Azaleas, (called very prettily tsutsuji in Japanese), are blooming all over Kyoto right now, but we won't be able to enjoy them for much longer. If you get a chance I recommend going to see the display of azaleas at the entrance to Myomanji in northern Kyoto. Here are some pictures I took there last year. The grounds here are quiet and pleasant but the most striking thing … [Read more...]
Kerria at Matsuo Taisha
After the cherry blossoms fall, successive waves of spring flowers vie for our attentions. At Matsuo Taisha bright gold kerria, known as "yamabuki" in Japanese, are in full bloom right now. We went to see them last year, but for some reason I never got around to posting the pictures - until now. Matsuo Taisha, (formally called Matsu-no-O Taisha), is said to have been … [Read more...]
Omuro Sakura at Ninna-ji Temple
This year's cherry blossom season was basically a washout, with many hanami parties cancelled because of the incessant rain. Ninna-ji Temple in western Kyoto, has a special variety of cherry blossom that blooms later than most, but when it was at its best last week, the rain was still coming down. Mewby and I resolved to defy the weather and visit the temple anyway. At least, I … [Read more...]
Gion Walking on Inside Kyoto
Walking in Gion, my latest article for Chris Rowthorn's Inside Kyoto, is now available online. For this piece I took a daytime tour of Gion's main sites and historical landmarks, taking in some craft and antique shops and sweet shops on the way. I spent a long time on Hanami-koji, trying to get a decent shot of the Ichiriki Chaya unobscured by face-masked pedestrians and … [Read more...]
Kyoto Botanical Gardens by Izumi Texidor Hirai
In this post we have a special excerpt from Deep Kyoto: Walks written by Izumi Texidor Hirai. In her walk through the Botanical Gardens, Izumi weaves personal recollection with finely observed details of life in the gardens as they pass through the four seasons. Let today's excerpt from Izumi's walk serve as a happy reminder of all the special seasonal joys that the year ahead … [Read more...]
Deep Nara #3 – The Rose Garden at Ryōsen-ji
Just outside Nara City proper is the temple of Ryōsen-ji. Founded in the 8th century by Indian monk Bodhisena, this temple has a long history and many cultural treasures. But I'm not going to write about those today. Today I'm going to show you the rose garden. This rose garden was made in 1957, as a living prayer for world peace. There are over 200 blooms … [Read more...]
Cherry Blossom at Yoshiminedera
About a week ago, when the sakura was still blooming, we visited Yoshiminedera (善峯寺). This is a mountain temple to the west of Kyoto, and because it is a mountain temple, the air is cooler and the sakura blooms a little later than in the city. This is the sanmon entrance. It's huge. Here you pay your 500 yen entry fee. It's totally worth it. Beyond the entrance are some … [Read more...]
Hydrangeas at Mimurotoji Temple
Here are some pictures from Mimurotoji Temple, in Uji which we visited last weekend. We were both very impressed with the expansive and very lovely gardens here. And the hydrangeas in all their many splendoured colours and varieties were amazing. These flowers are on display until July 15th (Monday) so there is still time to see them and the opening hours are 8:30 - 16.30. … [Read more...]
The Stone Garden at Ryoanji
The vacant space of the garden, like silence, absorbs the mind, frees it of petty detail, and serves as a visual guide -a means for penetrating through the "realm of the multitudes." -from "Stone Garden" by Will Petersen. My friend Chris Carver, recently lent me a copy of Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums and fairly early on in the book I found something, or rather someone, … [Read more...]
Plum Blossom at the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park
It was pretty chilly out yesterday morning and more than a few flakes of snow were falling, but worth it all the same. A small gaggle of photographers agreed with me too, clustering round the 梅 trees in the Imperial Palace Park in a thicket of tripods... Here are my pictures... … [Read more...]
Autumn Colours at Kinkakuji & Ryoanji
Yesterday Mewby and I braved the autumn weather to see the autumn leaves at Kinkakuji and Ryoanji. The Golden Pavilion at Kinkakuji and the rock garden at Ryoanji are two of Kyoto's most iconic sites and worth a visit any time of year. Right now though the autumn leaves make it just magical! Ryoanji's gorgeous gardens are a twenty minute stroll away from Kinkakuji if you … [Read more...]
