Posts from — August 2003

Donors names.

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Also known as Heihachi-jaya, a famous old (at least 400 years) ryokan/ kaiseki restaurant/kamaburo sauna by the Takano River in Sakyo-ku. Simply take Kyoto Bus (the brown one, not green City Bus) No. 17 from Kyoto Station or Kawaramachi bound for Ohara to the Heihachiya exit at their front door. This was a point of departure and return to and from Kyoto proper on the road through the mountains past Ohara and on to the Japan Sea for fishermen of bygone ages. A quiet place to get away from downtown if you are so inclined, and a famous clay sauna heated from below by firewood cut in the northern forests. You do know that the finest tokobashira (decorative and sacred pillars in tokonoma alcoves in japanese homes) come from northern Kyoto, right?
More images: Main building and Gate to garden.
Oh, whaddya know, they have a website.

Photos take Saturday in Miyagawa-cho, kyoto

The Tozai (east-west) subway under Sanjo Street was under construction when I arrived in Japan in 1994, and has been a great help. It made obsolete the streetcar that ran from the Sanjo-Keihan station just east of the Kamo River. For the intervening years I’ve been wondering what would become of the premium parcel of land where the station was. This would be the commercial anchor point for a segment of Sanjo ripe for revival running east from Kawabata Street. Wonder no more, it is here, and it sucks:

The Kyoen shopping center is made of prefab buildings, with some kind of lattice encircling some of them, trying without success to hide their obvious prefab-ness. One can only hope that this is a temporary solution for a depressed economy, and that this site will be redeveloped with tasteful Kyoto elegance at a later date, when budget allows.

I believe that the white-collared kimono layered underneath indicates that a maiko has advanced to the rank of “geigi.”

A few drips of color from last night’s bon odori in Miyagawa-cho, which takes place right outside Mama’s house. All the neighborhood folks, the apprentice maiko (younger girls in yukata), and maiko coming and going to their appointments. Does Peter know EVERYONE in Miyagawa-cho? The answer appears to be yes.

My photo of garden geta appeared today in Nadine’s snappy Tokyo Shoes guest blog feature. Take a look.

Before this evening’s bon dance.