Museums and shrines (and bookstores)

As the approaching typhoon Lan ruined tomorrow's Jidai matsuri, there was some talk to go to see the Heian shrine (the end location of the festival's parade)  today. Last I checked the weather forecast, it was supposed to still be nice weather today. Woke up, looked out of the window, and it was pouring. >_> I decided not to let some water bother me and went anyway. Not going to let that *censored* typhoon to destroy all plans, you know. After a quick search of the museums near the shrine I also found Hosomi museum, which specializes in old Japanese art - had a feeling a museum visit might be a good option for a rainy day.

So I took the bus to the district and, as it's Saturday and there's no way I'd get myself out early in the morning, I started by having lunch in a nice soba place I happened to pass. Though first things first: before that I checked out the Tsutaya bookstore that as well happened to be on the way. For once didn't by anything, though I did keep eyeing Sōseki's I am a Cat. I liked the atmosphere of this bookstore. I think it seemed bigger to me than it really was, because of the layout of different rooms. There's also a Starbucks connected to it.

Ok, then I went to eat, and then to the museum. The current exhibition at the Hosomi museum is about mappō, the last age of Buddhism (lit. "the end of law") during which the law of Buddha degenerates. The museum had translated it as apocalypse, but I don't think that's quite the right word for it... though I'm hardly any expert in this matter. And because I'm no expert, and also not quite able to read the Japanese only explanations, I didn't quite realize what all the art they had there had to do with mappō. This didn't matter much, though; I enjoyed the exhibition greatly. So many beautiful things - and old ones. The oldest were from Asuka period, I think, but there was quite a lot from Heian period too.

My favorites were Maruyama Okyo's painting 'Sudden rain over a village' (18th century), and a sutra roll from Kamakura period (1266, to be exact), with chapter 2 of the Lotus sutra. Especially the latter, it was so beautiful. I just stood there and stared at it and wondered how could get it. xD I could have the painting on my wall, too. So lovely, and the haziness of the rain was just masterfully done.

I tried to google for photos (you couldn't, of course, take any there) but didn't yet find either. Maybe I need to go there and buy that book with pics of all exhibition objects. Here's a different picture by Maruyama instead:

After the museum I left for the shrine. Despite the weather, I wasn't the only one there, but there surely were no crowds either. Walked around a bit, decided to leave the garden for a sunnier day. There was some kind of a ceremony going on in the inner sanctuary, I've no idea what it was about. There was a dozen people sitting, in perfectly ordinary modern clothes. I don't know, can you have some private ceremonies at the shrine? maybe it was something like that. I'd have loved to take some pics of the kannushi and miko present, but again, you were not allowed to take photos in that area.

But anywhere where you could take photos, I sure did. Here we go:

Here I was coming to the no-photos area. In the background,  on the left, you see that white and pale blue spot. That's where the ceremony was happening. (This is a small part of bigger, not very sharp pic. Here mainly for the cutest ever little girl. <3)

The torii gate leading to the shrine. I didn't arrive that way, but left by it.

Spotted a building up there on the mountain...

Bookstores! (Part 1?)

Yesterday was my birthday, and I decided that a proper way to celebrate it is, of course, to check out a few bookstores. Right? ^^ So I made myself a plan, and headed out toward the Teramachi street, around which seems to be some kind of a concentration of book and manga stores. (There is another concentration down by the Kyoto station; there some other day.)

The first place I stopped at was a small antiquarian bookstore, Kikuo Shoten. The first thing I noticed inside was the wonderful smell of old books. <3 I was going to photograph all bookstores I go to, but somehow forgot to take a pic of this one.... Here's a googled photo with random Japanese text:

The shelves were full of old Japanese books, but there were also some in western languages. John Batchelor’s The Ainu of Japan from 1892 caught my eye. I considered it long, but in the end, after I was finished with my round, returned to buy it. I guess it is a product of its time, written by a missionary (hence a religious viewpoint) back when colonialism and evolutionism and whatnot were still acceptable and a norm, but I still find the book intriguing. No matter his shortcomings (certain condescension, like talking of children, even when describing them warmly), Batchelor did speak for the ainu. As a side note, I think it’s funny that although he does point out in the book that the hairiness of the ainu is greatly exaggerated and most of them are not a bit more hairy than ordinary Europeans, he has seen it fit to give the book subtitle “the religion, superstitions and general history of the hairy aborigines of Japan”…

(Yes, I know this book is available online for free, but a pretty old book is a pretty old book….)

Next places were quite different from the first one, as I stopped by a couple of manga stores on Teramacahidoori. The first one I just wanted to see, Melonbooks, an otaku paradise, I guess.  Took a look inside and then left, before the exclusively male customers would be too shaken by a gaijin woman among them.

 Approaching...

Then, as I walked by it, Lashinbang, which is a secondhand manga/anime store (though everything seemed pretty new to me?) Lot’s of stuff from CD’s to figurines, but it didn’t feel like my place either, so I didn’t spend a lot time there.

One more manga place: Kikuya shoten, which is apparently the biggest bookstore for anime and manga in Kyoto. It is big enough, in two floors, and I might have explored it more, but I was beginning to get enough of manga stuff at the point.

You couldn't take photos inside, so here's one from outside...

Just by accident I happened to look in passing at some books that had nice-looking spines… and so I’d found Mushishi (蟲師), which is one of my favorite anime. Bought one volume. Next I’ll have to try to read it. At least it has some furigana…

The next place on the list was Maruzen. What a place. I spent so long there. Bought a few books (only in English, though) and a pretty letter set. Let’s see if I write to anyone. :p So many books…!!! Getting picture-heavy here... xD The bookstore's in two floors.

 English manga... mmm, spotting 20th Century Boys there...

Comics in Japanese... Ms. Marvel, the pink one.

 One of the Japanese manga shelves

 Magazines

 English scifi & fantasy! <3 (The next volume on Cherryh's Foreigner series is coming out in beginning of January... I will count on Maruzen to get it.)

 And just one general view of the English section.

The stationery department was pretty convincing as well. Where in Finland do you find a selection like this of writing papers?

I had another antiquarian on my list, but after Maruzen I went to buy the ainu book, and then I was running out of time. Some other day. There sure are many bookstores in Kyoto I’ve not yet seen. 

(And before you wonder, we did go for some drinks in the evening for my birthday too. xD)