greek - faqjapan.com

TheKaleidoscope Museum is literally a museum with a twist. There are fifty differentKaleidoscopes on display, from a growing collection of about 150. Some are very valuable, crafted by famous artists from around the world. I learn thatthe word kaleidoscope comes from the Greek words,Kalosmeaning beautiful,Eidosmeaning form, andscopesmeaning to look at. To look at beautiful forms.nThe museum has kaleidoscopes that you can freely pick up and use. Some are very well crafted, others are made out of plastic drink bottles. My favourite is one that is also a music box, playing a tune whilst the images turnbefore my eyes. There is also a little shop selling kaleidoscopes, kits and key chains. The total cost is 300. What a great way to start the day. Sadly, no photography is allowed, and I am constantly followed around by a member of staff. I manage to photograph the inside of aKaleidoscopewhen she is notlooking.nnnnnAfter the museum I walk for fifteen minutes, crossing the river, toYoboji Temple. I thought it was only fair that my first temple is aNichiren Buddhist one; the schoolof Buddhism I am familiar with. The Temple was built in 1548. It was actually a rebuilding of two temples that had previously occupied the area but had been burnt to the ground two years previous.nIn 1536 the warrior-monks of Mount Hiei attacked the city. They burntdown all 21 of the Nichiren Buddhist head temples in Kyoto as well as the whole southern half of the city and a good portion of the northern half. This event is known as the Tenmon Persecution. The temple itself israther quaint.nnNot far from Yoboji Temple, I stumble into a Paper and Printing Item Shop. The gallery is tiny, and there is a woman sitting at the desk, watching my every move. I am tempted topull out my camera and grab a photograph of one of the ornamental fans, or origami animals,but to avoid any hassle, I dont bother.nI decide to visit a shrine next. The road I walk down has various temples and shrines, plenty of walking routes, maps, and bus stops. You can literally shrine hop by taking the bus if you are lazy. I prefer to walk though, and I dont really want to see more than one temple and shrine a day. It can be a bittoo much to take in. I walk up perhaps fifty concrete steps to get toAwata-jinga Shrine. Before entering, I take part in thepurificationritual.nnThis tradition of cleansing is done before entering a sacred space. The basin here has an ironic water-breathingdragon. The dragon also supplies the water needed for the ritual. I willadmit that this is one of the nicest purification basins I have seen at a Shinto Shrine. I wash my left hand, then my right hand, then my mouth.nAwata-jinga Shrine was built in 794 AD. It specialises in the prevention of illness. Inside the shrine, someone is noisily using an electric saw. It ruins the moment for me. The shrine itself though is very nice to look at. I leave back down the fifty or so stairs, then along a road lined with traditional Japanese style houses.nnDowntown Kyoto is packed full of tourists; here to look at theshrines, temples, museums, galleries, restaurants, and souvenir shops that Kyoto is famous for. I see three cat cafs and one dog caf. I buya can of cold coffee from a vending machine. It is one of those machines that offer a prize if it lands on triple sevens. It does! I win any drink I want, naturally, I choose the second can of Coffee Boss Rainbow Blend.nIt is mid-afternoon and I fancy a small bite to eat. With it being 35C, I decide to remain in the cool shade of the shopping arcade. I see a sign for a vegan and organic caf. As I walk into the caf, every other patron says, Hello.Inside, I take a seat and order a vegan quiche set meal.nnMy food promptly arrives. Vegan quiche, salad with a delicious vinaigrette, aramekin of squash, chickpeas and pepper. Served with leak, cabbage and mushroom soup;and glasses of cold water and cold green tea.918 for the lot. If I wasnt full, I would happily eatanother slice of quiche, it was delicious.nOutside the caf, a guy on a bicycle whizzes past blasting on an air horn; the shopping arcade has a strict no vehicles policy, including no riding bicycles. A little further along, I bump into a televisioncrew. They are filming people and asking them why they like eating crpes. I consider taking part, butI dont really eat crpes.nnBack at the hostel, I sit on the roof with a can of Highball and make a start on my fifth Haruki Murakami novel. The air has cooled, it is still warm though and the breeze is most welcome. There has been a serious heatwave over the last week in Japan, and it looks like it will continue right up until the weekend.nI read until 8 pm, before heading to a nearby music shop for a free gig. A stage has been erected next to the ukuleles. The band playing are a two-piece folk band. They sound somewhat average. It is nice to see some live music though, although the venue is rather unusual.nMy night endsat the hostel bar, talking to random people withtheir random ideas.nRead the next part of my Journey in Japan, where I visit a golden temple, before going to space byclicking here.

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