...and so after the grandmother...

...we had a wee rest beside the river and watched the world go by for a bit. Then we saddled up old shanks` pony and strolled up the hill to this temple.

Woah.

In Japan you can`t throw a sumo dude without hitting a temple. there are billions of the things. After a while (and it does pain me to say this), many of them sort of blend into one. That and their surroundings prove to be less than the cliched "temple-vibe" that you really want. Sure, it might well be a few hundred years old, but what with the enormous 6 lane roadway just outside it can sometimes be a little tough to get into that whole Zen-y-one-hand-clapping-in-the-bush-with-a-tree-falling-and-no-one-around type mindset...

This place was a little different. It was quiet. It was at beside a waterfall. It was cool, offering respite from the early summer heat. It was deserted. It was almost in ruins (after a typhoon a while back). It was one big room with no walls (queue CLASSIC phone prank) looking out over a wooded valley, an impressive river and Kyoto, waaaaaaayy off in the distance. There were some friendly monks. On the way up the hill, in the quiet like, there was an enormous 500 year old iron bell, you ring the bell 3 times and then have a bit of a pray. It was a very impressive feeling, almost seeing the deep sound waves of the bell washing over the valley and river below. Zen-y. Oooooh Zen-y.

We sat and looked out at the view, listened to the waterfall and enjoyed the scent of the room, that has absorbed maybe 500 years worth of incense. On the wall, of this open air temple, not in a protective case or anything, just sort of hanging there, was a writing done by the guy who founded the temple. He wrote it in that same room. In 1540. Then he hung it on the wall. And it`s still there. That was cool.

It was a very temple-y place and we could certainly see you sitting there and getting into some very `Zen` states. It was quite a rejuvenating experience.

We nattered to the Monk dude and his bonkers-cute 1 year old kid and sat and looked at the view and chilled on out, then decided to trek our way back to the real world below. It was back for a slap up feed of Udon noodles, then we were making plans to head on home when lo!! we stumbled upon a Kimono factory. Surprisingly enough Nic made us go.

They didn`t make the acual fabric there, but they did dye it, hand-paint it and make it into kimono. (Can someone say "Crap! That must be expensive"?). We didn`t see prices, but I think if you had to ask, you couldn`t afford it. The painting was the most bonkers part. There was a small room with these two chaps in it with the fabric of the Kimono in a large wodden scaffold type arrangement, in one continuous loop, thread through several rollers, allowing the painter guy access to maybe 2-3 meters of fabric at anyone time. he would hand paint the agreed upon scene, in parts, on the fabric then feed that along as he finished. Get it? steady hand though. You`d be wanting a steady hand.

Kimono are still worn, mostly for ceremonies by the younger generation and young women will generally have at least one. There is a "coming-of-age" day every year where all the 20 years olds get dressed up in traditional outfits and have a good pray. Kimono are still, by-and-large worn for weddings (although the bride and groom will generally change into 3 different outfits during the day, including traditional kimono and Western style wedding attire). There are people who are trained and certified in the art of dressing you in kimono properly, and these will be at the wedding...for a price. You do see mainly older women wearing kimono out and about, but even if a younger women wears one, no-one bats an eyelid. (Except for the foreigners, who run after them, their cameras wildly laying to rest another stereotype). Their prices can vary from crazy cheap, sort of crappy ones to small African nation GDP type prices. Nic tried one on the other day that was one of her workmates that was worth over NZD 20,000. Yes. Twenty Thousand Dollars. Looking after them is pretty pricey too. You can`t dryclean them. You have to take it completely apart - well over 20 pieces - (Quick unpick anyone?) and then wash each piece seperately and then put it back together. Again, this can be done by someone else...at a price. Kimono are also seasonal. This is more governed by colours and shades than cut. Woe betide anyone who wears a Spring kimono in summer...

It was an interesting process and a good chance for Nic to get fired up and add to her burgeoning collection of fabric that "...will come in handy..." Although I did get a swell pair of shorts whipped up for me for the summer months so I`ll just shut the hell up.

Thats enough for today - I hope you enjoyed it. Rainy season started this morning, so hooray for that, hot, humid AND a downpour Wooohooo!! On a better note, I ordered a new cellphone. It`s 3G and perty. I get it on Thursday...

Have fun.

berin and nic