曲水の宴: The Meandering Stream- A Day in Heian


Kyokusui no Utage is an event held every year in Takata. It is a day in which the old poetry parties of the Heian Period of Japan are reenacted for spectators. I went as part of a school assignment. 

During class last week, I heard about an event, Kyokusui no Utage, happening in Takata today, and since it was a holiday from school, Erin and I decided to make the journey to check it out.

Takata is south of Kyoto, and there is not much in the town that is noteworthy. There is a large second-hand shop with excellent prices on furniture and rare and unusual things (I found a banned copy of Little Black Sampo for $2) and also a sento (which we didn’t end up going to). Amidst the buildings and small plots of farmland in the middle of the town, there is a large park, in which a child’s baseball game was going on. Just beyond that was the temple where Kyokusui no Utage was happening.

Erin and I decided to explore the temple a little bit before heading over to the main attraction, and I bought Nicky a small pendant of a samurai rowing a boat that was actually a miso bowl, since she wasn’t able to come with us due to work.

Seeing there was nothing of actual notable quality at this temple, we headed over to the event, that was entirely too overcrowded, unfortunately. As well, after having experienced the parade at Kitano Tenman Gu and Kyoto Costume Gallery, I wasn’t overly impressed by the event. In all honesty, it was rather boring, so I got a few obligatory photos before Erin and I slipped off to the gardens. The garden had a tea house, and palm trees... and American grass. Again, not overly impressed.

We left shortly after, spending some time in the recycle shop once more before making our way back to Kyoto. I think, in the future, I’ll stay in the Kyoto area for such small festivals. Haha!