Photos by: Emory MBAs
Edited by: Don Hansen (IG: @_donhansen)
When we last discussed all things Japan, we were talking Tokyo Tower, Kobe beef, planes, trains, cars, and all that other stuff….
What we hadn’t really discussed was shopping, which is an excellent segue into Kyoto!
At this point, we are many days into my experience, and typically, this is the point where segmentation happens on a group trip. Cliques have formed around shared interests, and there are no hard feels (as the kids say) about it.
We left Kobe and caught a bus that was heading to Kyoto, but on the way, we stopped in Osaka and went to Ichiban Market. We were told that this was a great place for shopping. What we were not told is that phrase is code for droves of people.
The Market was open, and the aroma of street food filled the air. I’m adventurous when it comes to food so the ‘eat first ask questions later’ method was in full effect. We ate:
-Takoyaki (Squid Balls) – Not my thing
-More Ramen – Totally my thing
-More Kobe Beef – Definitely my thing
It was a really cool scene and was actually the first time we ran into Americans on the trip. I had a great time exploring, but I also got the most stares I’ve ever gotten in life, needless to say #awkward lol.
We left Osaka and made a push for Kyoto so that we could make our next company tour.
This company served as a fundamental shift in the types of organizations that we were visiting. Initially, this trip was about Sake. Sake is alcohol, and alcohol is a vast percentage of my body composition, so we are good.
Now we were focusing on textiles, which gets to one of my passions – design. I won’t belabor the post by equivocating on my deep passion for color splotches but I will say these two things:
-The company had machines that wove the textiles; this was not a wow moment. What was astonishing is that they still had a full staff of people that hand-wove their highest quality textiles using looms that are older than your grandma’s grandma.
-The Japanese are intentional in everything that they do, which is to say if they do it, THEY DO IT WELL!!!
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get great shots of the work, but if you have a few extra moments check out Kawashima Selkon and let me know what you think.
After we left the textile company, we went to check-in to our hotel. This was no ordinary hotel, we were staying in a Ryokan, which is a traditional Japanese hotel. It was a great experience; to describe it in a few words, it’s like having a sleepover at your grandma’s house with all of your cousins and no beds.
-We slept on palettes (multiple feather duvet covers)
-You had to take your shoes off before you entered the room
-There was a shower room in your bedroom, but you have the option to go to the Sentō which is a community bath
-Somehow it’s the best experience of your life.
The following day was all about tradition. We went to a local vendor, rented kimonos, and toured the city. My favorite stops on the tour were Higashiyama Temple and Nishiki Market. The temple was super serene, and in true American fashion, we tried to do the New Freezer challenge. Needless to say, the acoustic semblances of Rich the Kid (the album is fire) could not be appreciated under such conditions, and the challenge was frowned upon so we stopped. However, this did open the door for appreciating the breathtaking scenery. In the end, I was thankful to be in such a sacred place.
Nishiki market could be characterized as a market that provides the full spectrum. Within a mile stretch, you have everything from the dollar store to Gucci. Also, this was the point where I realized that personal space was not a thing in Japan. When your population is as dense as theirs, how could it be?
Our final night in Kyoto was spent enjoying a group dinner at the Ryokan, which included Japanese hot pot and bottomless alcohol – beer, sake, whiskey, & vodka.
Kyoto was dope, and if you’re looking for a more chill vibe it’s a really great place to be engulfed in Japanese culture.
Lemme know your thoughts and as always…
To a Life Worth Living,
The Wkender.
