Kimonos, tea and more temples...and more rain

The title sums up the day pretty well - are you ready for your part in my next adventure?  Here goes!  Today I went to Nara - a smaller town which is not that far in miles from Kyoto but it took about 90 minutes on the slow train to get there. However, I was quite relaxed about it as thought that I would have enough time to see the sights - which amounted to 3 temples all quite close together, and a park with deer.....I achieved 2 out of the 3 temples - and really could have spent longer if it had been either sunny or warm or both - oh and dry would have helped!

Before I left for the day, I almost went off without the camera as had been saying goodbye to a group of  Taiwanese 'youngsters' (compared to me!!) who had been staying at Bola Bola for the last few nights. We had exchanged several conversations and I had also had some cooking lessons form Koo, one of the chaps. Cher, (I think his girlfriend) had also educated me on the methods of washing up in all of Asia - always done under a running tap - we also discussed the differences between Taiwan, Japan and the UK. They had been a good group to confer with at the end of each day. They were also off to Nara but to stay for a few nights before they too head back home.  I bumped into them late on in the afternoon - and was advised by Cher on the safest route to the second temple as she was concerned about my safety - and later met the other half of the group who wanted me to be sure to get into the temple before it closed. Very kind of them - I did wonder what they really thought of this mad British woman - I am a similar age to their parents.....imagine if one of them had up sticks and gone of for 3 weeks!

When I arrived, as is my norm, I headed for the tourist office. Now - no matter what I though I was going to do the woman on duty had a plan!! If it wasn't for the fact that where she wanted me to go to was another of their offices, I would have been thinking she had been bribed to send people in a particular route....

She strongly suggested that I should take the opportunity while it was there and go to their other office where I could be dressed in Kimono (no charge!) and for 200 yen (£1.33) could take part in a tea ceremony.  By the time I had reached the locality of the other office I was already well chilled so thought I may as well go in and investigate, but still wasn't keen to be a dummy......not that that was going to make any difference once the volunteers inside started on you, before you knew it you were being dressed first in your underwear kimono, then all the rest! So to start the photos for today, here we have a  Spaniard sporting a very nice line in blue kimono with obi tied in the manner suitable for a young floozie (how does one spell that I wonder!)....

 ..with detail of the rear view - notice the braid which is tied on at the end to further embellish the whole affair.

Here is Stephanie sporting her underwear kimono - please notice the red just disappearing under her arms...this is an elastic length with the equivalent of a  clasp on the end - a bit like that found on a man's pair of braces....and is part of the security and fastening methods employes today.

Hope you are ready for this - here I am reluctantly posing for the necessary photograph - I would have preferred a blue or purple kimono - or a lovely red one that was hanging up, but the latter was in fact underwear and I wasn't going to get that to wear as they didn't have available at that time, the kimono to go with it! So it had to be orange - well dark peach or coral - or whatever you want to call it!

 ...and then the back view - haven't seen my hair from the back since I got here - at least there is no sign of any bald spot!!

 This was one of the volunteers who later served us with tea....

 - and of course her rear view...showing a style of obi more suited to a married woman..

This was another volunteer sorting out which obi padding to choose for her 'victim'

Here is Stephanie nearer to finished, but not quite. There was an enormous amount of effort going into making sure that everything about our clothing was completely correct. Here you can see that an obi board is being put in place around Stephie's body. What you can't see is the 2 or 3 lengths of elastic with clips either end holding things in place, or the clothes peg that is keeping the back of the neck view of the kimono in the right place. Around the waist or a bit lower is a tie to secure the length of the kimono, and to keep it closed. Then there is an under obi over which goes the obi board.

This is followed by the obi itself which is very long, but then pleated and tied in place. Here you can just see the obijime is being tied at the front while the pleats are positioned over a padded roll which is secured by the red and white decorative belt which is worn slightly underneath the top edge of the obi - for decoration.

 A considerable amount of adjusting was being done....

...and a good degree of pulling and tucking and so on...

and here is a close up of the back of the obi, which itself is decorated further by the colour coordinated braid.....now that's what they are also used for!

Here is my rear view, so to speak - look at the braid here - I didn't get a chance while I was wearing it, mores the pity.

Men were also encouraged to don the gear - this is Stephanie's partner just adjusting his shoes having entered the tea house.   The entrance is very small and you crawl in then turn around on your knees and lean out to put your shoes upright against the wall of the tea house. Now reverse back into the tea house.

Take up position with your fellow guest and contemplate the decorative scroll showing 4 kanji (they said Chinese, but think they meant kanji) characters with special meaning (not sure what - I must have forgotten this bit!). Then you were instructed to take up position and bow to your hostess, while kneeling.

The ceremony got under way and the tea was prepared. Powdered green tea is used for the tea ceremony and is whisked with the brush - looked a bit like a fluffed up pastry brush. As the green tea is very bitter, it is served after a sweet which is made from a buck wheat outer and bean curd paste inside (I think!). Of course there is a considerable amount of ritual to go through before you actually pick the sweet up (with the right hand, but then put it in the mini serviette in your cupped left hand before proceeding to eat it. The dish with the sweets on is passed from one to another in a certain fashion to ensure that it is in the public space (over the ribbon on the tatami mat, always with the kanji characters on the sweet facing the right orientation for the guest). When the sweets are passed from one guest to another, perhaps around a corner, the dish is angled to ensure all is correct.

Finally you get to the tea part. The hostess will by now have mixed the (evil) brew and pours the first cup for the head guest. The tea is in a large bowl with a suitable decoration on the outside. The bowl or cup is picked up with the right hand only, but steadied with the left. Then it is turned twice clockwise before you start to drink. When you have finished sipping the green frothy bitter tea (witches brew - frogs and toads came to mind here!), it is good manners to make a slight slurping sound to show your appreciation. Only when the first guest has received her tea, will the second guest be served.

 Once completed the utensils are wiped and wrapped up...

...and following the offering of thanks and the exchange of bows, the guests exit the tea house, feet first, having put shoes into correct position first. The time for a ceremony fo.r 3 people would be 30 to 40 minutes.

Here Stephanie and partner pose for their photograph to be taken. I found the kimono quite comfortable to wear once I had got used to the various belts and things holding me together - the extra depth at the back has to be catered for when you exit the tea room, for example as it sticks out quite a lot!

Now on to the first temple of the day...the Konfukuji Kokuho-kan temple....more in a mo....

...as I had to stop for a moment to take this picture of a group of schoolgirls all pretending to be part of the thousand arm Buddha!

 A quick look at the roof tiles and how they were employed...

and now the great pagoda - the second largest (beaten by one in Kyoto which is 4 metres taller, with all this additional height in the top decorative bit). High temples allowed people to see it form anywhere and they would then be able to turn towards it in prayer and contemplation.

Part of the decorative curtain above the entrance way - note the deer - Nara is famous for them - as you will see...

Looking back at the entrance way....and exit into the park.. As I wandered towards the next temple, I came across this couple - they had climbed into this fenced off area as the colours were good for the photos.

The deer wanted to be included too but the official photographer did his best to get them out of the way...

much to the amusement of the bride who had been left to look after herself as her other half had legged it at this point!

 Now to exit the area - the gallant hubbie holds out his hand to assist his young wife...

 ..who is given a wrap to put on as it is really cold - about 10 degrees - and she had bare arms....brrr. I assume they weren't actors or on a fashion shoot ??? (weather too bad for that!)

 This next shot is a general view of the deer being fed...

Onwards and what is going on here? There had been some tents erected and these chaps were in the process of dismantling everything - it all has to be stacked in perfect position...

 Another look around and a curse that the weather wasn't better...

 ..because before long it was pouring and out came the umbrellas...

 ....they make a different form of Autumn colour!

 Here is the more traditional view of Autumn - complete with rain drops!

and now I was leaving the first temple behind and at heading for the second, I had to stop and weigh up this set of reflections.

The next temple to visit was the home of the largest Buddha - ? in Japan and was a much bigger temple than many. It is the oldest wooden structure in Japan.

 This attendant was looking after the incense burner - not cooking his sausages!

 Most of the younger tourists have to pose for themselves with their i-pads or phones

 Part of the decoration outside the temple.

 Looking up at the entrance-way to the large hall

 Absolutely not a good picture but I had to have a try! ISO 3200 - very grainy and still too slow to hand hold - he was one hell of a big Buddha!

Butterfly decorative support on either side of ? can't remember what it was holding up!

This large support formed part of the structure and actually had a mini tunnel through it. What the significance of crawling through it was I don't know -but the youngsters seemed to enjoy the challenge!

The rain was still falling plentifully and it was almost dark - thankfully I managed to grab a taxi which transported me in a style I am getting quite accustomed to, back to the station - and then trains back home. Once off the train, I was near to crawling the last leg home, but I got here in the end - tired out again, but a good day in spite of the weather. Have checked the forecast for the remainder of the week and there are mixed views but it sounds like it might get a little better - have only 3 days left and one of those will need me to pack and post off the surplus weight, but again before that, it's past bedtime. I think I might need a holiday when I get home!