Japan 2007: Kyoto

I was really warm when waking up in the Japanese bed this morning. I thought it was pretty comfortable. I worked up the courage to try the public bath with Herr — in separate baths of course. Luckily, no one else was there when I arrived, so I went in. Showers with little stools on one side, and a steaming hot shallow (maybe two or two and a half feet) water to the right. I just wanted a rinse so I stepped into the bath and just scooped some water on myself. After ten minutes, someone entered the powder room (they were separated by a sliding screen door), so I grabbed my towel and hurried into my kimono and back to the room.

Breakfast was very Japanese. We weren’t too sure what we ate, and I did not eat much of it. We took the subway from Keage station to Kyoto station, dropped our luggage off at the El Inn, and started walking south to Fushimi Inari temple. We picked up some pastries to make up for the weird breakfast we had, so I felt pretty full for most of the day.

It began to sprinkle at the temple. We missed most of the flower arrangement ceremony, but did see the end. Behind the main temple were paths covered with torii gates and clusters of shrines. We followed a path partially up the mountain before turning back down. The trees shielded us from the rain, and we could smell cedar and incense in the air.

After roaming the woods, we took the train up to Gojo in search of the Gion district. We got a little lost but stumbled upon a maiko makeover establishment. I was very shy about the whole thing. It was the first time I did something really without Herr. He went for lunch while they took me in back. They gave me a shift and toe socks to put over my undergarments. I left my clothes in a locker and climbed the stairs to the makeup area. Two others were nearly finished when I sat down. She pulled a net up to my ears, then it expanded to hold all my hair that was then clipped to my head. She rubbed my skin down and powdered it before applying the white with a wide brush with short hairs. This covered everything except my ears. She then redrew my eyebrows using red and black. This took the longest.

Next was the bright red lips. It was also a “paint” of sorts applied with a very thin brush with almost an inch long tip. Back to the eyes, pink blush was added to the eyelids after red lines were drawn around the eye rims. Pink blush was also added to my forehead and cheeks. Last was black eyeliner on my lashes (or whatever that stuff is called, I know nothing about makeup). She sent me into the next room where I was to pick out a kimono.

I found this particularly difficult because I was uncertain what color would work for me. Blue, deep dark blue, light green, or bright red. I chose the bright red to balance my new deep red lips, and because it was a strong color. I kind of wish I chose green, so my eyes didn’t get lost. Dressing took many layers. Long hard shoulder straps were the base of the neckline. Another red shift was added, tied up to my chest area. A plate was tied around my midsection at some point — either right before the kimono or right after — to help shape the obi (sash). I only had two color choices, green or blue, so I chose the more subdued green and gold. A bit like Christmas I suppose.

With the kimono on, I ascended another set of narrow stairs to get a wig. It was slightly heavy, but much easier than getting my own done. I think hair is typically done at the beginning of the process. Herr was allowed up then. A professional photographer took two pictures of me, then we were sent to a room where the other two maiko/geisha were taking pictures of themselves. We took a few as well, then Herr was sent back downstairs as I was taken apart down to the shift.

The most difficult part of the process was removing the makeup. I spent a great deal of time rubbing it off with tissues and wet napkins, an assistant helping with my back. All the sinks were in use, but I got one near the end. Not all the makeup came off, but enough to not be noticeable. I changed quickly and braided my hair. The professional pictures will arrive in the mail, I am curious to see them. I wish Herr could have dressed in a samurai outfit, but we only had enough yen for a maiko makeover (6500 yen, the geisha makeover was 8700 yen). It was a great experience, but I did feel shy and out of place.

Afterwards, we found the Kenninji temple in the Gion area, then Shijo-dori. Shijo is lined with shops and stuffed with people. Herr let me peruse some shops this time. I did so briskly — we didn’t have any money. Then we saw Miyako Odori with many lanterns and a larger pink sign. This road looked to us like Gion. The road was brick and was more people than vehicles. The buildings were from another time, built primarily with wood and not concrete or steel. I overheard someone explaining to a friend in English that the name on the sconce was the geisha who lived there. So I believe many of the buildings we passed in this area were okiyas. Tea ceremonies were available, and near the south end of the street was the theatre. We couldn’t attend either of the whole long mix of traditional Japanese culture or the cherry dance, but we made note of the times for later.

We returned to the El Inn with the last of our money. The receptionist would not accept travelers’ checks, which put us in a bind for paying our room and dinner. When Herr went back to ask a question, they found the Nippon Travel Agency could still exchange (banks are closed on Sundays, of course), so we exchanged a thousand dollars then stuffed ourselves at the Skylark, the restaurant adjacent to the hotel. We had steak and salad (we split this), then had two separate desserts — Herr’s had gelatin cubes, ice cream, a sweet pastry, some strawberries, and molasses on the side; mine had ice cream and sweet whipping wrapped in angel food-like bread with lots of fruit around it. So yummy! Stuffed, we made our way back to the room after paying the sixty thousand yen for it, and watched Under the Tuscan Sun before falling asleep.