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Blog Kyoto 2ページ目
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Path of Tree Roots
A short walk along the approach leading from the main hall of Kurama-dera Temple towards Kifune Shrine takes you to the ‘Kinonemichi (Path of Tree Roots)’, where the roots of cedar trees protrude from the ground as far as the eye can see. It is said that magma seeped into the sandstone and cooled in place, creating a layer of rock so hard that the roots cannot break through to the surface. This is the spot where, according to legend, Minamoto no Yoshitsune undertook ascetic training with a tengu, a type of legendary creature found in Shinto belief during his…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Kurama-dera Temple
Kurama-dera Temple is said to have been founded in 770 and is believed to be where the tragic hero Minamoto no Yoshitsune spent his childhood. It is the head temple of the Kurama Kōkyō sect, which broke away from the Tendai school, and enshrines as its principal deities in the main hall: Bishamonten, the symbol of light; the Thousand-Armed Kannon Bodhisattva, representing love; and Gohō Maōson, the embodiment of power. In front of the main hall lies a stone pavement marked with a hexagram; it is said that if you stand upon it, you can receive the energy of the…
- Kyoto
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Hōjōchi Pond
The lotus flowers at Hōjōchi Pond, situated to the left after passing through the Chokushi-mon Gate at Tenryū-ji, have been blooming beautifully since mid-July. It comes as a surprise, as all that could be seen in early spring were withered leaves. There are several famous Hōjōchi ponds at temples in Kyoto, including Tenryū-ji and Eikandō. Based on the fundamental Buddhist principle of non-killing, these ponds are places where compassion is practised by releasing captured fish and other creatures back into the wild. The Hōjō-e ceremony, held annually on 15 September at Tenryū-ji, is a service to express gratitude for the…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Sanma, Pacific saury
At the first auction of the month, Pacific saury fetched a price of 440,000 yen per kilogramme. In Japan, the kanji for ‘sanma’ depict a fish shaped like a sword that is in season in autumn. Prices are high at this time of year, and the fish are not as fatty as they are in season. However, as the saying goes, ‘Eating the first catch of the season extends your life by 75 days’, so the first catch is considered to bring good luck. Toba Ume Shoten had some Pacific saury landed in Eastern Hokkaido, so I asked them to…
- Food
- Kyoto
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Bamboo Grove at Kōdaiji Temple
Whilst Arashiyama is by far the most famous bamboo grove in Kyoto, there are other beautiful bamboo groves within the city itself. One of these is Kōdai-ji Temple. As there aren’t too many visitors, you can take your time exploring it. Until the end of next month, as part of the ‘Kyoto Summer Travel’ campaign, you can view the *Panryū-zu* (Picture of a Coiled Dragon), a ceiling painting by Kano Sanraku—a master painter who epitomised the beauty of the Momoyama period—which is not usually on public display. The dragon is a guardian deity of Buddhism and is also a being…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Lotus Flower
When it comes to flowers that add colour to Kyoto in summer, the lotus is the one to mention. The best time to see lotus flowers is from July to August. The lotus flowers at Chion-in Temple have also begun to bloom beautifully. As they start to open around 6 o’clock in the morning and close by midday, they can only be seen in the early hours of the morning. The lotus holds great significance in Buddhism. It is said that the *Vimalakirti Sutra*, one of the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures, contains the phrase ‘the lotus remains pure whilst in the…
- Flower
- Kyoto
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Cooling off by the Kamogawa River in the Evening
The unbearable heat continues in Kyoto. Today was the After Festival of the Yamahoko Parade, and I hear that 12 people were taken to hospital with suspected heatstroke. Although the heat shows no sign of letting up even as evening falls, the Kamogawa River feels a little cooler thanks to the breeze. For locals, it’s a classic spot for cooling off on summer evenings. They sit on the riverbank to relax or play on the stepping stones across the river, commonly known as ‘Kameishi’ (Turtle Stones) because of their shape.
- Kyoto
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Yanagi-kōji
It was Toyotomi Hideyoshi who spearheaded the urban planning of Kyoto, a city that had fallen into ruin during the Ōnin War and the subsequent Sengoku period. From the latter half of the 16th century, a castle complex known as ‘Jurakudai’ was constructed; samurai residences and townhouses were laid out in a grid pattern; and earthen ramparts known as ‘Odoi’ were built around the city, thereby establishing its function as a fortified city. It was during this period that Yanagi-kōji, situated just off Shijō Kawaramachi, was created. In this alleyway stands the Hachibē Myōjin shrine, dedicated to ‘Hachibē-san’—one of the…
- Kyoto
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Kokushobi
The Japan Weather Association has adopted the term ‘Kokushobi (Extreme Heat Day)’ this year, based on a questionnaire. A day is classified as Kokushobi when the maximum temperature exceeds 40 degrees. Today in Kyoto, the temperature has exceeded 38 degrees. Although it is not officially classified as a ‘Kokushobi’, the heat and humidity make it feel as though one is inside a steam sauna. Almost all those walking outside are foreign tourists. Yesterday, a sign warning of heatstroke was displayed at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, indicating the highest level of risk. There was no one in front of the Shishinden…
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- Kyoto
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Mitarashi Festival
The Mitarashi Festival at Shimogamo Shrine is one of Kyoto’s summer traditions. Visitors dip their feet in the Mitarashi Pond within the shrine grounds to pray for good health and freedom from illness. Seoritsu-hime-no-Mikoto, enshrined at Inoue-sha—a shrine built atop the well shaft that feeds the Mitarashi Pond—is the goddess of water who purifies people of their sins and impurities; it is said that this custom spread amongst the common people from the Muromachi period onwards. Visitors enter the pond barefoot, holding a candle, and light it at the candle stand at Inoue-sha. The festival began last Saturday and continues…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Relentless Heatwave
It’s the middle day of a three-day weekend. Japanese people have short vacations; they even call a three-day weekend—consisting of a weekend and a national holiday—a vacation. In Kyoto, the number of Japanese tourists seems to be increasing, whilst the number of foreign tourists appears to have dropped slightly. Perhaps many visitors are beginning to realise that the Japanese summer is more muggy and uncomfortable than they had anticipated. Even the Yasaka Tower, which is usually a popular ‘Instagrammable’ spot with a constant stream of tourists, has seen fewer visitors due to the extreme heat. Even at night, the temperature…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction
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Motomiyasai Festival
The Motomiyasai Festival at Fushimi Inari takes place the day after tomorrow. This festival honours a branch spirit of Inari Okami—the deity of bountiful harvests and commercial prosperity—and attracts worshippers from the approximately 30,000 Inari shrines said to exist throughout Japan to pay their respects at Fushimi Inari, the head shrine. During the Yoimiya, which begins tomorrow at 6 pm, lanterns will be displayed throughout the shrine grounds, and nearly 400 illuminated lantern paintings will be lit, creating a magical atmosphere. Although Fushimi Inari attracts 10 million visitors annually, incidents caused by the rapidly increasing number of foreign tourists are…
- Kyoto
- Spot introduction