Saturday afternoon in Miyagawa-cho was a quiet affair, Okaasan relaxing in the sun by the Okiya, Neesan Hatsu sat on the dock studying and me playing the flute that I have had since childhood, providing haunting melodies to study and relax by.
In the background there is our Yagura as we get the market place ready in preparation for Bon Odori.
Miyagawa-cho is becoming quite busy at times as more and more people discover that we are here and running out of the alleyways often sees me bumping unceremoniously into a new face as I work my way around town, making sure that gates are locked, the street outside the Okiya is swept clean and Oscar the owl is safely perched on his rock. That owl sleeps less than I do.
Yesterday marked my first full month as Shikomi, a role I am enjoying more and more as I learn new things and it all begins to sink in. Life becomes easier as I resign myself to the fact that this is my new home and Gion becomes engraved on my heart. I never expected it to have such a huge effect on me, nor did I expect to meet so many people and find so many new friends.
Now that I have been given permission to leave the Okiya and look around accompanied by my Sisters from Hanafusa and well, I guess I could call them half Sisters, from Mitsuhana, I am finding some beautiful places, The problem is that they are all so relaxing that it makes me want to lie down and sleep rather than study, so I try not to do too much wandering.
I still find myself in the occasional spot of trouble for things like sitting on the grass and writing my name in the sand of the Zen garden, but in general I'm improving. I think.
mata ne
Hikaru
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