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 … [Read more...] about Cherry Blossom at Yoshiminedera
Gardens
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...] about Hydrangeas at Mimurotoji Temple
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 … [Read more...] about The Stone Garden at Ryoanji
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...] about Plum Blossom at the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park
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...] about Autumn Colours at Kinkakuji & Ryoanji
