Trip to Nishiki Food Market in downtown Kyoto. So fun! Lots of strange yummies everywhere. Roasted chestnuts (got a bag for munching: warm and buttery), seaweeds, fish, unidentifiable dried berries, and Kyoto specialties of sweets, sweets, sweets, and an amazing array of alien pickled veggies.
Scored some beautiful Touan pottery for gifts. And more amazing pottery by an artisan who was throwing in his shop - his designs are based on an an 12-13 century scroll (The Chōjū- jinbutsu-giga), from to the Kōzan-ji temple in northwest of Kyoto: Wind-in-the-Willows-esque adventures of a rabbit, monkey, cat/tiger, and frog. These characters formed the basis for modern day Manga. Sooooooooo cool!
Also bought the best Gyokuro tea I could find.
Ventured to Tenryu-ji Temple in the Sagano area … lovely, singing, bamboo forest, tons of shops and street treats. Had green tea goo wrapped in a crepe. Nothing is too sweet here...
When we were leaving the temple, an old man who worked there (and was leaving for the evening) was walking in front of us. He turned around and handed us a lovely, wrapped, watercolor of a Tiger with a hand written page, in Japanese, about the auspicious, coming Year of the Tiger! Everyone here is so kind and generous.
Stopped by a shop where a woman was grinding macha tea!
I think our culture would advance by leaps and bounds if we instituted a simple bow for gratitude, salutations, and parting. Wow.
Train ride back to Kyoto city center was JAMMED!
