Colored leaves illuminated by an apartment's light

When I went back to home, I was waiting at a red light. It took about 20 or 30 seconds.

And I walked on the crass walk a little bit reluctantly because my legs were swollen due to the long walk to my home from my friend's home. I love walking. But, this time I missed the last bus and there's also no train line. Yeah, I had to walk for 20 kilometers.

The light turned green. Getting at the gateway of a Shrine, I found other lights on the right and left hand. I knew the left light was lanterns of that shrine. But, I didn't know about the right one.  

In front of the gateway, I took a photo. And I watched some ginkgo trees illuminated by light. The yellow part is that. It's vague. Sorry!

In this season, some temples hold illumination events. But, this is just a normal lights of an apartment complex. It's also beautiful! 

Yeah, when you go along streets, you will find some beautiful things. It's in the Japanese daily scenery. We sometimes miss them and find them again saying "wow, that's such a beautiful city!".

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Nice presents from our guest!!

Our guest from Poland gave us nice presents.
It's figure of goat which is symbol of her hometown Poznan.

Poznan is located in the western part of Poland and the city has a population of 580,000.
It is said that Poznan is one of the oldest city in Poland.
Well, that's why when i see the postcard, i feel the city are filled with an air of exoticism.

It is first time for the girl gave us these presents to come to Japan.
Moreover, she said that Japan is first country to visit in Asia.
We are so glad that she chose Japan for the first country in Asia.
We hope she will be enjoying the rest of her trip in Japan.

Thank you for your presents!!
It's been first present from Poland for A-yado since we opened.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

We give you biscuits sometimes!

Our boss gave us the box of biscuits, which was from Canada! We love sweets. So it make us happy. But, this time the biscuit is for our guest. It's the command of our boss. We also love to give some presents to our guests!

"Authentic" it says. It must be a "Authentic" sweet.

Good amount.
When I went back to my home, my colleague said
"I will make a guide sign, on which the message is written".
"OK, that says take it free!" I said.
"Yes, as many as you want!"

And next day, I went back to the hostel, there's no biscuit. Yes, my colleague did a great job.
I guess he wrote "You have to eat at least 10 biscuit, otherwise you have to pay the fine".

Yeah, I'm pretty sure.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Special sculpture of Buddha, which is always wet

I found a sculpture in Kiyomizu-dera temple(清水寺, きよみずでら). It was in a kind of cage and always wet.

Because of the water pipe made from bamboo. I was wondering that it has meaning or not. I guess it has, because the history of Japan made it. The history has the meaning in it all the time. Including daily things like a name of town or street, there are deep meaning according to the history. 

And I read a book and search on the internet. But, there is no answer. I just learned there're some kinds of sculptures of Buddha, and some of them have specified hand(s). For example, Buddha with 1000 hands, it can help so many people by the hands. Hands stand for the symbol of help. 

It's written "Wet hand Buddha"

It's called wet hand Buddha. I guess wet hands can help many people. Because if your hands are wet, and you touch, for example, wheat, it clings damply to your hands. If the hands of Buddha are wet, it clings to people, who need help. Perhaps, That's the reason of why it is wet.

It's one of the explanation. I'm not a specialist on history. But, thinking about the reason of strange things, I will come to know the history of Kyoto and Japan. They're very interesting!

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Kinkakuji(金閣寺）

Kinkakuji(金閣寺）, also called the golden pavilion, is a zen temple in Kyoto.

It was first constructed in 1397 as the retirement villa of the Shogun Ashikaga Yosimitsu(将軍　足利義満）. But it has burned down few times and the present structure was rebuilt in 1955.

Top two floors are covered in gold leaf as you can see the picture.
It's very beautiful, isn't it?

Nowadays it's one of the most popular tourist attractions in Japan.
Also it is designated as a National Special Historic Site and a National Special Landscape and it's one of 17 locations comprising the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto Wold Heritage Site.

You must see this beautiful temple!!
Also i recommend you to go there in winter.
Gold leaf covered with snow is so nice!!!
You'll love it!!

                  Access from A-yado

1. Take No.12 bus at chioin-mae(知恩院前） bus stop.
2. Get off at Kinkakuji-mae(金閣寺前） bus stop.

It takes about 20 mins by bus.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Autumn in Japanese daily life in Kyoto

When I go to work along a river side of Kamo-gawa River(鴨川, かもがわ), I found the trees turned red and yellow. Line of trees are so beautiful. And the temperature is not so low. It was really nice day to hang out!

Then I turned eastward, and got to a small walking path. Yeah, going on the street, the trees looked like a tunnel. Red, green, and yellow graduated by the autumn. Well, I loved them.

It's my familiar street. It looks so normal in my daily life, yet lovely. One business man was crossing the cross walking. The sky was getting clear.

Wow, time flies! I have to go to work! I have just 10 minutes to get there.
Yes, autumn is such a great season to make people not punctual!!

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Gourd pots shop in Kyoto

While I was walking a street in Kiyomizu-dera temple area, I was thinking what kind of thing is really nice for my Nepali friend. He is smart, knowledgeable and so gentle, and he loves Japanese culture. I tough "Oh, I have enough knowledge about Japan more than him, because I'm a Japanese. I can give a present to him which is Japanese thing!". Yeah, let me go to find!

Um, ah, do you like them? It's a gourd shop. There are so many gourd pots hanged for the ceiling..

Inside the shop you can buy other souvenirs. Yeah, they must be a good present, when you go back to your country. But, about gourd pot, well, maybe, yeah, I guess good. 

But, I went back to the way toward my home without buying a gourd pot for my Nepali friend.
No, no, It's not a bad present to him. I'm pretty sure.

Yeah, but, thinking about him, I remembered he already has a small gourd pot. That's why.

Now, I have to look for another. He may have more knowledge than me. Well, to him it's very difficult to give something as a present.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

A nutria(ヌートリア） in Kamo river(鴨川）

Do you know what animal is in the picture?

It is a nutria(ヌートリア） who lives in Kamo river(鴨川）.
It is like a big mouse.
Normally it doesn't exist in Japan.
It was brought to make a fur as an outfit for cold weather.
But after war, the demand was lost and breeding in the country.

In addition, it has been increasing caused by the local residents and tourists feed them.
Kyoto prefecture has been warning to feed to the nutria.
But unfortunately, the people who feed them has not been decreased.

Everyone, please don't feed the nutria if you find them in Kamo river!!
I know it looks cute(?), but the beautiful Kamo river might be conquered by them if you do that.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

The autumn beauty around our hostel, along Shinbashi St.

I took the photo around our hostel in Gion. The name of this street is Shinabashi St.(新橋通り, しんばしどおり). The leaves of trees changed almost red, yet not completely. I'm looking forward the perfect red!

When you go along the street, you will find this peaceful scenery on the same street. A river side, between old wooden restaurants, and the trees. Well, nice!  

And fallen leaves are also nice. When wind blows, it swirled in the wind. That will be a perfect picture.

Yeah, autumn is still in this city, Kyoto. I will keep up to upload the photo of autumn of this year. Because it's just one in a year. Yes, I love it!

Illuminations, streets, and change or scenery with leaves. When you come to Kyoto, and autumn of the year welcomes you, you may feel "Why does the city itself touch my heartstrings?". Yeah, me too!

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Leaves of gingko trees turned into yellow in beautiful autumn

When I went back to my home, I found them along the street beside a Kyoto University. The yellow color got into my eyes and made me something energetic. I love these yellow leaves :)

 The color was really balanced. You may watch those kind of balances in a botanical garden. Me too. But, it's just in a normal street. The autumn is such great season!

I didn't realize this street was really beautiful. Or it's beautiful just with the yellow? I'm not sure. So I will go there in winter, wishing there's snow all over the street!

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Twin Dragons(双龍図) in Kennin-ji(建仁寺）

Kennin-ji(建仁寺） is the oldest "zen(禅）"temple in Kyoto.

It is famous for"The Wind and Thunder Gods(風神雷神図屏風）"and "Twin Dragons(双龍図）".
The picture s "Twin Dragons" painting on the ceiling of the main hall.

You can't see the size of it on the picture.
But it is absolutely huge.
The size of it is 108 tatami(108畳）→11.4m×15.7m.
How many people can you fit on the painting?

Also it has been painted to commemorate the 800 year anniversary of Kennin-ji's founding by Junsaku Koizumu.

When you see it for long time, you will feel like being sucked on the painting.
I think it's definitely worth going to see it.
You will be overpowered with it!!

Kennin-ji temple is only 7mins walk from A-yado.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Zuigudo(随求堂) in Kiyomizu-dera temple

If you explore in Kyoto for 14 days or more and feel boring, saying "From my view every temple and shrine is same!", please go to Zuigudo in Kiyomizu-dera temple(清水寺, きよみずでら). It's something special. In my knowledge there's no temple or shrine like that. When you pay 100 yen as the admission fee, you can explore in the perfect darkness in it. Going down the stairs to the underground, there's no light. You go along a handrail for 10 or 20 meters. I'm not sure about meters because that darkness was perfect. So I walked very slowly, taking about 8 minutes.

In the end you will find  a subtle light from a niche of a stone. You can touch the stone wishing something. Everything in the underground was so mysterious.

Yeah, that's special! Why not!?

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

A beautiful street of Kyoto at night

When I walked along a small street, toward sunset, lamps of homes lit up. And people looked wanting to go back to their home to meet their families. Those hours, evening are just same as your country.

In the evening, looking round into the dim, thinking about the people walking on the street, I feel that street was completely special to express the specified emotion of Japanese. I don't know whether that's understandable or not, and I can explain about it or not.

That stone paved street is my favorite. When I learn something to express Japanese emotions, I will show them all. Because I love the country. And if you love something, you come to show or explain about it. OK, I have to learn, walking the street again!

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Nice present? from the friendly guys

They are very friendly Australian.

One of the guys gave me a protein.

「Why did you give me a protein? Do i look skinny?」

「No, i bought it in Japan, but taste is ..............」

「Do you always drink a protein?」

「Yes, but i lost 8kg during the trip. so i have to put on my weight.」

After we talked about that, they went to Yakiniku(焼肉　Japanese BBQ) restaurant.
And they ordered Tabehoudai(食べ放題　all you can eat BBQ).

Surprisingly, they had 40 plates and 4 ice creams each.

How big their stomach is!!

I think his weight was back to the before for only 1 day.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

(Movie)Illuminated Colored leaves from a dark train

I took some photos of the event in Kibune(貴船) and Kurama(鞍馬) area in Kyoto. The illuminated colored leaves of autumn and a dark inside train. The colored leaves are like a tunnel. I wanted to show what it's like to you all. But, take a look at the consequence.

You see. Everything is vague in the photo.

The train was running, and my camera is not the latest model. The shatter speed couldn't be very high.

It looks like a inside the time portal, not a tunnel of colored leaves. When I get out from the tunnel, I could meet a dinosaurs or Doraemon.

Not so bad. Yeah, still vague outside, though.

When the tunnel was finished, I though very deeply. What should I do to take a good photo? And I struggled with my camera to find a good function. Then I found a button to take a movie!

That's it!



Well, better than before. I got a really nice buddy!

When I go somewhere, and I feel "Oh, it's good to introduce Kyoto, and it should be a movie, not a photo", I will upload a movie!! Actually I'm not good at computing. So I spend 8 hours to upload the movie of colored leaves and a train. Yeah, sometimes we need time to go forward.

Anyway that was beautiful! I love autumn :)

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Yasaka pagoda(八坂の塔, やさかのとう), and a Buddhist monk

The slope toward Yasaka pagoda is very nice to walk. It's a narrow street with many people, and shops and restaurants. It's located Kiyomizu area, which is famous for Kiyomizu-dera temple.

The stone paved street makes me happy to walk!

And I almost reached Kiyomizu-dera temple. I found him among the people out in the street. 

The person in a hat and black cloth is a Buddhism monk. He has a bowl, asking some money as giving charity. He got out from the system of the modern society. He don't work. He has to clean a temple. He has to pray. And he has to ask money as favor. But, he will never rich in the system of Buddhism monk. Actually, some of monks are very rich, and they like drinking, driving, and playing at night.

This style of begging monks is nothing but humble. You see his feet, which are almost naked. The temperature was 11 degrees centigrade. He will never be rich. He don't want to be.

It's one of the scenery of our daily life. Not so special. But, sometimes we forget him among the people, even if he is standing on the street as the symbol of humbleness.

He is humble without greed, and maybe he is still struggling in his mind with his conflict. His eyes are pure.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Yakushima(屋久島）

Have you been to Yakushima(屋久島） in Japan?

One of our staff went there and bought us nice sweet.
Yakushima is located on the southern coast  of Kyushu(九州） and part of Kagoshima(鹿児島）.
More than 75% of Yakushima is covered with thickly forested mountains that contain some of Japan's oldest living trees.
Trees more than 1000 years old are called Yakusugi(屋久杉) and the most ancient of which may be over 7000 years old.

It's amazing, isn't it?

Most tourists come to this island to hike through the forests and see the ancient trees.
Also Yakushima has been a natural World Heritage Site since 1993.

It's one of Japan's most remarkable travel destinations.

Would you like to feel going there now?
If so, you must go there!!

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Kiyomizu-dera temple (清水寺, きよみずでら), a world heritage in Kyoto

I'm here. Yeah, it'a good way to show where I am by just one picture. I'm at the red rectangle.

If you are a professional travel adviser in Japan, it's easy to guess where I am. But, normally it's very hard. Some streets, slopes, and shrines and temples... Well where is ti?

I'm at Kiyomizu-dera temple (清水寺, きよみずでら). It's a very famous world heritage of Japan.

I didn't go inside the building, not paying admission fee. It's free to enter the garden. This scenery was really nice. you can enjoy the scenery of the whole of this city, Kyoto. 

When you look down at Kyoto, there are a lot of things worth seeing, even if they are so tiny!

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Ton-katsu"豚カツ", fried pork cutlet

This is the typical type of Japanese lunch or dinner. 

From my view it looks very tasty. You see the miso soup, rice, yellow pickles and the main cutlet.
That is a set menu. You can eat them for about 800yen. Well, it may be expensive, if you spend 400yen for one dinner in another country. Japan is one of the most expensive countries to live or stay. But, it's famous that Japanese food is various and tasty.

OK. I finished the explanation of the set menu and Japanese food. Then I can eat that.

"いただきます！"

Yeah, I say "itadaki-masu" according to my hobbit.
That means "thank you for the food"!

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Nama Yatsuhashi(生八つ橋）

This is one of the most famous souvenirs in Kyoto.
It's called "Nama Yatsuhashi(生八つ橋）".
It's unique in texture like mochi and mostly wraps with red bean paste.

This one in the picture has green tea paste instead of normal one.
Also they have several kinds of flavor like chocolate, sweet chestnut, strawberry.
So you can enjoy a lot of tastes.
When you try it, i think you love it!!
Actually this is one of my favorite sweets.
And when i visit my fiends who live in other city, i always buy it for them.
It's highly recommend souvenir in Kyoto.
When you come to Kyoto, please try to buy it for your friends.
But be careful that this one won't keep long.
So you have to give it to them as soon as you come back to your country.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

A serious water bird in Gion(祇園)

The temperature is not cold or hot today. I was walking along a street, yawning sometimes. I was so lazy.

Can you find something in the photo? If I were you, I couldn't. But, it's at the almost center of the photo.

That was a water bird.

It stand without moving. I didn't know what it thought. But, looking at the serious face, I felt that he though something important.

20 minutes later, it didn't move. Yeah, it was so serious. This picture is not same. If you observe the water streaming, you can find the difference such as reflection of sunshine.

I left that place after 30 minutes. That place is in Gion(祇園). And the river is Shirakawa river(白川, しらかわ). Yeah, our hostel is in Gion. Walking for 3 minutes, you can get there. But I don't know you can find that bird or not. Good luck.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Minami-za Theater(南座, みなみざ) located on the busy corner or Kyoto

The photo looks not so special, but the building is nice. That figure is like a rich house. It's the Minami-ze theater（南座, みなみざ）, which is the oldest theater of Japan playing Kabuki from Edo period(江戸時代, えどじだい) on. And that is still a very famous Kabuki theater with so many new facilities. Because about 20 years ago, that was rebuild to make it more convenient, and also the theater itself was getting very old.

So you can enjoy Kabuki in the great theater. But it's played, of course, in Japanese.
Yeah, but I guess there's no problem. Because I may not understand all the stories. Sure! It's just the feeling belonging to your artistic sense. If you want to try it, please ask us when you come to the hostel!!

Let's study together! :)

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net

Sharpening the blade of skating shoes in our living room

Do you think what they are doing in this picture?

Well, they are sharpening the blade of skating shoes for the competition in our living room.

They said that each person has a habit when they are skating.
So when you sharpen the blade, you have to know your own habit.
If you know that and sharpen very well, time will be much faster.

It's a professional work, isn't it?
Actually i couldn't find the difference between before and after in spite of they let me show their blade.
Because It's milli-unit work.

Also i couldn't get their result of the competition. Because i was off next day.
But i hope that they did their best and enjoyed the competition.

---

The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in its historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains. The center of Kyoto.
Please contact us, if you want to book our hostel.

info@ayado.net