Kyoto’s Got a Grip (and Maybe a Ghost)

okay, so i’m pretty sure i’m running on fumes and lukewarm matcha. i landed in kyoto like, 72 hours ago and my brain feels like a crumpled origami crane. the humidity is clinging to everything - like, seriously clinging. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the pressure’s at 1019, which is… unsettling, honestly. feels like someone’s gently squeezing my skull.

this place is wild. not in a ‘look at the pretty temples’ kind of way, though there are plenty of those. it’s wild in a ‘you’re constantly dodging rickshaws and confused tourists’ kind of way. and the smells! a potent mix of incense, street food, and something vaguely… mossy.

my mission? find some weirdness. i’m a session drummer, so i’m always on the lookout for rhythmic anomalies. and, you know, maybe a little spectral activity. i’ve been hitting up some of the older districts - Gion, especially - and the vibe is thick. like, you can practically taste the centuries.

i stumbled into this tiny ramen shop near *Kiyomizu-dera - seriously, the view is insane - and someone told me that the owner’s great-grandfather was a shinto priest who used to communicate with the spirits of the mountain. i’m not saying it’s true, but the broth was phenomenal. 8/10.

i spent yesterday wandering through Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, which is basically a green cathedral. it’s beautiful, sure, but also intensely claustrophobic. i felt like i was being watched. and i was watched. by a guy with a camera who kept yelling at me to ‘move it, dude.’ classic.

here’s the gear list, because i’m a sucker for a good list:
my trusty Roland TD-1DMKII (obviously) - gotta lay down the beats, even in the afterlife.
a battered Leica M6 - for capturing the gritty details.
noise-canceling headphones (essential for avoiding the tourist hordes).
a ridiculously oversized backpack (i overpack for everything).
a small notebook and pen (for scribbling down cryptic messages from the spirits, probably).

i overheard some drunk advice at a karaoke bar last night - something about leaving a small offering of sake at the *Fushimi Inari Shrine to appease the fox spirits. apparently, they’re not fans of being ignored.

i’m also trying to track down some local legends. i found this forum (https://www.kyototales.com/) where people share stories about haunted houses and restless ghosts. it’s a rabbit hole, but a fascinating one.

i checked Yelp and found this place (https://www.yelp.com/biz/katsukura-kyoto-kyoto-3) that serves massive tonkatsu. apparently, it’s a pilgrimage for foodies. i’m adding it to the list.

and TripAdvisor says (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294575-d1238333-Reviews-Kiyomizu_dera_Temple-Kyoto_Prefecture_Kyoto_Region.html) that it’s “a must-see.” which, you know, is pretty standard.

if you get bored, Osaka is just a short drive away. it’s a chaotic, neon-drenched mess, but it’s got a certain energy.

i’m starting to think this city is actively messing with my perception of reality. i saw a geisha wearing a purple kimono yesterday - purple! it’s not a color you see much in Kyoto. and then, just as i was about to dismiss it as a trick of the light, she winked at me. seriously.

“Don’t trust the old woman selling charms near the train station,” a local warned me. “She’ll steal your soul… and your yen.”

i’m heading to Nijo Castle tomorrow. apparently, it’s haunted by the ghosts of the shogun and his court. wish me luck. i’m going to need it.

i’m also trying to find a good coffee shop. the caffeine levels are plummeting.

“The best way to experience Kyoto is to get lost,” someone whispered to me in a tiny alleyway. “Just follow your instincts… and maybe a few stray cats.”

i’m seriously considering buying a kimono. just to blend in, you know?

i’m starting to think this city is actively messing with my perception of reality.

i heard that the Gion Corner* is a good place to see traditional arts performances, but it’s also packed with tourists.

i’m going to try and find a quiet spot to meditate tonight. maybe i’ll even catch a glimpse of a ghost.

i’m exhausted. and slightly terrified. but mostly just… fascinated.

check out this local board for events: https://www.kyoto-city.go.jp/international/tourist/events/

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