Rain, shopping and Museums

As predicted today it was wet - very wet!  So first I decided to tidy my room - made me think of youngsters having to do the same at the instructions of their parents - often at the end of an 'or else'! 

I have packed the aytakadai and all the shopping so far - and there is still room for some clothes - there may be room but will be weighing things to decide what to do with the remainder. Anyway that's for another day!

I donned the waterproofs and umbrella and set of once again for kyoto an the Tourist Office - again! Still in pursuit of travel info and also bus routes - subway goes north to south and one also west to east and that's it. As limbs need all the help possible, I was thinking buses but in fact have used taxis as they have been easier.   First stop after the tourist office was a big store in Kyoto Tower - I was looking for Miyuki beads - had remembered them, but couldn't find them when in the big shop in Kobe.  Shall I just say that there is nothing like a good bit of retail therapy to put a smile on my face - especially when it's 'treasure'!

Then it was time to put my best foot forward and try and find the first on my Museum hit list.  This proved to be a waste of time as once I got there I found it was shut - Grrr!

On the walk there I passed this little display - no I didn't going to the distillery either!  

I decided on a taxi as the next mode of transport and went to a museum showing work by Kyoto  students of traditional Japanese crafts. This was very good and I enjoyed it but would have liked to have seen some textiles - it was all ceramics, metalwork, woodwork, lacquer work etc. This was one of the exhibits....

and there was some woven bamboo - we'd call it basketware...

I said there was no textiles - there was this one entry....so now you know what to do with your braids!

All three of these photos were I admit taken surreptitiously as it were, the less said about that the better!  I wandered upstairs to the final floor which had an exhibition of work of student architects - now I couldn't really work out what they were designing for - could just be a free brief - or maybe it was a 'public building'. it would be so much easier if I spoke or could read Japanese!

And I was taken with the foliage!!

I liked the concept of the one above -  it featured hidden or secretive seating areas accessed by going down  a few steps - it would be quite a suntrap if ever it was built.

My next port of call was for a stop off for a drink, a nibble and a welcome sit down in a comfortable chair. This was all achieved at Starbucks - please note Rachel and Chris!!

Some more reflections on the way....and to the left of this building was...

another shrine! The mix of old and new is really quite strange when there is no space in between.

Then I went by subway to the next place - a specialist outlet for handmade goods - and caught these girls - full of enthusiasm and good humour...

I asked about their costumes and they explained that they were a dance troop and had been taking part in an exhibition. I liked the make up particularly!

I was quite impressed by the hand made stuff and bought something - the shop assistant told me to go to the City hall as there was a market on (till 4p.m.) of handmade goods...I had to put a spurt on as it was well after 3 by now. The market ws in a large square and not in the building at all - still I found it and had a good look around but they were packing up and I think a bit dispirited because of the weather.

As I made my way to the subway again to get to my final museum (fingers were crossed that it would still be open - luckily it was!), I saw this little bit of artistic creativity going on - some sort of floral display in the making perhaps?

The last museum was one on my long list of 'musts' and I wasn't disappointed. It was the called the Fureiakin - the museum of traditional crafts and was in the basement of a modern art gallery and exhibition hall.

I will try and return as could happily study all the stuff on display - almost half of which was what I had gone for - textiles and more textiles!! I was asked to leave as it was past closing time, so definitely want to return if possible!  Outside it was now dark and with no hope of knowing where to get a bus, I managed to grab a taxi to go back to the station. Again this was fortuitous as the place he dropped me off was just around the corner to the station - and just in the place to hear something going on. An area had been cordoned off and youngsters were performing - sort of dance!

Again not the best pictures in the world but hopefully you can feel their enthusiasm!

and taking a bow, so to speak!

 

I guess this is what the group I had seen earlier were involved in.
After a good bit of free entertainment I completed my journey home - weary, but another interesting day. Must get to bed now as need to be up early as am off to Hiroshima tomorrow. As I might be late back, you might have to wait a day for the next entry - just depends on the time! Till then, ttfn!