Today we visited the Takabayashi Family, which I was excited for as I had been reading about them for the past week. I was nervous at the thought of a Noh Workshop, because quite frankly I’m not good at coordinating my limbs, but as you’ll find later on that wasn’t a real concern. We had to leave out quite early so we would wait outside for the exact minute our workshop was booked. We were told to bring along Tabi, as we would not be allowed on the Noh Stage. This is due to the fact that the oils produced by human skin will deteriorate the Cyprus over time, aswell as there being a ritualistic aspect to it. I also wore stirruped leggings, so that my leggings would not roll up to reveal any skin.
The Takabayashi Senior was graciously let us take photos of the Noh masks the family had in their possession. Of their masks the old man mask was their oldest, while the others were more recently made. We learnt a lot about the masks, which he made me excited for our mask and costume workshop! Apparently human masks have square eyeslots in the back, while nonhuman masks have circular ones. The reason being that nonhuman characters tend to move with 
more vigor and variety, and a Noh performer would need more visibility so as to not hurt themself. I forgot to ask, but now I’m interested in why Noh masks are made with little visibility in the first place. Maybe to aid the performer in detaching themself from the audience, as Takabayashi Senior mentioned that as Noh Performers, their performance is a ritual that will happen regardless of the audiences presence or not.
We also learnt about the hair pieces that are donned along with the masks, with yak hair being used as it lasts a good 50 years, and it is the right texture, length and colour. There are however some characters that require the use of human hair. One such character is the jealous woman mask, as the hair brings warmth and passion to the actor. Sourcing the human hair has been an issue recently as in olden times it was popular for Japanese women to wear their hair long. Now they import them from Vietnam, but even that source has waned over time.
I found the family very insightful, granting us a glimpse into a life of meticulous practice and honing of a skill that on the surface seems quite simple, but truly majestic when viewed up close. I recommend watching a Noh play upfront if you can! When Takabayashi Junior was performing Iwafune, the way he sped across the floor at the final moment made me jump, but also while it sounds cliche, sent chills up my spine. I want to acknowledge just how generous the family was in welcoming us into their theatre and allowing us to wear their masks, and to take photos of them and as Takabayashi Junior jest, post on Facebook and Instagram. I was especially surprised they allowed us to wear the masks, and I got to try on a demon mask, as pictured to the side. Also, I’m wearing a shirt I got, it says “prickle prickle” because there’s a hedgehog. I really like hedgehogs.
Before I forget, one of the more interesting aspects of our visits was the fact that the Takabayashi Family has their own in home theatre. Specifically they have a stage of approximately the same size of a Noh stage, along with the bridge that connects to their actual home. I liked this layout, as it actualized the aspect of tradition and the familial Noh lineage for me. This is more than a day job, but a way of life, and an integral part of their home, both in a abstract sense and in a quite literal “there is a Noh stage in our backyard connected to our house”. They described that the stages floorboards aid them in positioning themselves during their act, as most times they are unable to use their eyes to place themselves.
After our visit to the Takabayashi Family was over, a group of us went to Arashiyama to see the bamboo forest. That was exciting for me, as I grew up in a bamboo thicket, 
but one of a different breed. The bamboo back home were small in circumference, grew in larger clusters, and were so light that they bent into one another at the tree tops, creating a arches. They are also the most vivid green you’ll ever see, at the atmosphere is quite warm and sunny. While I secretly love my bamboo forest (and the nostalgia that comes with it) I was still impressed by the one we visited, and I liked it for different reasons. The bamboo here are larger, spread apart, grow straight and are a dull green. They created a more eerie effect, which of course wasn’t helpt by how cold it was. It made the stroll more somber, but also more reflective and I appreciated that a lot.I was more excited to see the Garden, and wished I had spent less time in the Tenryuji temple and more in its garden. I guess the Temple didn’t really impress me as much because it felt similar to Nijo 
Castle, and I lack the architectural eye to spot the differences, or the cultural reference to understand the gravity of the temples roles. In contrast The garden was an entirely different view and one I appreciated a lot. It was really beautiful, and there were Koi fish floating around enjoying their lives, having a good time being happy, fat, fish. It’s the little things that count, like knowing there are fat fish enjoying their lives nearby. I didn’t get to take much pictures after that as my DSLR’s battery died! Another reason why I liked the garden, that distiniguished it from Nijo Castle’s garden was the more rustic/feudal style steps that were employed. The Nijo Castle had more modern, I assume to be laser cut, or atleast with a more precise mechanism, formed steps. However this garden had steps that were crude in form, but was in my opinion
more attractive and realistic. I think as a group we really enjoyed the walk up the hill. Here is a photo of the guys hoofing it up to the top. After the forest I got a gold ice cream, a little pricey but it was an experience I really wanted. I also got a squishy Shiba plush, he is so soft and cuddly, like a marshmallow. After that I came back to the shopping center near our Hostel and got lost a little bit, but also I got souvenirs for friends from Daiso. I got an assortment of sushi themed keychains for everybody I knew, and some socks. Once again, it’s the little things that count. I then found my way back home.
