Day 13: Kyoto

Day 13: Kyoto

QOTD:  It’s pop art

Weather: low 80s, cooling to mid 70s in evening

Pics:  Breakfast, Kohei Nawa pics available on request, Sagawa transport (builders of the Sagawa Museum of Art), Japanese mail carrier conveyance, art jewelry stop, lunch menu (the front window display), Silver Pavilion, Yakimono Gallery purchases, R&S at home, Manzara Honten restaurant

Note: the camera works fine today, it appears to be one good battery and one defective one; the story continues

THB maximizes the breakfast buffet, and off we head to take a short train ride and a taxi to see Kohei Nara’s workshop (aka Bubble Boy). DB (our earnest scout) spotted his work a while ago and arranged this visit; we knew Kohei would not be there, we were met by one his office assistants who spoke excellent English (she attended U of Wisconsin, Appleton, for several years). The pieces are a variety of items (taxidermy’d deers, toys) in all sizes, covered in glass beads of all sizes. It is a kind of pop art. Nothing for sale at the studio, we’ll find out more when his gallery replies to our inquiries. And, since this work is not for sale (some are being repaired), they request that THB not publish pics on the internet; if you’re interested, THB will send them in separate e-mail with request to not publish.

Reverse the order: taxi and train to Kyoto’s shopping district and a short walk (it’s hot!) to Contemporary Art Jewelry where DB and E make small purchases (they opened especially for us). It’s time for lunch and we have a tip near the Silver Pavilion and the Yakimono Gallery: Omen Noodles.

Long taxi ride, and as we pull up the taxi driver looks across the street and turns to us with crossed arms: they’re closed. Hmmmm…THB is ready to eat. We jump out and start up the road towards the Silver Pavilion, spot a noodle house, and sit down. No menus!! You have to go back outside to the front window and point as the waitress announces: sorry, we don’t have that. Nope, no tempura. Sorry, sorry, sorry. THB and DB have cold soba noodles, J orders noodle soup and E orders beef noodle soup.

J’s soup comes with tempura shrimp. DB and THB point at his and say we’ll have two of those. Sorry, not available. E tries for coke: sorry, sorry. Beer? Yes! Three of us share a tall brewski. $25 for two

Stroll towards the Silver Pavilion and THB has a green tea softie, $3, an acquired taste. E gets a twist of vanilla and green tea. Each come with a small curved cinnamon cookie.

The Silver Pavilion appears to be misnamed: there’s no silver. There is a nice sand garden (see pics) and a pretty garden. A short walk to the Philosopher’s Walk where DB gets a vanilla ice cream cone, $2.50, and kindly shares with THB (no cookie!).

A few more blocks and we’ve arrived at Yakimono Gallery, run by Robert Yellin, a noted Japanese ceramics expert and gallerist who spends several hours showing us what is on offer and giving a great discourse on current Japan ceramics. E&J buy a piece by an emerging young female artist (blue “vase” in pics) and we each buy a bizen style serving plate.

Another lengthy taxi ride and we are at R&S’s house. S is the Steve that guided THB and DB during our 2010 trip and works for the company that supported the trip DB lead in 2011. We’ve stayed in touch and they have visited us in E-ville and spent time at the beach.

Tonight we’re in for a real treat: R (just back from a trip to SF) gives us a lesson in ikebana (see great pics) and S concurrently holds a sake tasting. Hmmmmm…both lessons seem to go extremely well. R&S own sake cups by artists (Yoshikawa and Nakamura) we own and have or will visit, another treat.

Afterwards, the six of us have dinner at Manzara Honten (DB thinks we ate here in 2010 and the group did eat there in 2011). Lots of family style dishes: tomato and avocado salad, chicken, tofu, grilled rice balls, miso, several other dishes THB can’t remember because along with the sake he had two draft beers, sorbet for dessert, $40/pp.   

Book Review: The Lady and Monk, Four Seasons in Kyoto, Pico Iyer. THB has read several of Pico’s books, not sure how this one evaded him. The book covers a year (1990 or thereabouts) in Kyoto of Pico’s involvement with a married Japanese woman who eventually becomes his wife. And, it is the perfect read while in Kyoto as there is much musing on Japanese culture and its interaction with the flood of outsiders that show up in Kyoto looking for the meaning of life (in a different language). Highly recommended, and pretty much a must-read for those coming to Japan (not that THB did in 2010).