the Geisha Paparazzi

Sixth adventure on Saturday: For our closing adventure we go to the historic Geisha Quarter.  Little joke here:  As our bus tried to turn on the Geisha Quarter street a truck blocked the road.  Mirei spoke to the helper and told us she, "borrowed some men's words to encourage him to move quickly."

There are only about 46 real Geisha still living in the district and we learn that we must stroll the street and watch for any of them to come out of their houses when they go to work at 5:30.  Then we are to all run and take pictures as they serenely walk along ignoring our behavior and over excitement.  We spotted one such Geisha emerge and walk past us, and we tried to behave.  

We note the colored paint or makeup on her back hairline.  She leaves the house with this perfectly done and if she comes home with it smudged, she's in trouble.  I think it's supposed to prove she has behaved properly.

She looked just like I imagined when I read Memoirs of a Geisha.  My imagination filled in the drama around our weird reality here in the Gion District.  The houses in the quarter are preserved so the architecture part of the tour was rich.

Thank you, Robert Limmer, for sharing your photos of the Geisha and of our dinner group.

We retreat to our dinner and Leslie and I eat our boiled feast while sitting with our legs and bare feet in the hole under the table while the boys pick the chair option. Our table mates here show off their chopstick skill and their Japanese photo symbol.  Good food and good times.

Back to the Kyoto hotel for a second night in the same room.  Much appreciated.