The thatched roof village of Miyama |
It wasn't easy trying to figure out how to get to Miyama and even the Kyoto Station tourist information lady had to hunt around for the bus guide to get there. In the spring, there is a tourist bus, but in the off-peak period, it was not so straightforward. We had to take first a train journey, then a bus journey. Over two hours! Anyway, after the train journey, we boarded the bus and went round through the hills and valleys till we reached Miyama.
Thatch - underside |
We walked around the little village - it didn’t really take that long - and took photos of the quaint thatched roof houses. The thickness of the thatch was quite amazing - it's a thick and deep layer and I can see how this really helps to insulate the houses from the cold.
We also visited the little Indigo Museum, housed in one of the traditional thatched roof cottages. This museum was set up by Mr Hiroyuki Shindo, to share his passion for indigo dying. The first part of the museum, on the ground floor of the cottage, covers the traditional indigo dying process - you see his dye vats, loom and of course the indigo plants. There's also a little shop on the ground floor where you can buy some indigo-dyed products.
Kimono with indigo pattern |
The second part of the exhibition is on the second floor of the cottage. It is just a single room above, covering the entire floor - you can see the high pitched roof overhead. It showcases beautiful indigo pieces from all over the world including this very lovely kimono (on the right), batik prints, etc. There was even some scraps of cloth and threads which had been dyed from indigo salvaged from an ancient shipwreck! What I also enjoyed looking at was the indigo dying techniques, including the way in which they can develop patterns from tying and then untying the fabric.
It is really very pleasant to just take it easy this holiday, seeing just a few major sites each day and lazing around the rest of the time. We bumped into a Hongkong lady on the bus on the way to Miyama and chatted to her whilst we were waiting for the bus for the return journey. She was travelling for about 10 days, covering Kyoto, Tokyo and Osaka! I am glad that I have the good fortune of coming back again and again, to not just glimpse but absorb the rich culture and history of Japan.
More photos will be put up when ready.
The charming village of Miyama |
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