Don't Turn Around
Trip Start
Oct 03, 2008
1
9
18
Trip End
Oct 19, 2008
Koyasan,
Kinki,
Japan
Friday, October 10, 2008
Since last I wrote we got the city bus to Ninna-ji temple in the north of Kyoto where we stayed the night. It was a fascinating experience - the whole building was wood and tatami mats and we werent allowed shoes in them at all. The beds were on the floor and we were given traditional robes. Just like a hotel version of the temples we had been visiting for the last few days. Unfortunately I am not able to upload photos here but will do as soon as we reach Tokyo.
The main features of staying in these temples are three-fold:
1) the traditional style Japanese food
2) the Buddhist ceremonies in the early morning and;
3) THE PUBLIC BATHS!!
The meal at Ninna-ji was huge and extremely tasty with sashimi, miso soup, mushrooms and fish that you boil yourself at the table. The works. The only slightly disturbing part was the fish flavoured jelly thing that was, quite simply, a bit disgusting. Still, when in Rome...
We had to get up at 6 for the ceremony which consisted of a lot of chanting and clashing of ancient instruments. It was interesting to watch but it was very long and I find it hard to imagine the discipline they have to have to do it every single morning. It must be like a bald Groundhog Day.
Now you may want to avert your eyes and ears for the third part. The public baths are traditional in Japan where, it would seem, there are no prudes whatsoever. In a disturbing moment of self-discipline, we plucked up our courage, took a deep breath and then semi-chickened out with a (brilliantly devised) seven minute staggering system to all make it into the baths with minimum embarassment. Never fear ladies, you did not miss out - it was far more Full Monty than Chippendales. That wasn't quite how I planned on spending my birthday but it was a once in a lifetime experience. "Once" being the operative word.
After touring the Ninna-ji gardens in the morning we made the long slow trip to the mountains where we are now. I will go into more detail on the Eko-in where we are staying tonight in the next entry as I am aware this one is getting quite long (did I mention the internet was free?) and we're spending most of tomorrow travelling so it will be a pretty boring entry otherwise. Suffice to say we have a plan for the bath here that is equally as cunning as the last - so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a fox.
Comments
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Ahh, blackadder and movies references galore, this truly is a cultural feast.