Kyoto--Handicrafts & Sake

In Pursuit of Arts & Crafts

Yesterday, in speaking to the concierge at my hotel, the Righa Royal (pronounced--of course--Liga Loyal), she was kind enough to show me two pages in a visitor guide that had information about hands-on handicrafts in Kyoto.

I poured over that document like I would find enlightenment within. Hemming and hawing over WHAT activities I wanted to do most. In the end, she picked the activities for me, based upon geography, but oh gosh how can you not love a city that is such an active promoter of arts & crafts.

My first stop was a fabric dyeing course. This is sort of the Japanese version of COLOR ME MINE. Pick the item you want to color, pick the pattern, and off you go. I dyed a purse, painting some fish on one side, and a crab on the other. (Then I made my mom a birthday present, a table runner with a bird on a bamboo.)

My next stop was on to a papermaking course. I entered the store and immediately felt like I'd come HOME. Home-made paper everywhere. (You should see the stuff I bought here, sigh, I've blown my food budget for three months, but it was totally worth it.) The class here only cost $4, which is a tremendous bargain. It was a little simplistic, and at first I was a little disappointed, but later I figured out the guys were nervous about their English. Once I started bugging them with every kind of question, "how do you do this technique," "how do you get this color" I started making some cooler pieces of paper.

SAKE, SAKE, SAKE

Having finished with the handicrafts portion of my day, I was now in pursuit of my Sake Research. My first stop was the Horino Memorial Museum, a traditional Japanese house, from the Edo Period, which housed a former Sake Brewery, and is still home to an active beer brewery.

At first the tour was dicey, the guide spoke no English at all, and mostly pointed out the placards which were all in English and Japanese. Then however, poor Yoshino Kaori, an unsuspecting student from the University of Kyoto, wandered in the museum and was suddenly billeted into service as my interpreter.

The building was so cool, and we got to wander around downstairs and up. I learned a bit about the Sake making process, as well as getting a good overview about some of the cultural and historical aspects of Japan. (Upstairs for example were two bedrooms for the maids . The main room, was directly off the hallway, and the side room, which could only be accessed through the main room, and which was built one-step lower than the main room. The step symbolizes the status of the maid, and the lower the step, the lower the status of the maid.

At the end of the tour, we got a chance to sample some Sake. (Had to buy some Sake to take home, so bought the brand with actual gold flakes inside.)

By the time the tour was over, it was nearly 2:30 pm, and I STILL hadn't had lunch, so Yoshino and her friend and I had lunch together. We went to this cool place called Yoshinoya (possibly related to the US chain). We ordered our meals by pushing buttons on an automated vending machine and then had the waitress bring the food to us. (I had pork cutlet over rice). Yum. And a fast-food bargain (already trying to make up for my excessive spending habits today.)


Transportation Confusion

After lunch, my new friends escorted me to the train station and wished me well. I was now about to head to Fushimi, a suburb in the southern part of Kyoto, and a region well-known for it's Sake making.

At this point the transportation gods had a good laugh at my expense. (Let me see if I can explain the transportation system here. There are multiple light rail and subway lines, and although they are interconnected, each is owned and operated by a different company.

So, for example, if you want to ride the Kintetsu rail all the way to Kyoto Station, thereby paying a cheaper fare, you must change trains at the transfer station. If, however, you don't mind paying the more expensive fare, you transfer from the Kintetsu Rail to the Subway rail, at the transfer station. This is accomplished, naturally, by staying on the train you already were on.) Confused? Add a lot of Japanese in the mix, and you feel my pain.

Because I am not as fluent in hand-speak and pointing as I thought I was, I rode on the Kintetsu rail, instead of the Keihan rail. Didn't realize the difference until my station didn't appear when it should have, and suddenly I found myself enjoying a VERY scenic tour of the countryside. Quite lovely, and I'm glad I got to see it.

However, by the time I figured out my problem, and turned myself around, I arrived at the second Sake Museum too late. In true amusement park fashion, the shop did remain open later than the actual museum.

Fushimi

So not getting to see the museum, I had to console myself by having more delicious Japanese coffee. The place I went also served waffles with ice cream. So tempting, especially with waffle smell coming from the kitchen, but really how much can one girl eat? Plus, I was low on cash and hadn't found an ATM yet. I was keeping my 400 Yen for the train ride back to the city in a separate pocket, and just didn't have enough money for the waffles.

After coffee, I spent some time wandering the back streets of Fushimi, which I really loved. The people were SO nice here. I passed a woman who was selling traditional Japanese tatami (hand woven) products. With my cash flow issues, I tried to explain that I couldn't buy any of her products.

Still feeling a lack of confidence from my early attempts to speak Japanese sign language with the train station people, I was reluctant to believe what I thought she was telling me. She kept handing me three tatami coasters, and making a big X sign with her arms. Finally, I put them in my bag, and she nodded her head vigorously. Yes indeed, she just gave me three coasters for free.

In a country that is already incredibly hospitable, it is hard to describe how extra-friendly the people in this community were. Although it was just a ten minute train ride (when done correctly) outside downtown Kyoto, I'd literally left the big city behind.

Anyway, fueled with my free coaster success, I decided to take advantage of Fushimi's huge shopping arcade. The entire arcade is covered by a "solar dome" that stretches over about six blocks, and the shops are made up of 100 Yen ($1) stores, Sake shops, produce stores, home furnishings, sigh, truly a shoppers paradise. I never did find an ATM machine (probably too distracted with all the shops, so I clung to the 400 Yen I had in my pocket, and generally preserved my budget).

My Cup Runneth Over

After a day of standing and walking, my legs were starting to feel the pain, and I was sure that a cup of Sake would be just what I needed to restore my energy. I stopped in at Torisei, the restaurant my hotel recommended for Sake tasting (right next to the Museum I couldn't get into.) Bad news or good, I'm not sure, but they were more than happy to take my Visa card.

My first cup (pictured) was literaly overflowing, with a coaster to catch the extra Sake. Happiness!

Seated at the Yakitori (grilled meat on skewers) bar, I found that I couldn't resist ordering just a few items off the menu. Which eventually turned into me trying MANY items off the menu. My favorites--Chicken Skin on a skewer (I know, sounds gross, but oh gosh, so good) and cheese wrapped in bacon on a skewer (this was so delicious, I was moved to try to write Haiku about it. Of course at this point I was also well into my second cup of Sake, and had entered a state of extreme happiness). I'll post the poetry later, maybe.

With 400 yen left to my name, a complete understanding of the Kyoto rail system, and a courage built from two cups of Sake, I made it back to Downtown with no further mishaps. The Sake cheer lasted about as long as it took me to fling myself into bed (at 8:30 pm) and it was lights out, almost immediately.

I slept so well, I only woke up one time, giving me another opportunity to take advantage of the strangely comforting heated toilet seats the hotel provides.

Today, I'm off to Tokyo, where more adventures with Sake await.

More tomorrow.

Monica