song of the caged bird
I was at Sensei's house one time, and his son, and some of his son's friends, were studying in the kitchen. Sensei asked my then-roommate and I if we would come downstairs so that the kids could try their English on us; we agreed. We went downstairs and answered their questions in our best slow, clear English-teacher voices. I don't remember most of them save the last; they asked us, "what is your favorite place in Kyoto?"
My flatmate said Kiyomizudera, a beautiful temple perched on the mountains to the east of the city. It's the obvious choice, of course: the buildings and grounds are beautiful, there's a view of the city, the temples and relics are old and significant, they illuminate the cherry blossoms in the spring and the maple trees in the autumn, there is a perpetually-flowing spring of pure water you can drink right out of the ground. The road up the mountain is through a charming old district; the shops have been catering to tourists for hundreds of years. The great stage of Kiyomizudera is a miracle of engineering, built without a single nail. It floats among the trees, and catches a refreshing breeze even in the stickiest Kyoto summer. There are fun festivals there; it even boasts credible wisteria which grow on trellises and shade benches where pilgrims can rest. There are charming eateries tucked among the groves of trees beneath the temple. Maiko and geisha regularly come to visit in full regalia, since it is the patron temple of one of Kyoto's "flower towns."
Everyone nodded when my roommate gave her answer; clearly Kiyomizudera is one of the most wonderful places in Kyoto.
Then it was my turn, and I had to think. What place in Kyoto could compare to Kiyomizudera's virtues?
"This house," I said.
xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx
I have no skill at art whatsoever, but I doodle for fun, and thought I might as well put up a few of my slightly-more-credible scribbles. Behind a cut to protect your eyes. Primary mediums are pencil (my favorite cheap-ass Bic mechanicals) and colored pencils.
Due to a misspent youth I can do decent horse heads, so long as they're in profile.
Also I like birds.
And boats.
See?
This is a half-finished never-will-be-finished illustration from an ill-advised Saiunkoku fanfic idea I once had.
I like monsters. Also, a friend of mine made me wonderful tassel earrings.
I also think dinosaurs are cool. Although technically this is a Brontosaurus and thus a mythical creature. One of my favorites, though.
I really like birds, okay?
And feathers.
In sepia!
My flatmate said Kiyomizudera, a beautiful temple perched on the mountains to the east of the city. It's the obvious choice, of course: the buildings and grounds are beautiful, there's a view of the city, the temples and relics are old and significant, they illuminate the cherry blossoms in the spring and the maple trees in the autumn, there is a perpetually-flowing spring of pure water you can drink right out of the ground. The road up the mountain is through a charming old district; the shops have been catering to tourists for hundreds of years. The great stage of Kiyomizudera is a miracle of engineering, built without a single nail. It floats among the trees, and catches a refreshing breeze even in the stickiest Kyoto summer. There are fun festivals there; it even boasts credible wisteria which grow on trellises and shade benches where pilgrims can rest. There are charming eateries tucked among the groves of trees beneath the temple. Maiko and geisha regularly come to visit in full regalia, since it is the patron temple of one of Kyoto's "flower towns."
Everyone nodded when my roommate gave her answer; clearly Kiyomizudera is one of the most wonderful places in Kyoto.
Then it was my turn, and I had to think. What place in Kyoto could compare to Kiyomizudera's virtues?
"This house," I said.
xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx xOx
I have no skill at art whatsoever, but I doodle for fun, and thought I might as well put up a few of my slightly-more-credible scribbles. Behind a cut to protect your eyes. Primary mediums are pencil (my favorite cheap-ass Bic mechanicals) and colored pencils.
Due to a misspent youth I can do decent horse heads, so long as they're in profile.
Also I like birds.
And boats.
See?
This is a half-finished never-will-be-finished illustration from an ill-advised Saiunkoku fanfic idea I once had.
I like monsters. Also, a friend of mine made me wonderful tassel earrings.
I also think dinosaurs are cool. Although technically this is a Brontosaurus and thus a mythical creature. One of my favorites, though.
I really like birds, okay?
And feathers.
In sepia!
