Shrines, temples, and corn dogs aside, Ninenzaka Path was probably the most touristy experience we had in Kyoto. It definitely seemed like everyone from all around the world congregated into that little space in Higashiyama District to walk on cobblestone and support Japan’s economy through souvenir shopping.

It was there that I bought my Lucky Cat. One of those little ceramic figurines of a seemingly happy feline with one paw waving Hi! and a mark on her bottom saying she was made in Japan and not China. Something I made sure of because I wanted something legit that wouldn’t cost me an arm and a leg.

Or excess baggage fee, which is pretty much the same thing.

It was also there that I bought a set of cat tea cups. Those traditional-looking ones that don’t come with a handle because apparently, if it’s too hot to hold, it’s too hot to drink.

Yep, everything cat. Everything made in Japan. Because what better way to honour Japanese craftsmanship and boost local economy than by supporting local goods?

And what’s the point of having cute tea cups if you don’t have tea to drink out of it? So of course I got myself some Genmaicha as well! It pretty much just snowballed from there.

Meanwhile, my older sister’s idea of ‘touristy’ was visiting Starbucks, but make it Japanese. Because it’s in a machiya, a hundred or so year old traditional townhouse whose original owners have become ghosts in kimonos wondering what the heck is going on and what the fuck is a frappuccino.

I’m not into Starbucks so I only went inside to check out the interiors and to check in on my mom who used it as her headquarters as she was tired from all the walking.

Jeff did his own version of ‘touristy’ as well: he had his caricature done.

For a guy with ADHD, i was surprised that he was able to sit still for as long as the artist was sketching him. The finished drawing turned out pretty good. I mean, it’s a caricature, so it’s a lot more forgiving when it comes to the nuances of his face and such. To be honest, the artist could’ve sketched a totally different face but slapped on the bandana and the rollerblades and it still would’ve looked like Jeff.

Bandana and blades. Jeff’s signature style.

And while his bandana+blade combo might not appeal to women, it certainly attracted the curiosity of a couple of men who wanted to know about the blade’s mechanism and whatever it is that engineers find fascinating after having had established the fact that the said blades were the brainchild of the one riding it around Japan.

If there’s one thing I admire about Jeff, it’s his confidence. Like, he doesn’t care who you are. He can hold his ground talking to you. And when it’s particularly about a subject that he holds very close to his heart, he can go on and on and on and on.

Seriously.

Which was how I ended up buying the cat figurine and tea cups in the first place.

I was that woman behind the successful man, waiting (forever).

And shopping.

*Raven at 7 years old