js29 In Kyoto with student friends

In winter last year, we went with two student friends on a day trip to some temple markets in Kyoto. Eiko and Kazuwe were Nadia's students, though I had taken the class a few times. They were wonderfully eccentric ladies (Eiko had once managed to wedge her car in the entrance of her garage) and Nadia loved the class, which was often hilarious. They were pretty keen on any western style experience, and on this occasion, we went to an excellent middle eastern vegetarian restaurant before the markets. Sort of, Lebanese with a twist. They also seemed quite amazed that westerners like us could so easily navigate the train system, especially where we jumped lines to get a cheaper fare. I think that we have Miwa to thank for that grounding.

So it was that we emerged from Hankyu Kawaramachi Station, which runs underneath a major shopping precinct. You can see the Hankyu Department store in the background. The shot shows us on the way across the bridge on the Kamo River, bearing eastwards in search of the Keihan line. Tom was asleep and the three girls had just burst in laughter. Kazuwe and Eiko found it hilarious that Nadia knew exactly where we were when they didn't have a clue. It was a great day actually and one of the few manageable trips to Kyoto with an infant.

There is a reasonable little map of the district here:

http://www.infomapjapan.com/images/map/Kawaramachi_map_web.pdf

js28 Richard in Kyoto

A few years ago an Australian friend, Richard (foreground of shot) came to visit us in Sanda. Whenever friends or family came to stay, we did a fairly traditional tour circuit- a kind of, best of kansai, adapted to the length of the stay, of course. Richard was a little hard to get motivated at first, though as you can see, we did manage to get to Kyoto with him.

One of the most famous old districts (and a rival to nearby Gion), is that area to the west of the Kamo River known as Pontocho. In essence, it is a long, thin, cobbled and paved lane set in the midst of traditional houses and buildings. These include teahouses (whose verandahs abutt the river), expensive bars and restaurants. On one occasion we caught a glimpse of a maiko (a geisha-in-training) hurrying to an engagement.

Before coming to Japan, Richard had diligently studied Japanese at a night school class. By the time he arrived however, only de gozaimasu remained in his vocabulary, and, polite as it was, it fell short of the expectations he held for it. I think that he hoped that this same simple expression would buy him train tickets, order his lunch and even entitle him to detailed directions whenever needed. But he got by nevertheless.

js27 Miwa in Kyoto

There are not many photos of Miwa in our possession for the simple fact that she didn't like having them taken of her. She felt, probably wrongly, that she looked too full in the face. I think we all have our fears, especially when the shot doesn't match our own inner picture.

Miwa is a friend going back some ten years, and of course, she lived with us on our most recent stay in Japan. On other occasions though, we had to catch up with her through a day trip to Kyoto, with a brief though joyful rendezvous at the Starbucks in Gion. She was usually in between shifts at her ryokan (the rather exclusive Hatanaka) and would come bicycling from her tiny apartment nearby, dispensing an hour or so of happiness.

Even if months separated these occasions, it would seem as if we had hardly been apart, such was the ease of conversation. And something else too - being absolutely comfortable with someone, to the point of knowing their thoughts, delighting in their gestures, anticipating their words.