Pontocho Perfect
Pontocho, a narrow lane in downtown Kyoto, reminds me of a Venetian calle. It has the same kind of intimate claustrophobic walking space as that of a calle – squished between buildings – a tight fit. You may enter Pontocho from either Shijo Street at its southern end or Sanjo Street at its north. As soon as you turn into Pontocho you enter another world.
Pontocho is known and loved for its lively atmosphere, enormous variety of bars and restaurants – mmmm – the aromas as you pass by them! When it is quiet though, that is when you feel the spirit (and spirits) of the place.
It is also one of the five remaining hanamachi (flower towns) or geisha districts of Kyoto. These days it is so popular with tourists that one moves along in a throng (again like Venice); slowly, one vast mass made up of many bodies, edging along from north to south or south to north; bodies trying to squeeze past bodies. People stopping to read menus, people stopping to take selfies – others navigating around them. How the maiko and geiko get about, I’m not sure!
I took my own secret trip to Pontocho – here at home in Perth. I spent the whole month of December on site (in my head) – working on “Pontocho Perfect“. Not only did I space-travel, but I time-traveled, because I worked from a photo I had taken in 2005. How peaceful Pontocho was at just after 12 noon on Monday 14th November 2005. Two maiko swept past me in a flourish of floaty fabric. I delighted in their cool perfection.
I don’t know who the maiko were but perhaps somebody will recognize them from the following photos.
Julie Podstolski - Abstract Realism 