May 15, 2000 - Monday
Today was another great day. I went to bed a bit late, but I managed to get enough
sleep! In the morning I showered and got dressed. I couldn't decide what to wear
for my outing so I decided to wear a long dress. I thought that maybe the place
we were going to was a bit formal, so I'd be advised to dress up. But, in actual fact, both
Shimi and her friend wore pants!
Shimi picked me up right on time and we drove to Sakata. We met her friend and then
went to the restaurant. It was called Somaro and was a very traditional restaurant.
We had something Shimi said that it was a Maiko Bento. It was served in an old-fashioned box, with rice and miso soup. It was great. I felt bad because I couldn't kneel
during the meal, but Shimi didn't either, so it wasn't too much of a faux pas!
After lunch we toured the restaurant. It was amazing. It was an old warehouse.
There were tiny little rooms with low roofs, Japanese gardens, beautiful scrolls
and pottery. There was also a Hina doll display. Just wonderful. Later, I visited
the gift shop and bought myself a bookmark, a couple of handkerchiefs and a tissue holder.
Shimi's friend was off visiting the Maiko (She used to be one, and knew the other
Maiko) so we had coffee in the coffee room. There were some beautiful ink paintings
of bamboo on the walls. I wish I could have painted them!
Then, the performance was about to start. We went back upstairs and took our cushions.
A lady told us all about the traditions of the house, but unfortunately I didn't
understand any of it, except "no flash photography"! Then an older lady came in
with a shamisen and began to tune it. Next, the Maiko appeared. They looked so beautiful.
They had white faces, black wigs with pretty hair ornaments, and lovely kimonos.
One was in red and the other was in green and white. When the older lady began
to sing with the dance I was a bit worried, because I don't often like traditional Japanese
singing, but maybe I'd never heard good singing before? She was old and her voice
was cracking but it somehow added to the magic of the performance. The dancing was
cool. I'm sure that there were meanings behind some of the movements, but I missed
some of that. It was different dancing than I ever studied!
The Maiko danced 3 songs, then we could go and have our pictures taken with them.
"What are Maiko?" I can hear my friends back home ask. I think (please correct me
if I'm wrong someone) that they are like apprentice Geisha. They were beautiful.
Shimi dropped her friend off near her apartment and we drove back to Tsuruoka. I
was supposed to start packing, but I didn't. I took a bit of a nap, then finally
roused myself. In the evening I did in fact start packing. I've one big box of
clothes packed and two smaller book boxes done.
In a bit I'll be going to bed. It was another great day today. I wish I could pack
my boxes by magic like Sabrina!!
Night all....
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