Day 9 - 5/21/18 Celebrations

Day 9 - Monday: Kiyomizu Temple and Dinner for a King

It was a spectacularly clear day, and after a slow start (and laundry), we realized we needed to get out and take advantage of the beautiful weather. We rustled up some leftover lunch (dumplings and eel) and with only a half day at our disposal, headed off to the last Temple on the Eastern hills that was on our "must see" list.
Kiyomizu is a much beloved shrine for the Japanese with its towering vistas and western views of Kyoto. It is believed that the gods there have the power to give courage to people starting out on a quest or difficult journey. When one starts out on a dangerous journey, the Japanese will often liken it to "stepping off the front porch of Kiyamisu."  Perhaps not accidentally, the site was packed on this sunny hot day: young couples in kimonos walking hand in hand, school children in spotless uniforms who would bow and clap to the gods of the Shinto shrines within, and what looked like military personnel in crisp cotton uniforms. And Pat and Rich who were about to meet the President of Doshisha University of Kyoto and other high level personnel for dinner.

Kiyumizu, under renovation but still impressive.

Approach to Temple

Guardian at the Gates

Temple Bell - About 5 meters Tall

Softer Interior Lights

Gifts left for the Deity

Two soldiers getting purifying water

Women in kimono purifying

The day was stunning

There were many people dressed in traditional garb.  

Kimono 1

Kimono 2

Kimono 2 (from the back)

Kiyomizu when NOT under construction

Approach to the Temple

We got back to our apartment in time to clean up for our welcome dinner downtown with President of Doshisha and several members of his staff. We met Masa and Levi at the gates of Amherst Guest House, and proceeded to take our subway down to the Shijo stop and walk to KINOBU (a traditional Japanese restaurant) http://www.kinobu.co.jp/top_f.html

The meal was unbelievable delicious and everything exquisitely beautiful, and while we felt snapping photos would not go well with the formality of the dinner, we wished we could.
We had our ceremonial exchange of gifts - My giving the President a copy of Emily Dickinson's poetry and a copy of our Olive Oil Book, which he really seemed to love, and he giving me a beautiful fan with a poem by Neesima on the strength of the plum blossom (for Rich and I, this is especially significant as our wedding invites had a plum blossom ink print that I had done on its cover)

This is what we remember of the dinner: 

Japanese rice painting of plum blossom

Course 1: served on a golden platter: marbled fatty tuna, mackerel, a small shrimp with splayed out rainbow colored tail, decorated with a tiny cooked bright orange quails egg yolk and fish liver in a rose and white checkered 3" tall bowl with a small green stem to adorn.

Course 2: served in a black laquered covered bowl with gold enameled birds: Eel soup in consome like broth with tiny tied stems, round tender vegetables (burdock?), lotus root

Course 3: tempura shrimp wrapped in tofu skin and circled with nori wrap, tempura vegetables with one perfect bright green sudamame bean

Course 4: sushi round 2 tender young squid, octopus, yellow tail tuna, perillo leaves, bamboo shoots

Course 5: served in a bamboo woven bowl for the rice and a covered bowl for the soup, miso soup with side rice adorned with little peppercorns, side dish of pickled vegetable egglpant and cucumber

Course 6: watermelon glace with peach foam and ginger ice cream with balsamic glaze.