Hakone & Kyoto (Japan Vlog: Days 4-7)
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Unfortunately, the weather has been pretty overcast so we went to Hakone to basically see some nice vistas but it was so cloudy :( Visiting the baths there however was still very fun and relaxing. It had a smaller town feel and we spent a half day walking around in a kind of neighborhood-area looking for Soun-ji shrine. The locals were super friendly and talking to them was probably the most memorable part of that part of the trip.
Kyoto was super fun. Day 6 we had a guided tour. Nijo castle was by far my favorite part. The details of construction were just really incredible. The hallways leading up to the meeting room of the shogun were full of turns so that intruders coming to attack him would have to slow down for the turns. The floors in certain public areas had particular kinds of fixtures so that too much pressure would cause a squeaking sound to, again, alert the shogun of invaders. Many rooms had hidden closets in which samurai would hide, were the shogun to be attacked.
The murals and carvings on the walls were beautiful. Many rooms had tigers, however since Japan doesn't natively have tigers, the artists worked from Chinese references and so the results are somewhat humorous.
Visiting WAK Japan was also an excellent experience. Putting on the kimono was fun but talking and learning about Japanese culture was very cool. The building itself is an old townhouse and has a beautiful garden. The woman who worked with us was very nice and answered all our questions. She began by explaining a concept of 'ichigo ichie' (one opportunity, one encounter) and I think that make it feel more important, establishing the finiteness of the day right from the start.
During the tea ceremony lesson part, she made us matcha powder based tea so we could see how it was done. The tea was super aerated (I think because of the type of brush that is used?) and when we did it ourselves with her help, it wasn't anywhere near as bubbly. Turns out, there are two different "types" or schools of tea ceremony making and one is very bubbly and the other isn't. It was definitely a worthwhile experience!
Song: Triumph by Yung Logos