Blog
Blog
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Unequal Kyoto City accommodation tax
The Kyoto City Accommodation Tax will be raised in March next year, and our guesthouse has been notified of the increase. In Japan, accommodation tax is not set by the national government, but by each local authority, and its introduction is spreading to other places, especially large cities. Until now, our guesthouse has charged 200 yen per person per night, but from now on it will be 400 yen (1,000 yen for a single person). A fee of 1,000 yen will be charged at luxury hotels where the accommodation costs more than 100,000 yen per person. The Kyoto City considers…
- notice
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Surprisingly uncrowded Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Kiyomizu-dera Temple or Arashiyama are the most popular tourist attractions in Kyoto for foreigners. At the beginning of April, the temples are crowded with tremendous crowds, but this year there were surprisingly few people. However, of course there were huge crowds at Ninenzaka and Yasaka Pagoda. What was empty was the stage of Kiyomizu. Normally, you have to wait quite a long time to get to the tip of the stage, but this week the cherry blossoms were at their best in many places, so the tourists seemed to have been spread out quite a bit. At Kiyomizu-dera you can see around…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Flower rafts on the path of philosophy
Today, when the weather was fine, foreign tourists flocked to the Philosopher's Path in droves, taking photos as they pleased. Especially popular were the flower rafts, which can only be seen at this time of year. Petals scattered by the wind cover the surface of the water and look like a flower raft. The cherry trees along the Philosopher's Path were donated by Mr and Mrs Hashimoto Kansetsu, Japanese painters who were active in the Kyoto art world at the beginning of the 20th century, and there are currently around 400 trees along the waterway. Hashimoto Kansetsu was well versed in…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Heian Jingu shrine garden
Heian Jingu Shrine was built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Heian-kyo, the ancient capital of Kyoto. It attracts fewer foreign tourists than other tourist attractions and offers a relaxing experience. An entrance fee of 600 yen allows visitors to explore the four ponds inside. At this time of year, weeping cherry trees can be enjoyed, and the bridge over Seiho Pond in East Garden, Taiheikaku, which can be seen at the end of the tour, is magnificent. After the transfer of the capital to Tokyo in 1868, various projects were undertaken in response to fears…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Todaiji temple in full bloom of cherry blossoms
Today I visited Todaiji Temple in Nara with guests from Bulgaria.The cherry blossoms in Nara are a little later than in Kyoto, but the weeping cherry trees and Someiyoshino cherry trees at Todai-ji Temple were in full bloom.As it was Friday, there were hardly any Japanese people there, but only foreigners as far as the eye could see. It is good that people from all over the world can appreciate the beauty of Japanese cultural assets, but some people started smoking in the precincts of the temple.Smoking on the streets is often prohibited in Japan, and of course at shrines…
- Nara
- Spot introduction
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Cherry blossoms along the Kamo River in full bloom
The Kamo River is the symbol of Kyoto. In the mornings and evenings, the river is busy with joggers and dog walkers. Many Someiyoshino cherry trees are in full bloom along the Kamo River, stretching about 7 km from Shimogamo Shrine in the north to near Tofuku-ji Temple in the south. As of today, Kiyomizu-dera Temple is only about 30% in bloom, so it looks like we will be able to enjoy the cherry blossoms for a relatively long time this year. However, Kyoto Station is very crowded at this time of year. This is because many F1 spectators visit Kyoto this…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Sixth anniversary of opening
Today our guesthouse celebrates its sixth anniversary. Although it is said that around 60% of sole traders go out of business after five years, it is your warm appreciation and comments that have helped us to overcome the severe Corona disaster. We look forward to your continued support. The cherry blossoms in Kyoto will soon be in full bloom. This is the most beautiful season of the year, including the Arashiyama Hozukyo in the photo.
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Someiyosino along Takase River
The Takase River is a canal that was opened by drawing water from the Kamo River. It is said that there were seven boating docks for loading and unloading goods, called funairi, and that there were many wholesale stores along the river. Goods were transported between Kyoto and Osaka via the Takase River. Because of the narrow width of the Takase River, one-way traffic was used: upriver in the morning to bring goods into Kyoto, and downriver in the afternoon to bring goods out of Kyoto. Now that the canal is no longer in use, someiyoshino cherry trees are in full…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Weeping cherry trees bloom in Kamo Ohashi Bridge
Someiyoshino cherry trees have blossomed in Tokyo and other parts of western Japan, and it is now time for cherry blossom viewing in Kyoto. Someiyoshino around the guesthouse are still only a few blossoms here and there, but it is expected to be in full bloom by the end of this week. The best place to visit at this time of year is the weeping cherry tree, which called shidarezakura in Japanese, at the west end of Kamo Ohashi Bridge. It blooms earlier than Someiyoshino and is crowded with people taking photos with the Kamo-ohashi Bridge and Mount Hiei in the background.…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Super Tamade eco-bag
Expo staff from various countries are in Japan for next month's Osaka Expo. A visitor from Madagascar was holding an eco-bag from Super Tamade. Super Tamade is one of Osaka's leading supermarkets, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It stands out for its sunflowers and gaudy yellow neon sign. These eco-bags are shaped like sunflowers, are popular as they are dasakawaii (unfashionable but cute). Although the Osaka Expo is still under construction and lacks a bit of excitement, it is only at events like this that there are opportunities to interact with people from various countries.
- tour record
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Trouble in private lodging which is called MINPAKU in Japan
It has become a hot topic that a Chinese tourist who stayed at a private accommodation, which is called MINPAKU, made a reservation for one person, when in fact six people stayed at the accommodation. Accommodation facilities in Kyoto City are obliged in principle to check in at the front desk in person according to the Ryokan Business Appropriateness Ordinance, so problems such as more people being accommodated than planned basically do not occur. However, in Osaka, where a special zone for private lodging has been set up, tourists at most private accommodation establishments check in by themselves using keys from…
- Travel tips
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Kohigan cherry blossom
With the warm weather continuing, the Okame cherry trees at Chotokuji are in full bloom. The kohigan cherry trees along Kamo River have blossomed next.Kohigan cherry blooms about a week earlier than Someiyoshino, the most common cherry tree in Japan, and is so named because it blooms around the time of the Ohigan holiday. The Ohigan is a period in spring and autumn when people make offerings to their ancestors. As a uniquely Japanese Buddhist event, people visit graves, hold memorial services, clean Buddhist altars and make offerings.The Kohigan cherry is most famous in Takato Joshi Park in the south…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction