Natalia's Memories of Ebisu's.I was the very first resident of Ebisus. I'll always remember the first time i climbed those lovely albeit stubborn stone steps, ascending to the hard-to-find yet sacredly majestical Yoshida Shrine, Kurodani Temple, and mysterious cemetry secretly strewn and interwoven along the cascading hillside that forms a heavenly backdrop to the wonderful old house named Ebisus, dedicated to the Buddhist God of Prosperity ...
And then, I entered the house, wow, what a feeling. I thought of it as an undiscovered temple, old-style sliding doors, traditional rice-paper partitions and wooden beams... Then, one final ascension to the top floor... i was already enamoured, but one view of the wickardly understated sensational pandimensional view of west kyoto lined by kanji-enscripted mountains and sunsets and a fading horizon to tickle my imagination... it was love at first sight...
So, its true, I'm a bit of a romantic, but, I blissfully fell in love with the whole secret package offered at Ebisu's. It provided a private enclave for me to nurture my soul while living a chaotic life teaching english and surviving as an alien in Japan...
I could have my privacy, or also comradeship. And, not to mention the 24 hour internet access, that was fantastic, although it turned me into an amnesiac zombie insomniac.
The owners, Kim and Nob, were always friendly and helpful. They left you to do your own thing, although they were always there if you needed them, which I really appreciated. So, there are some of my thoughts of Ebisus, a home for us all, a welcome home away from home...
These words are from my 2 month experience there, June and july 2000.
Love from Natalia.
August 12, 2000. Croatia.