The mosaic glass floor in Hotel Okura.

Monday, November 28, 2005, part 2

Posh Digs

After leaving the textile factory, we headed to the Kyoto Hotel Okura. Of all the hotels in which we stayed during our trip, this one was the nicest. The lobby and meeting areas were pretty standard. However, when we stepped off the elevators to get to our rooms, we noticed that the wide hallway leading to our rooms was hollowed out to showcase the mosaic glass on the bottom floor of the residency area.

The rooms themselves were well-equipped with slippers, extra bedding, and plenty of little amenities in the bathroom. A door separated the sleeping area from the foyer and bathroom. The bathroom itself was actually very cool. There was a large bathtub with a separate shower that featured floor to ceiling glass walls. Speakers could be turned on in the bathroom so that one could listen to the television while showering or...doing one's business. And, of course, the toilet featured both a seat warmer and a bidet (the Rihga's toilets also were bidets, though I don't remember if the one at the hot spring was one, too).

A canal on the outskirts of Gion.

One of my favorite aspects of the hotel, however, was discovering that I already had a message waiting for me when we checked in. Justin had called earlier in the day to tell me when to meet him and Mayumi in the lobby. The plan was to have dinner and have the couple show us around the city. Justin teaches English in Omihachiman, which is outside of the city. I was really excited about hanging out with them because I'd never met Mayumi before and I hadn't seen Justin since he visited California in January, 2002.

Strolling Through Kyoto at Night

When we told James and Rosalie earlier in the day that we planned to return to Kiyomizudera, they asked to join us, so when Justin and Mayumi arrived, all eight of us headed out for dinner. Though we were free to do as we pleased, the tour guide had given us vouchers for tonkatsu (pork cutlet) at a restaurant a few blocks away from the hotel. This meant that if we went to the restaurant, our dinners would be prepaid. I don't recall the name of the restaurant, and I imagine we would have had trouble finding the place if Mayumi was not with us. The place was in the middle of a shopping arcade, down a hallway created between a Lipton cafe and another store. Apparently, Mayumi had eaten there in college, so she knew where to look.

Spotlights at Kiyomizudera illuminating the autumn leaves and reflecting on the surface of a small pond.

Initially, I had suggested that Justin and Mayumi pick a different restaurant for us because I figured tonkatsu was a dish I could get at just about any Japanese restaurant back home. I am, however, glad that nobody listened to me. The tonkatsu we ate was the best I'd ever had, and the bowl of steamed egg my mom and Rosalie ordered was delicious. In between revelling in our food, we all asked Mayumi and Justin about Kyoto. Justin, knowing of my burgeoning interest in Japanese music, also gave me a mix CD to listen to during my remaining days in Japan. It is, by the way, excellent.

After dinner, we burned off our fat bellies by walking a few blocks to Gion, the historical geisha district of Kyoto. Unfortunately, we did not see any geisha or maiko (geisha in training)--they were probably already inside, entertaining--but the atmosphere was beautiful. Gion is famous for their old one-story bars and restaurants, though it should be noted that "old" does not, by any means, imply dirt or erosion. The streets of Kyoto were very clean, and Gion was no exception. Only the architecture really implies anything of the district's age.
[a few more photos from Gion]

By the time we'd finished walking through Gion, Samantha was beginning to tire from all of the day's excitement, so we took taxis to Kiyomizudera. Justin took James, Rosalie, and Samantha in one car, while we Cheungs joined Mayumi in another. Not much really can be said about the ride except that we passed by the Shinto shrine, Yasaka, which I wish we'd been able to see during our visit. Also, I was amused by both the taxi driver going to Kiyomizudera and the one coming back from it. Both asked Mayumi where we were from because the three of us Cheungs were speaking in both English and Cantonese.

Lanterns glowing down the halls of Kiyomizudera.

It Only Happens Once a Year

Before I continue, I have to say that I am in love with the city of Kyoto. While walking earlier in the evening, Justin and I talked about how wonderful the city was, and how its history contributed to the atmosphere. I believe he called it "a big city with a small city feel." He also said that he hoped I would reconsider the plans I had been making to teach English in Hong Kong, and instead teach in Kyoto. Truthfully, I had already been considering it. Our time in Kyoto was one of my favorite aspects of our entire trip.

Kiyomizudera, incidentally, greatly influenced my love for the city, and I have no doubt that seeing the temple twice in one day was responsible for that. Kiyomizudera at night possessed a completely different kind of beauty, and I'm grateful that I came at the right time of year to experience it. During the day, the temple's spirituality seemed to coexist simply with nature. It's hard to call it serene because of the throngs of people there, but it still is quite a peaceful place. However, at night, with the Buddhist statues shrowded in shadows, its aura seemed bolder and somehow more magical. The red-orange gate seemed much sleeker as a glowing entryway, and the glowing lanterns were simply elegant.

Me, Justin, and Mayumi in front of Kiyomizudera.

Before the temple gate even came into view, however, one could see a spotlight powerful enough to summon Batman cutting through the night sky. I'm not sure if the spotlight held any sort of spiritual meaning or if merely existed to tell citizens that the temple was open that night, but it was quite a brilliant sight to behold. Other spotlights shone over several of the buildings and many of the trees, allowing visitors to admire the autumn foilage in a completely different way. The reds blazed and the yellows gleamed.

As we walked around, we noted the cherry trees overhead, and Justin and Mayumi spoke of how beautiful the temple was in the spring, when the cherry blossoms were in bloom. My mom asked them whether they preferred the autumn leaves or the cherry blossoms, and Mayumi was very quick to answer: cherry blossoms. Apparently, my next trip to Japan will have to be in the spring!

Leaving Kiyomizudera, we passed through the shopping district again, though many of the stores were in the process of closing. Mayumi rushed away from us for a moment to buy a drink from a vending machine, and Justin joked that she was showing off. Rex and I definitely are jealous. Sadly, American street corners just aren't made for random soft drink vending.

We took cabs back to the hotel and said our goodbyes to Justin and Mayumi. That night, I fell asleep listening to my new mix CD and dreamed of visiting them again.
[more photos from Kiyomizudera at night]

Next page: Tuesday, November 29