June 30
Hi everyone! First I want to briefly talk about class, and then I want to devote the main body of this post to life in Kyoto.
This week, besides continuing on grammar structures (case particles and conjunctive particles etc.), we began reading primary texts! This is really exciting since not only could we put the grammar knowledge into use through 品詞分解, but also the texts themselves are a true literary treasure. We read Hojoki and Ise Monogatari, among which are beautiful Wakas and captivating storylines, even gossips and pun jokes. As I read the texts, I felt like I witnessed the daily life in the Kamakura period.
Alright, enough about academics. Since class is only every morning from Monday to Friday, I have the chance to explore Kyoto city a lot. First of all, Kyoto is really a fantastic place for wasyoku; I had Matcha Parfait, numerous ramen, Kakigouri, but the best two experiences are definitely having a late-night conversation in a tiny Izakaya with local regulars and eating Sukiyaki on top of a Kawadoko while enjoying the picturesque scenery of Kamogawa (Kyoto’s main river). I also did a lot of Gachagacha (toy dispenser), bought a cute Gamaguchi, as well as visiting so many shrines and temples. The city is with modern technology, infrastructure, and international tourism, but also a place with tranquility and serenity of traditional Japanese aesthetics.