Shhh! We're going Geisha Hunting!!!

I don`t even know what day it is and Im fine with that. Been in Kyoto for three days. On the first night, having arrived from Tokyo on the shinkasen bullet train, I was a bit weary of sightseeing and sake and sushi, my wobbly legs were craving something familiar. I heard about a proper Irish pub thats popular round here and decided to head over for some fried fish and chips and a cocktail. Upon entering we found ourselves in the midst of a Japanese wedding reception! It was just ending and the bar was opening up to customers so we were welcomed in. The Irish bartenders and managers were fantastic...as the Irish round the world are. Ended up staying for hours and hours and shooting the shit with my Irish brethern and getting the low down on Kyoto and geisha. All while R and B music played much to my delight. So lets review for a minute, shall we? Irish pub hosting a Japanese wedding and Soul music is playiing all night. Fantastic. Although the next days itineray was shortened and delayed a bit due to the enormous hangover. After the pub closed we ended up at a Karaoke BAR...not box! and sang for another 2 hours. We even saw a geisha woman with her evenings appointment at the bar.

The next day I shook myself off and decided to head a little ways out of town for a hot spring and then a river trip. The onsen was wonderful. Hot water soaking cured the hangover. Then a half an hour away was a 2 hour river trip down the Hozugawa river in Arashiyama. Beautiful mountain river twisting and turning through bamboo forests and other trees I couldnt possibly identify (having slept through most of high school Biology). But anyways...Imagine me and a boatload of 20 Japanese dudes in their 60`s and 70`s... white water cruising. Hilarious. The most talkative of the bunch...although he knew about 10 english words... tried to tell me three ways to Sunday that he wanted to kiss me. So I checked my Japanese phrase book and quickly learned how to say...`Sorry I have a headache`

The entire boat shook with knee slaps and laughs. Then I managed to name drop Hideki Matsui (NY Yankee baseball player for you unfortunate types who dont watch the gentlemans sport) and I was immediatley one of the boys. A floating boat restaurant sidled up to us near the end of our journey where a guy sells little snacks he cooks right on the boat!. Fish and eel and squid (and who knows) and chips and beer. The Japanese grandpas had me trying a multitude of weird shit. No idea what I was eating but it went down okay and tasted alright too.

Then between late yesterday afternoon and today I went to about 10 temples and shrines. I think I hit about .05% of the amount that there are to visit in Kyoto. There are literally hundreds around here. Thousands even. I tried to hit the most famous ones and get the gist. Get all Zen in the rock garden. Check. Take a photo of the bridge and the pond and the big ol Bonzai tree. Check. Walk down the Torii path and listen to my Ipod while breathing in fresh air and contemplating my future. Check. But further enlightment will have to wait...I`m going Geisha hunting!

There about 100 Geisha and 80 Maiko left in Kyoto. The maiko are the apprentice geisha and wear the white face paint and colorful hair ornaments. The regualr geisha just wear Kimono. Spotting the Maiko is best done between 430 and 630 pm as sometimes you can catch them on their way to appointments at tea houses where patrons will pay up to 3000$ for their company and shimasen/japanese guitar performance.

Today I was fully prepared for Geisha hunting. I returned to the hostel around 3 to freshen up and jump back into my kimono, figuring any photo op would have to capture the SPIRIT of Kyoto and honor the tradition of geisha. Also...I look kickass in it. I headed to Gion where most of the the Geisha live and work. My Irish friends mapped out their most frequent routes and I planned on following this route repeatedly and retracing my steps for optimum run-ins.

Ive talked to other hostel kids...and they`ve all seen seen one or two. Some Maiko may stop and pose if they have time. Others walk very fast or run in their wooden flip flops towards their appointment and away from the silly tourists.

I saw... seven.

And got photos with 4 of them.

Well...one on her own and 3 at the same time. One of the women with the maiko...a den mother of sorts, I guess... looked me up and down, smiled and leaned over towards me to straighten the lines of my Kimono under my obi belt. Arrigoto mamasan!


I like the idea of geisha. Theyve always fascinated me. Their very nature is to entertain. I always thought of myself as a gaijin geisha. Bartender? DJ? What do I do but entertain the masses? Get em drinks. Get em dancing. Get em laughing.

And Now...

A few random observations:

If the toilets arent western style then they are flat urinals on the ground that you squat over. Thankfully my Converse are still dry. If they are western toilets...they are the mack daddy of toilets. Coming complete with a hand sink at the top, seat warmer, built-in bidet and my favorite...a soundtrack of trickling water noises to inspire you!!!

There are very very few trash cans anywhere. The Japanese do not like to waste things so I guess to circumvent this...they just dont have trash cans. People also carry there own wash cloths with them to use after washing their hands? So eco friendly but really weird/frustrating to have to carry trash around with you for 10 blocks.

The service industry rules here. Theres no tipping and yet there are like three people waiting on you at all times, so anxious to make sure you have everything you need. NY, take a lesson.

They have something akin to my favorite daily beverage Vitamin water...which please me greatly.

The food at the 7 -11 is actually edible and quite popular?

I totally dig the vending machines. Not only are they on EVERY corner stocked with drinks, coffee, tea, beer, cigs...But I ve seen ones with cameras, ties, batteries, comics and pantyhose. Awesome.

NO one EVER jaywalks. ... I do.

One last thing. The Japanese NEVER steal. Theft is pretty much non exisitent here. You have to take off your shoes before entering a house and you leave them in the foyer. All day long there are like 50 pairs of shoes in the open entrance and nobody nicks em?! A hostel friend dropped her camera while she was dancing at a dance club. It was at lost and found 10 minutes later! Also...Bicycles are a very popluar mode of transportation and you will see hundreds and hundreds of them parked outside of buildings and subway stops.

THEY DONT HAVE LOCKS!

I mean some do...but...ummm... I cant even wrap my head around this. They just park em and go. These people have like...the most amazing lack of selfishness Ive ever encountered in my life.

I want Billy (my schwiin bicycle) that got stolen from me to die and be reincarnated and be born here in Japan. Billy-san!

All is well.Weather has been friggin perfect!! 70-75 degrees every day.

Next blogs will be from....

CHINA y`all!