Old School, New School

Whenever we take CJ to the potty, he asks if the bathroom is old school or new school, referring to the squat toilet and Western toilets in the public bathrooms. The toilets are an example of how Japan seems to blend old and new seamlessly into everyday life.

We see it everywhere. In the depato (department stores), consumers can purchase the latest fashions, high end cosmetics and perfumes, the best Japanese, American and European brands. But each depato that I've ever visited also has a floor devoted to Japanese kimono and arts and crafts. And, the age old tradition of greeting customers at the beginning and end of the business day continues to this day. It works like this: when the depato open for the day, the employees line up at the entrance in two rows and bow to the first customers of the day. The same custom is honored at the end of the day, as the employees say good-bye to the customers. It's incredible to see.

On Tuesday night, we visited the Gion district of Kyoto. Gion is famous as the geisa district and known for its teahouses, theaters and shops. Gion could be another tourist area in any major city in the world, until you reach the geisha quarter, where old, wooden buildings house restaurants, small hotels, and shops. Some of the buildings do not have English signage and we were told that many of the establishments where the geisha perform are not open to the non-Japanese without a special introduction from a valued customer. In the midst of the crowds, we saw beautifully made up and dressed geisha hurrying about, trying to be gracious to the crowds gawking at them and popping flashes in their faces.

Finally, you see old and new in the ryokan hotel where we stayed our first two nights in Kyoto. Ryokan are traditional Japanese guesthouses. During our visit to Edomura, we learned that the first ryokan were established during the early Tokugawa period for travelers; prior to the ryokan, travelers slept in open fields or barns. Ryokan hotels are modern structures, but they have traditional rooms with tatami mats, futon and low tables for enjoying a cup of tea. Traditional ryokans tend to be outside the city limits and are housed in older, traditional structures. Ryokan are famous for the public bath areas where men and women (separated) can enjoy a soak in a large, heated bath. Both mornings at the ryokan, I got up early to shower and soak in the women's bath. I had the place to myself and the steam, hot water and sound of water were a great way to start the day.