Plum Blossoms, Green Tea, and Pretty Geisha - Ume Matsuri at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, Kyoto

To celebrate plum blossoms and Tenjin-sama, the god of learning, a festival is held at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto where geisha serve visitors matcha green tea.

Since it was my birthday I thought I would have tea with those geisha as one does.

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is a beautiful shrine especially during Plum Blossom season and when the geisha come but it hides a dark past of political manipulation, fear, guilt, and the need for appeasement of a vengeful spirit.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• geisha
• Kyoto
• Japan
• ume
• green-tea
• japanese-green-tea
• plum-blossoms
• Tenjin
• Sugawara-no-Michizane
• japanese-culture
• japanese-history
• Kitano-Tenmangu
• Shinto

[SsjSned]

how often do u run into English speaking Japanese or American tourists over there?

[RoninDave]

in tokyo not so much but kyoto everyone including native japanese seem to be tourists

[theuglyninja]

belated happy birthday great vid too

[RoninDave]

thanks!

[KingStar1984]

ow sorry, I got that awnsered in your video. Unreal that there are blossoms in february.

[RoninDave]

plum blossoms bloom early even when there is snow on the ground. I've got a story on them buried somewhere on my blog.

[TheJapanChannelDcom]

This video deserves way more views..

It is a shame you don't have HUGE tits and a small black t-shirt, Dave... (you would not even need to leave your room)...

youtube is indeed a weird place...

[MageThief]

Happy birthday Dave.

Like the history lesson a lot, hope you ave more of those in stock.

[Puller9]

I love Kyoto. I need to go back and spend more time. Ditto for Japan.

[DeadlyTeaParty]

What lovely Geishas!!

They are just like butterflies!!

So interesting hearing all the history!

[ladyamerias]

very nice, thanks. happy soon coming up birthday.

[ScriptWorker]

Thanks dave. great explination, and a fab look at the ceremony and kimono. First class.

[XGothicJason]

LOL ur feet were killing you.. xD when i sit that way it dosent bother me at all, actually i normaly sit that way alot of the time.

[omgharajuku]

@RoninDave True dat lol a lot of them are students

[kua514]

@ RoninDave

great video and excellent explanation! another time & place to remember.

Peace!

[kua514]

@TheJapanChannelDcom

LOL ...c'mon that's not fair!! I am going to defend "her" because thanks to her (yes I got pulled in for the same reason but then...) I discovered a whole bunch of J-vloggers and have even learned quite a few things.

Peace!

[ClearwaterKyle]

Thank you for sharing the history.