Sayuri loved traveling. It was one of the reasons she had joined Crystal Swan in the first place. So she had been very glad when she had been assigned to travel abroad and study a different culture! It was and exciting experience, and a welcome break from the multitude of tiring jobs she'd been on recently. She'd chosen to venture to Midi, and she was not disappointed. She discovered that there was a large festival going on in the capital, and she was looking forward to see all the city had to offer!
She began to wander through the wide streets, fighting the massive crowds as she did so. There was such a variety of people here! She figured most people lumped her in with the locals, who seemed to have the same habit of wearing kimonos that she did. Not surprising, really. But there were residents of all different locations that had turned out for the event. There were wealthy and powerful men and women walking the streets in tuxedos and cocktail dresses right alongside tourists wearing shorts and tank tops. There were even some who seemed to think this was a costume party. She'd walked past someone wearing a shark suit just a little bit ago.
The city itself was beautiful. The houses and shops lining the streets were mostly made of wood, with ceramic tiles covering the roofs. Most of the buildings were low, with curves, sweeping roofs, the eaves extending far beyond the walls of the buildings. And the sidewalks were dotted by cherry trees, currently in full bloom.
The ongoing festival meant that there were a lot of attractions throughout the streets. All the stores were open, despite the late hour, and there were temporary stalls set up as well, selling everything from food and tourist-type gifts to cultural artifacts, and everything in between. The smells of all the cooking in the area was making her hungry. There were also performances going on on many of the street corners. Singers, dancers, and even some demonstrations of martial arts, both armed and unarmed. And on one of the wide platforms surrounding a temple a large group of actors was putting on performances of the local history and mythology. Sayuri stopped to watch all the performances she came across. The combat ones especially held her interest, since she could always use some help improving her skills. But she took mental notes on the others as well, knowing that her guild mates would love to hear about these different styles of art.
Sayuri spotted a tea house, open for the visitors to experience the traditional tea ceremonies. Intrigued, she decided to participate. It wasn't one of the strict, highly traditional ceremonies, but it was impressive nonetheless. They were first asked to ritually wash their hands in a purification basin, then were all led into the tea-room, and seated on tatami mats around a sunken central hearth. There was an alcove in the room, holding a scroll with calligraphy on it. The host entered, a young woman wearing a kimono that was subdued, yet beautiful. She greeted all the guests, then set the small fire in the central hearth that would be used to make the tea. They were then served a light meal in small courses, each with fresh, seasonal ingredients. It was also served with small amounts of sake and followed by a type of sweet called wagashi.
Then then left briefly for a break, to allow the host to conduct further preparations. After purifying themselves again they returned, and Sayuri found the scroll in the alcove had been replaced by a beautiful floral arrangement. The host made a bowl of strong tea, which was passed from guest to guest, who each took a few sips. Then they each received a bowl of weaker tea, and there was some casual conversation and comments on the ceremony.
When she finally left the ceremony, Sayuri realized that it had taken almost two hours! It hadn't seemed that long, that was for sure. It was definitely an interesting process, and she was looking forward to telling her friends about it. The night was still young yet, though, and she was eager to explore even more!
As she walked around she stopped at many food stalls, trying all manner of different delicacies. Most featured seafood, with a large variety of edible leaves and flowers. She also found she quite liked their sweets. Then again, who wouldn't? And she's always had a weakness for desserts.
She spotted a shop selling formal kimonos, and decided she ought to pick herself up a souvenir of her trip, so she headed inside. She quickly realized that these kimonos were much more elaborate than the ones she wore. There were several different layers, in a variety of different colors and patterns. The outer layers were slightly shorter than the inner ones, allowing all of the layers to show. The outermost layer was midnight black, embroidered with an elaborate floral pattern made with gold thread. It was exquisite. Pricey, sure, but well-worth the cost.
Now dressed properly for the occasion, Sayuri went back to her wandering, and came across a group performing traditional Taiko drumming. It was a moving performance, especially when they explained the significance. The rhythms all meant something, and they had been used in everything from warfare, rituals in the area's temples, or events like this. No matter the purpose, though, it definitely took a lot of skill, and she knew she wouldn't forget this anytime soon.
She ended up watching the drums for well over an hour, and by the time the performance was over the festival was winding down. It was slightly disappointing, as she could have stayed here forever, but she'd certainly experienced a lot while she was here! She began searching for a local inn that had a room for her. It was already late, and she needed to get some rest, because she had to head home in the morning and share what she'd seen here. Still, she knew it was an event that she would never forget.
Word Count: 1,019
She began to wander through the wide streets, fighting the massive crowds as she did so. There was such a variety of people here! She figured most people lumped her in with the locals, who seemed to have the same habit of wearing kimonos that she did. Not surprising, really. But there were residents of all different locations that had turned out for the event. There were wealthy and powerful men and women walking the streets in tuxedos and cocktail dresses right alongside tourists wearing shorts and tank tops. There were even some who seemed to think this was a costume party. She'd walked past someone wearing a shark suit just a little bit ago.
The city itself was beautiful. The houses and shops lining the streets were mostly made of wood, with ceramic tiles covering the roofs. Most of the buildings were low, with curves, sweeping roofs, the eaves extending far beyond the walls of the buildings. And the sidewalks were dotted by cherry trees, currently in full bloom.
The ongoing festival meant that there were a lot of attractions throughout the streets. All the stores were open, despite the late hour, and there were temporary stalls set up as well, selling everything from food and tourist-type gifts to cultural artifacts, and everything in between. The smells of all the cooking in the area was making her hungry. There were also performances going on on many of the street corners. Singers, dancers, and even some demonstrations of martial arts, both armed and unarmed. And on one of the wide platforms surrounding a temple a large group of actors was putting on performances of the local history and mythology. Sayuri stopped to watch all the performances she came across. The combat ones especially held her interest, since she could always use some help improving her skills. But she took mental notes on the others as well, knowing that her guild mates would love to hear about these different styles of art.
Sayuri spotted a tea house, open for the visitors to experience the traditional tea ceremonies. Intrigued, she decided to participate. It wasn't one of the strict, highly traditional ceremonies, but it was impressive nonetheless. They were first asked to ritually wash their hands in a purification basin, then were all led into the tea-room, and seated on tatami mats around a sunken central hearth. There was an alcove in the room, holding a scroll with calligraphy on it. The host entered, a young woman wearing a kimono that was subdued, yet beautiful. She greeted all the guests, then set the small fire in the central hearth that would be used to make the tea. They were then served a light meal in small courses, each with fresh, seasonal ingredients. It was also served with small amounts of sake and followed by a type of sweet called wagashi.
Then then left briefly for a break, to allow the host to conduct further preparations. After purifying themselves again they returned, and Sayuri found the scroll in the alcove had been replaced by a beautiful floral arrangement. The host made a bowl of strong tea, which was passed from guest to guest, who each took a few sips. Then they each received a bowl of weaker tea, and there was some casual conversation and comments on the ceremony.
When she finally left the ceremony, Sayuri realized that it had taken almost two hours! It hadn't seemed that long, that was for sure. It was definitely an interesting process, and she was looking forward to telling her friends about it. The night was still young yet, though, and she was eager to explore even more!
As she walked around she stopped at many food stalls, trying all manner of different delicacies. Most featured seafood, with a large variety of edible leaves and flowers. She also found she quite liked their sweets. Then again, who wouldn't? And she's always had a weakness for desserts.
She spotted a shop selling formal kimonos, and decided she ought to pick herself up a souvenir of her trip, so she headed inside. She quickly realized that these kimonos were much more elaborate than the ones she wore. There were several different layers, in a variety of different colors and patterns. The outer layers were slightly shorter than the inner ones, allowing all of the layers to show. The outermost layer was midnight black, embroidered with an elaborate floral pattern made with gold thread. It was exquisite. Pricey, sure, but well-worth the cost.
Now dressed properly for the occasion, Sayuri went back to her wandering, and came across a group performing traditional Taiko drumming. It was a moving performance, especially when they explained the significance. The rhythms all meant something, and they had been used in everything from warfare, rituals in the area's temples, or events like this. No matter the purpose, though, it definitely took a lot of skill, and she knew she wouldn't forget this anytime soon.
She ended up watching the drums for well over an hour, and by the time the performance was over the festival was winding down. It was slightly disappointing, as she could have stayed here forever, but she'd certainly experienced a lot while she was here! She began searching for a local inn that had a room for her. It was already late, and she needed to get some rest, because she had to head home in the morning and share what she'd seen here. Still, she knew it was an event that she would never forget.
Word Count: 1,019
