Today we switched from pure sightseeing to taking in Japanese culture at a slightly (though not very) deeper level. In the morning we started off at a vast flea market at Toji Temple, where we feasted on fried balls of batter and octopus and roasted slices of yam, and bought a couple of used kimonos for Donna plus a lovely embroidered obi (which, being cultural barbarians that we are, we will probably use as a decorative table runner--it matches one of the Edo era wood block prints which we bought on our previous trip and which hang in our dining room).
In the afternoon we went to Mibudera Temple to watch performances of kyogen, classical comic plays which are only performed 3 times a year. When kyogen are described as "comic" it does not mean Adam Sandler/Jim Carrey kind of comic, but more "less somber than Noh" comic. Kyogen are wordless and alleged to be more accessible than Noh and Kabuki...in which case I'd better drop my ambitions to see Noh. The performances were fascinating (though, alas, no pictures were allowed), and this being a kind of opening day for the April performances, they started with a real bang, a traditional smashing of hundreds of clay plates meant to drive out mistakes and evil spirits.
We're taking the rest of the day easy. Tomorrow we have a couple of more cultural experiences arranged, and will tell you all about them soon.
