Gion is the ‘cultural heart’ of Kyoto, which is the ‘cultural heart’ of Japan. It’s one of the only places left where seeing a Geisha hurrying from one teahouse to another is not uncommon. We decided we’d go there at night to go to a place called Gion Corner, where there is a one hour show of Japanese music and arts. We got on the wrong bus though and it took us about an hour to get there so we missed the show.
We (Jo, Brooke and Joanna, my dorm-mates), decided that seeing as we were there, we’d go for a wander. Whilst we were going down one of the streets we were ambushed by a Japanese Businessman shouting ‘Gajin’ (Foreigner). He invited us (lit: read ‘us’ ‘blonde haired female and friends’), to a karaoke bar which we (quite stupidly) accepted. The bloke was quite drunk and sung some Karaoke songs and bought us some drinks but Joanna (and the rest of us) decided it was getting a bit dodgy (the guy called me a ‘Hansamu Prinsu’ which I would have been flattered with in different circumstances, as well as throwing compliments at the females of the party, coupled with the fact that Joanna’s drink of wine was gigantic), so we made up an excuse and left.
When we got back to o youth hostel the living area was closed up for the night but we all thought we needed to have a bit of a drink. So we headed down to Lawson, a 24 hour deli that sells alcohol, and sat out the front drinking for a while watching the world go by and getting some really strange looks. All in all quite a strange night. No more going to Karaoke bars with salarymen for me.
