Cobbled Streets and A Delicate Topic

2 November 2011

     Mild weather continues.  So I decided to walk through Eastern Gion and Higashiyama,  a district of shrines (notably Yasaka where the photo above shows what most Japanese like to do at the shrines, which is offer a prayer and ring the bell or gong - actually the reverse order).  There are many lovely narrow streets, some paved with flagstones.  Ninenzaka (two year slope) and Sannenzaka (three year slope) are in a preservation district (see above photo to appreciate the beauty of the neighborhood).  Local legend says that a slip on either of these streets will bring 2 or 3years bad luck (I escaped such a fate this time).

     Now, about toilets.  I speak only for ladies' rooms.  First you have to find them.  They are a wide range of technology.  The simplest are squatting toilets, which I did finally realize have a right and a wrong way of use.  And in case Japanese women are confused about western toilets, I found a sign in one which gave explicit directions.  Have you ever considered squatting on a toilet seat?  I really don't find traditional toilets so easy on the knees, and if you have on a back pack it can throw your balance off.  At the other extreme are the beautiful Toto toilets with heated and sanitized seats, multiple buttons for washing in all sorts of ways and for all lengths of time, and even a button that makes fake flushing sounds lest someone else have an idea what you are doing.  Many public restrooms seem to have a few of each type.  Alas, in our apartment no heated toilet seat, but at least it's not a squatting type!

     OK, I promise to get back to more refined topics next time.

With lots of love