Kyoto Loves Me

Well, after taking a bus to the Gion district that consists of traditional Japan with temples, shrines and Geisha, we walked around for the better part of an hour looking for a Love Hotel. Rooms were either $50 per hour or $130 for overnight. But check-in was at 10 pm, and we did not know if we could go in and out of the hotel. The sun was setting, we were starting to get cranky and hungry. We ended up back on Higashioji Street just down from the Yasaka Pagoda staring into a diner. We were hungry, so we set our weary parts down at a table.

We did not have high expectations. While we were waiting for the only woman took cook our food, we contemplated sleeping at the train station, trying a hostel, or taking the train to another city and leaving Kyoto. The latter made me very sad because I really wanted to see Kyoto. We almost skipped the city all-together. We had not made a hotel reservation and every room from a hostel to a hotel was booked. It is the beginning of the cherry blossom season.

Our dinner was good and fufilling. We we were paying our bill, the restaurant owner took pitty on us. She called her husband to assist us. He came by the restaurant and phoned an aquaintance and left a voicemail. We sat a waited hoping for even a spare room in some random building.

After a few minutes, the husband came over and informed us he managed to arrange a place for us to stay. He even came out to explain the directions to the taxi driver. Most streets and buildings in Japan do not have signs or numbers.

The taxi driver had no idea where this guest house was, but he managed to find it. A fellow met us at a gate. We followed him down a walkway. When he opened the door, we were in complete awe inside the Gojo Machiya Guest House. It is a two-level Japanese style house with lots of browns and whites with a kitchen, shower and bathroom, heated-seat toliet, laundry and tv. The best part is the guest house is only $150 per night with a $100 deposit. Most of the hotels started at $250 to $300 per night.

I am currently sitting on a Thai-triangle pillow with a fuzzy blanket in a tatami room listening to classical opera playing on a cd player hanging on the wall.

Life in Kyoto is *so* rough.

Also, I saw my first Geisha. We were standing outside the restaurant and there were two Geisha standing on the street. A few people were photographing them, and they turned their backs to avoid being photographed. Both Geisha were stunning.