Photographs from a small group of islands
The relative cold and heavy showers may not have been ideal, but, when it comes to last beers under the cherry blossoms, it takes way more than that to deter most people.
So beers were drunk. Good times were had.
And cheeky looks were happily exchanged.
The transformation of our natural surroundings, and the much-touted ephemeral beauty of the cherry blossom, are without a doubt the highlights of spring. But at the same time, it’s sometimes the simpler things that we appreciate the most.
A gentle giant, or a man not to be messed with?
With our technology, consumerism and relentless obsession with talentless celebrities, the geisha in Kyoto arguably seem even more out of place than ever. Odd, almost ghost-like figures who effortlessly weave through the narrow, tourist-filled streets of their native Gion — their sporadic outings greeted with a mixture of giddy glee and hushed reverence. Neither of which are in any way surprising considering the geishas’ scarcity and history. Not to mention of course their incredible outfits and otherworldly appearance.
Yet for me at least it’s not their elegance or overall look that really sticks in the mind, but the surprisingly rapid clip-clop of traditional geta, plus the briefest glimpse of a painted neck, as they dash past on the way from one appointment to another.
