Nishiki Market – the Kyoto Kitchen
Simply the best traditional food market in the city. When you’re starting to feel tired about visiting temples, this is a highly recommended visit for all.
Light Show at the Shoren-In Temple
Shoren-In is certainly not one of the main temples around, but it really is a very nice one and has undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens in Kyoto. This is not a mere lighting up of the garden, but it is an actual light show.
Plum blossoms at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
While most people think “Cherry Blossom” when considering the Hanami season, it actually starts with the plum blossoms around the end of February. This is, a few weeks before the cherry blossoms, the actual beginning of spring in Kyoto.
Hanami – Flower Viewing
Hanami (lit. “flower viewing”) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers. “Flower” in this case almost always means cherry blossoms (“sakura”). From the middle of March to early May, the Japanese people …
Hina Matsuri and Japanese Dolls
Hina Matsuri, also called Doll’s Day or Girls’ Day, is a special day celebrated each year on March 3 in Japan. Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls (Hina-Ningyō) representing the Emperor, Empress, …
Shimogamo Jinja Shrine
The Shimogamo Jinja Shrine, also known as Kamomioya-jinja Shrine, is together with its sister shrine Kamigamo Jinja, the family shrine of the Kamo clan, who inhabited this area before the transfer of the capital to Kyoto.
Kamigamo Jinja Shrine
The Kamigamo Jinja shrine, also known as “Kamo Wake-ikazuchi-jinja”, is said to be the oldest shrine in Kyoto, dating back to the 7th century and predating the establishment of Heian-kyo (Kyoto).
Kyoto Marathon 2015
As our architect and friend, Mr. Y participated to this year marathon, we decided to go to support him. The meeting spot (with other friends) was set at kilometer 30 along the Kamogawa river.
Kyoto under snow
Waking up early on Sunday, we discovered the city under snow. This doesn’t happen so often in Kyoto so no hesitation — we called a taxi and went to visit various temples, South (Fushimi Inari Taisha, To-Ji), North-West (Kinkaku-Ji, Genko-An) and North-East (Ginkaku-Ji).
