Back to Gion
Somehow we also managed to fit in a visit to a famous Kimono
shop. The staff kindly displayed a few
of their absolutely amazing kimonos, despite guessing (correctly) that we
couldn’t possibly be able to afford them.
Just to round off our cultural costume experience, we also gazed in the
window of the shop of a master obi and braid maker.
After a Western breakfast served Japanese style and
bidding our hosts farewell, we did a quick last minute shop in Takayama (as you
do!) before boarding our train to glide silently down the mountains and back to
busy Kyoto.
With a few hours to spare, we made for Nishiki-koji Food
Market. Considered Kyoto’s Kitchen, the complex started as a fish market in the
early 1300’s and is now an amazing array of traditional timber shopfronts
lining narrow covered alleys.
Needless
to say, whilst we enjoyed nosing about the fresh foods section, we were waylaid
by a patchwork shop, K's Bee Quilts. Unlike
some of the fabric stores we had already seen, this shop was selling the latest
in American goods. We couldn’t help but
admire the amazing work on display.
Later that evening, we walked to Gion Corner through Gion area with its well-preserved old houses
that spoke to us of the old days in Kyoto.
We descended upon a wonderful antiques shop and managed to find a few textiles and other souvenirs of our trip.
By now we were well aware that our tour time was drawing to a close. Surely we couldn’t go home empty-handed!
Luckily, we caught
site of a Maiko whilst there: it must have been late, perhaps 7 or 8pm, as this
is the time they leave their studios for their ochaya (tea house) appointments.
She was most obliging and graciously allowed us to take photographs before
hurrying off to her duties.We descended upon a wonderful antiques shop and managed to find a few textiles and other souvenirs of our trip.
By now we were well aware that our tour time was drawing to a close. Surely we couldn’t go home empty-handed!
