Two Crazy Chicks Productions, in association with WorldWildPhotoGraphics and What Am I Going to Tell Your Mother? Productions, is proud to present the second and final episode of The Adventures of Yumiko and Eden in Japan II...
“One’s coming!”
The members of the “Paparazzi Club,” a small group of photographers who have spontaneously joined forces, scramble into position and check their camera settings one last time.
The geisha scurries along the dark, narrow side street toward the theater Flashes fire furiously as she approaches, illuminating her green silk kimono and perfectly made-up white face.
You’ll only get one chance at her, Eden reminds herself, feeling rather like a stalker. So don’t shoot until she steps under the streetlight.
By some estimates, only 200 geisha still inhabit Gion, Kyoto’s best-known geisha quarter. That can make getting a decent photo of one very difficult.
“I spent several days wandering around this area and saw only one,” a fellow paparazzo confides. “And she was already surrounded by a horde of people.”
Our fearless females are fortunate. Not only does their foray into Gion happen to coincide with Miyako Odori (an annual dance gala staged by Gion’s geisha), Eden and Miko somehow manage to stumble upon the theater where it is being held. So instead of having to go in search of these “children of the arts,” our intrepid heroines have only to lie in wait.
Indeed luck has been with Eden and Miko for the entire Kyoto portion of this trip to the land of the rising sun. The forecasted rain has not yet made an appearance and the cherry trees for which the former imperial capital is famous are at the peak of their bloom.
They have trod along the so-called nightingale floors (designed to squeak to warn of possible intruders) of Nijo Castle, strolled along the cherry tree-lined Philosopher’s Walk, marveled at the magnificent Golden Pavilion, admired the weeping cherry trees of Heian Shrine’s Shinen Garden, viewed the city from Kiyomizu-dera’s veranda, contemplated Ryoan-ji’s famous Zen rock garden, and gazed upon Sanjusangen-do Temple’s 1,001 statues of Kannon (goddess of mercy).
Perhaps it is the eleven-headed, thousand-armed goddess’ intervention that finally allows Eden – after two hours and multiple attempts – to get her geisha photo.
With a sigh of relief, she and the ever-patient Miko part ways with the Paparazzi Club and make their way along Kyoto’s crowded streets toward their ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). Tomorrow they will make a quick stop at the Imperial Palace before boarding a Tokyo-bound Shinkansen (bullet train) and beginning the long journey home.
The members of the “Paparazzi Club,” a small group of photographers who have spontaneously joined forces, scramble into position and check their camera settings one last time.
You’ll only get one chance at her, Eden reminds herself, feeling rather like a stalker. So don’t shoot until she steps under the streetlight.
By some estimates, only 200 geisha still inhabit Gion, Kyoto’s best-known geisha quarter. That can make getting a decent photo of one very difficult.
“I spent several days wandering around this area and saw only one,” a fellow paparazzo confides. “And she was already surrounded by a horde of people.”
Our fearless females are fortunate. Not only does their foray into Gion happen to coincide with Miyako Odori (an annual dance gala staged by Gion’s geisha), Eden and Miko somehow manage to stumble upon the theater where it is being held. So instead of having to go in search of these “children of the arts,” our intrepid heroines have only to lie in wait.
Indeed luck has been with Eden and Miko for the entire Kyoto portion of this trip to the land of the rising sun. The forecasted rain has not yet made an appearance and the cherry trees for which the former imperial capital is famous are at the peak of their bloom.
They have trod along the so-called nightingale floors (designed to squeak to warn of possible intruders) of Nijo Castle, strolled along the cherry tree-lined Philosopher’s Walk, marveled at the magnificent Golden Pavilion, admired the weeping cherry trees of Heian Shrine’s Shinen Garden, viewed the city from Kiyomizu-dera’s veranda, contemplated Ryoan-ji’s famous Zen rock garden, and gazed upon Sanjusangen-do Temple’s 1,001 statues of Kannon (goddess of mercy).
With a sigh of relief, she and the ever-patient Miko part ways with the Paparazzi Club and make their way along Kyoto’s crowded streets toward their ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). Tomorrow they will make a quick stop at the Imperial Palace before boarding a Tokyo-bound Shinkansen (bullet train) and beginning the long journey home.
© Eden Feuer
*For those readers who are not familiar with current American pop music, the title of this episode is a direct reference to Lady GaGa’s hit song Paparazzi.
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