and the amount of people in Times Square insignificant as 35 million people call this city home.  Regardless of the time of day, hoards of people are continually coming at you by foot, bicycle or car.  We made our way through one train station that sees the entire population of Canada travel through their turnstyles a day (over 3 million people). My first day in Tokyo we visited the enormous fish market where somehow we managed to navigate through the narrow aisles without knocking anything over.  This was a great first stop for in the posts to come I will continue to talk about the scrumptious food of Japan. 



The Great Buddha



Outside of Hasedera

Great Buddha

After an hour train ride, we spent the rest of the afternoon in Kamakura. Here began the first of many Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples that we would visit while in Japan.  Our first stop was Hasedera, the largest wooden Buddha in Japan--with eleven heads and ornate accessories photos are not allowed but it truly was an amazing sight. We also visisted a Shinto shine where we could pray to a number of their 8 million gods--I of course chose the gods of family, fortune, education and sake :)  Next on our Buddha adventure was the one and only Great Buddha. This monumental outdoor bronze buddha truly baffled me at its size and beauty.  We finished this day in quite contrast as we walked through the Shinjuku District of Tokyo--truly the spot to be to spot the hottest new trends in both clothes and mens hairstyles.

The festivities continued as I celebrated my 26th birthday in Tokyo on Saturday.  I quite like celebrating 14 hours ahead as it may be the only time I am older than my twin brother Caleb and celebrate on the same day as my niece Vivian who's birthday is on the 10th. This might need to be a regular event from now on! I dont' think the day could have been much better as I was able to have Happy Birthday sung to me twice and through a lost in translation episode, eat three birthday cakes :) We savored our last day in Tokyo--visiting the Sony Center, massive shopping areas and an afternoon swimming. Not sure if I can top this one! Deuces Tokyo --onto Hakone!