First of all, my friend Seiichiro wants to make sure everyone knows it was I and not he who spilled the peanuts on the floor of the bullet train. True enough; but it was he who got us off the Kyoto subway at Goji instead of Shoji, resulting in the need to slurp our noodles VERY fast after we FINALLY found someplace to eat before the arts of Kyoto show, where we saw puppet theater and one of the little plays they do as comedies between the acts of Noh plays.

Just wanted to add that the Noh comedy, about two servants stealing sake, was hilarious. No Japanese needed, just as a western opera can be understood if the acting and singing is good enough and you have an understanding of the basic story, which I got from the program.