Shimogamo Jinja Moon Viewing

On September 14th we hopped on the Keihan train out to Demachiyanagi (in the North-East part of Kyoto) for a wonderful evening of traditional Japan (and then Mexican food). This is the same area as we went for the Gozan-thingy (big burning kanji). Never went out to that area in five years, suddenly i`m there twice in a month. Weird. This time we were invited by our good friends Masako and Ryo (who are engaged now, btw!! Congrats to them!) to attend the harvest moon watching. Lots of people, delicious snacks, traditional dancing and Gagaku music (which Wikipedia tells me means "elegant music" and dates from ancient times. Thank you, Wikipedia. Why did i even go to college?). This inaptly named music (and we are really playing fast and loose with the definition of "music" here) is akin to that buzzing noise that makes people swat wildly around them to crush its source. I make the same sounds by placing a blade of grass between my thumbs and blowing until somebody yells at me to stop, which is immediately. I`ve been told that "The Japanese" have a unique appreciation for the buzz-screech-screaming of the cicadas. This would seem to support that theory. On the plus side there was also some Koto playing (a traditional stringed instrument) that was divine and otherworldly. I am reminded again that Japan is a unique balance of absurd extremes.

The dancing was also less than spectacular, seeming to consist of people hopping from one foot to the other as slowly as possible while holding either sticks or fans, but the bright and imaginative traditional costumes more than made up for it. Maybe i`ve been spoiled by the liveliness of Native Canadian dancing?

After watching the dancing and trying to take dark and blurry photos, we ate some curry sembe crackers and "mitarashi-dango" (rice cakes on sticks with sweet soy sauce syrup). Delicious. Then we had Mexican food at a little place in Kawaramachi that Ryo had been to before. The tables were crazy glass and steel contraptions that looked like they should be in a yuppie`s apartment in Manhattan rather than in a quaint, little second-floor Mexican restaurant. And then the owner picked up his guitar and serenaded us with some Mexican folk songs (in a thick Japanese accent, of course).

We had a great night (and a nice, well-earned nap on the late train back into Osaka) and it was awesome to see Ryo and Masako. Congratulations again to them on their engagement!


Ulala with her new haircut:


The very famous mitarashi-dango shop:


Making mitarashi-dango:


Shinto dance floor:


The moon over the shrine grounds:


Ryo and Masako hangin` with the three-legged crows.
As Ulala so astutely pointed out, "These crows have only three legs!"
The three-legged crow is a sacred symbol of Shimogamo Shrine and, as such, is available on T-shirts and cell-phone ornaments at the gift shop.


Dancing (be thankful you can`t hear the music).


Best costume ever. You can`t really see it in this picture but the detail is magnificent.