Day Eight - Samurai, Geisha and phonographs

We started the day by roaming around the old part of town, looking at old samurai houses and lodgings, it was really good except for these crying bratty American kids who were keeping pace with us for the beginning of the day, but we managed to shake them off pretty quickly.

We then made our way to the geisha district where one of the houses was open for tours, the rooms were stunning and there

was one room (pictured below) where the tatami is made from gold! I also walked across a nightingale floor, which was a highlight. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightingale_floor)

We then went to the Phonograph museum, which was started by a guy obsessed with them. We were there for a talk on the subject, the guide did the best eh could to explain in English and we caught the gist of the history, this really didn't peak my interest but BF was besotted and formed a solid friendship with one of the other guides who obviously shared his enthusiasm for the old machines.

We ended up eating lunch late at an Italian chain restaurant, the food was what you would expect from a chain restaurant but the price was right - pizza and pasta was about 390 yen

each.

Early night, due to still feeling somewhat seedy from the night before. But before we went to bed we took advantage of the hotels on site onsen. For those of you not in the know, onsen are communal hot baths, they are mostly divided by gender, so not completely communal thank god! You go in and get naked and give your self a wash while seated on a low stool (in front of a mirror which is a somewhat confronting image looking back at you) then hop into the onsen. I had a bit of trepidation going in as I was the only westerner, and I had to cover my tattoo as they are a complete no-no in Japan (only the yakuza have tats in Japan), however it was quite relaxing until the band aid starting coming off and I had to split post haste, so I went and got a shiatsu, heaven.