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If you look at it from a car, everything in Kyoto is static. However, if you stop and linger, you will be able to perceive the rhythm of the flow. If you stop, you can hear the water gurgling, see the trees, and a bird gathering its breath on the water.
Food portions are small and light, suitable for small eaters; roads, rooms, furniture, cars, appliances, all small, just right, suitable for small people; days are like carriages, walking evenly on their own track, not too slow, not scrambling, suitable for people who hate competition.
After checking the Internet for information, I realized that this little bird railing was made by Sunpole, a Japanese flagpole production company, and is available throughout Japan, called “ピコリーノ (Italian for little things)”. In addition to blocking cars from being able to enter, it was originally designed to prevent children from sitting on the railing and falling off. Near Enoshima Station in Kanagawa Prefecture, there was once a grandmother who was afraid that the birds on the railings would get cold and knitted clothes for them for 22 years in a row.
The Japanese seem to have a special fondness for birds.
This may be related to the worship of birds since ancient times. The crow has always been a lucky bird in Japan, and it often appears in fables with a cute face. According to the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Events) and the Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan), Emperor Jimmu was guided out of a difficult situation by a three-legged crow on his way to conquer Nara in the east. As a result, the crow became the supreme god bird in the minds of the people. In temples and shrines, crows are everywhere and are not afraid of people.
Torii, the symbol of Japanese shrines, is the gateway to the divine realm in every shrine. According to legend, Amaterasu Omikami (the sun god) hid in a cave for some reason, and the earth was deprived of light as a result. In order to draw her out, a high wooden frame was built and all the roosters were allowed to stand on it and crow, thus giving the frame the name “torii”.
Not to mention, there are various bird-loving associations in Japan. I've written about Felissimo, a Japanese moe production company, and they have a department called “Bird Department” that develops bird peripheral products.
There are also bird sounds that can be heard everywhere. For example, many of the announcements at subway stations and traffic light announcements use bird sounds.
🤗 livehouse 磔磔
The livehouse I stumbled into in Kyoto was also related to the sound of birds. It was located near Shijo in Kyoto, and its name was “jerki jerki (pronounced the same as tetsu)”, which means the sound of a bird's call and corresponds to the English word takutaku, and it was hidden in a small road near the corner. When I passed by that day, I saw a wooden house deep in the parking lot, the door was closed, but there were several people gathered in a crowd and it was very lively.
I asked, what's happening here?
A young girl enthusiastically came over to talk to me, but she didn't speak much English, so she danced around and talked for a long time. It was only then that I understood that this was a livehouse, but it was booked for the night.
Check Facebook for information on their shows, and you can walk-in without a reservation for a 2,000 yen ticket plus 600 yen for a drink.
The day before we left, we made an impromptu decision to go to a show and open a blind box. The show was two hours long, with two bands, one on top and one on the bottom. The first band was pop and the second was rock, and they were said to be local Kyoto bands that I hadn't even heard of, but both bands were very professional and committed to their live performances. Many of the audience members looked like regulars, coming in their work clothes right after work, while others were sitting around a table with their friends. There was seating available and a no-premium meal was offered.
The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of tearing off the limbs of the limbs, and the walls of the house are covered with huge posters of musicians such as Los Lobos, Screaming Jay Hawkins, The Staples Singers, and John Lee Hooker. the original building was once a factory for storing liquor, and is therefore a wooden structure. in 1974, it was converted from a tea store into a bar. In 1974, it was converted from a teashop into a bar that also hosted bands. Hiromu Mizushima, then 23 years old, became the manager, and now, at the age of 72, has been succeeded by his son Hiroshi Mizushima, 43, as the second-generation manager.
Starting from 1979's, jerki jerki initially gathered young people who liked music. Later, the blues boom of the 70s, the punk new wave of the 80s, and the band boom of the 90s took place here. Although the maximum capacity of this venue is 300 people, since the 2000s, many big bands have chosen this venue for their tours in Kyoto. In the last decade or so, Harumi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi and Jun Togawa have all played here.
Chance encounters seem to be more pleasurable. I am very close to the stage and occasionally meet the musicians' eyes. The music culture in Japan is obviously more civilian than at home. For musicians, there are more opportunities for live performances; for music lovers, there are more opportunities to enjoy live music.
After the show, the musicians and crew sat down to eat and chat.
Since I ran out of cash, I went to a convenience store to get money and bought their 50th anniversary T-shirt as a souvenir.
The podcast “World in a Day” has talked about the importance that the Japanese place on spoken word culture. I think this might also explain why they like music, birdsong, and the sound of water (like the sound of lock-higi fishing from the eaves of a house). It's not surprising that they like birds that are marked by their sound.
🤗 Slow down and eat a piece of tofu
The Japanese are notorious for their love of tofu.
Yasujiro Ozu has a saying: I am a tofu seller, so I only make tofu (僕はトウフ屋だからトウフしか作らない). This sentence can become his famous words, but also because tofu in the hearts of the overall Japanese have a distinct image: light and simple, but healthy and nutritious; the original flavor, low-key and unobtrusive, but richly layered, varied; the production process, slowly, but speaks of the care of the Japanese craftsmen.
The richness in simplicity, this is the Japanese tofu gives me the impression.
When I was in Kyoto, I made it a point to visit the tofu restaurant in front of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, right next to the bus stop. I also went to the January Kitano Tenmangu Shrine market that day, and ended up just in time for the tofu restaurant to close, but luckily the retail stall selling tofu was still open.
I tried the desserts such as soymilk, tofu pudding, and tofu yogurt separately, and the flavor and texture were truly unlike anything I've ever tasted before. Apparently, these are modern product innovations made on traditional tofu, which are easy to carry around, and spices such as brown sugar and honey are added to enrich the flavor. Tofu yogurt is different from yogurt made from milk, with a denser texture, a spoonful scooped up to be shredded like cheese, and a refreshingly acidic flavor with the aroma of plant protein.
The more traditional tofu restaurants serve courtly dishes. When I came out of Nanzenji Temple, I was tired and hungry and couldn't find public transportation, so I went to a tofu restaurant down the road and sat down. The set menus here start at 3,000 to 4,000 yen a piece, which isn't a bad price, but it's very generous. Various types of plates and bowls were filled with various forms of tofu, and I ate it in one gulp, not knowing what it was, but just thinking it was delicious.
It's amazing that they can make so many fancy foods with just one ingredient, soybeans.
According to statistics from the Japan Soybean Association, in 2018, Japanese people consumed about 61.4 grams of soybean products on average per day. In comparison, according to the Dietary Nutrition Report for Residents of Selected Provinces and Cities released in May 2020, the average daily intake per capita in Zhejiang Province, which is the “favorite place to eat tofu,” was just 19 grams.
Historically, tofu was first introduced to Japan from China. In the beginning, tofu was the food of monks in monasteries, so in the Edo period, tofu was especially famous around the temples in Kyoto. It was only later that tofu spread to neighborhoods and more popular areas.
I found the names of the various types of tofu I ate in “Tofu Hundred Treasures,” which was published in the Edo period (and reprinted in an organized manner by later generations). For example, tamagoyaki is tofu skewered on bamboo sticks and simply grilled with a smear of miso or soy sauce.
According to “The Heart of Wagashi” written by Yoshihiro Murata, the god of Japanese kaiseki cuisine, Japan is blessed with an abundance of soft water from many rivers rarely found in the world, and “water” has become the foundation of Japanese cuisine. In Shinto, water is a symbol of purity. Soft water is the best way to make high-quality tofu.
🤗 Pause and stretch
When I was in Tokyo, the itinerary was always easily packed and the amount of information came crashing down on me at all times. In Kyoto, on the other hand, time slowed down and I decided not to go to the spots that social media told me to hit up. The girls here are also different from those in Tokyo, with more veiled faces and fewer hidden glasses.
I decided to try Mysore Kyoto, a yoga studio mentioned in Mango's “ Mysore Kyoto Soup Tour”, because I had to wake up early for the morning class, and considering my physical condition and sleep, I chose to drop in at 11 a.m., with no reservation required.
Mysore Kyoto is in a neighborhood near Nijo, Kyoto, across the street from a children's playground. The yoga studio is on the second floor of a detached house, with no mirrors, tatami mats, and a corridor between two large yoga classes connected by a small patio-like courtyard. So in the classroom, one could see the sky.
That morning, there were only three students in the large yoga classroom, and besides me, two other middle-aged local ladies rustled around and talked to the teacher, who seemed to have been practicing here for a long time.
Yoga classes are said to be one of the few occasions where you can directly see the curves of a Japanese woman's body. Traditionally, Japanese women always used to hide their bodies with clothing. However, I also think that Japan is very suitable for practicing yoga because most of the rooms require shoes to be taken off, and people are also used to sitting on the floor with their bodies connected to the ground.
On the floor, I always unconsciously stretch my body and release my feet. Sit quietly and stay with your body for a while.
The yoga teacher is gentle and leads slowly with Japanese commands. Doesn't give me more attention because I'm a foreigner.
Halfway through practice, it rained. The rain fell on the rocks, leaves, and pool in the small yard. Listening to the sound of the rain made my heart feel quiet.
We recommend two porcelain stores near Mysore Kyoto, Sake and Utsuwaya Saisai.
After yoga, you can also take time to visit the nearby Nijo-koya coffee shop. Tucked away in an alleyway, it's a small place to sit, but the feeling of space is such that you can't help but relax. Although the walls and windows show signs of age, the utensils and bar are neatly organized.
The owner is the only person in the store, and if there are many people coming, they will be hand-powered one by one, in order of priority. He does not talk to customers, just quietly doing things, grinding beans, brewing. We don't say a word. Patiently waiting for the arrival of a cup of coffee.
As Shu Guozhi wrote, “As a layman in Kyoto, I can't bear not to walk. If I didn't walk, I wouldn't be able to see too many beautiful sights.
As a layman in Kyoto, I need to walk slowly and stay long.
- Author:japan guides
- URL:https://japan-guides.com/article/culture-123
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