Yesterday’s roaming took us first to the Nagamchi area, aka the Samurai district where warriors chilled when they weren’t out battling.
Our first stop was the restored Nakaya Chinese Pharmacy, established 1579. The pharmacy occupied the first floor of Shinese Memorial Hall. The second floor used to be a residence for the shop owners but now showcases traditional 100-year old crafts.
Along with an entry ticket, I received a flapping wings origami crane. The very friendly man who demonstrated how to make the wings flap got a good laugh (as did his two co-staff) when I failed at first and then a big beam when I got it.
I have to say, this is one of the best laid out and exhibited museums (although they don’t call it a museum) we’ve been to.
Perhaps I haven’t mentioned, most places we visit require shoes off at the entry. Shelves for shoes are usually provided. There is something about seeing everyone pad around in their socks that is a great equalizer. I did read up ahead of our travels to be sure one’s socks were clean and without holes. Sometimes though, I did catch a Japanese woman glancing at my purple Tough Cuties or yellow toed Smart Wools.
So shoes off, we padded onto the gleaming wood floorboards. Ho boy, I am getting side tracked today. This brings to mind the place we were in the other day where the floor boards were designed to chirp like nightingales as you walked. And they did. No stealth there.
But back to the apothecary. The doctor is in. He might recommend anything from turmeric to tokay gecko.
The crafts are colorful.
Super pretty wooden clogs provided if one wanted to step down into the garden. Grubb opted out. He thought the clogs would be too wobbly. Or maybe there just weren’t any in his color.
