Yoshida-jinja Shrine with Daruma doll fortune tellers

When I walk up the stars, I felt the cool breezes on my cheek. Still cold these days, but sometimes so warm, as if winter and spring was chasing each other.

Here's main part of the shrine, Yoshida-jinja shrine. The orange gate way is always beautiful.

This time I drew a fortune telling lot, whose figure is doll.

Inside the doll of small Daruma(達磨), I found it and pulled it out. Yeah, that is not bad!

Here's Japanese stone lanterns. That don't look like lantern. I took just the hole on it. People put fire inside.

The new green leaves is super refreshing. I love them all!

Those kind of combination by a shrine and nature is really touching. If you like one or both, please try many shrines in Japan!!

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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 by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

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O-yamasaki-sanso-Musiam

A nice couple was taking a look at the map on a stone. I came to O-yamasaki-sanso museum in spring with the warm weather. 

It's on the mountain side. When I walk up the slope, there's a gate way in the photo. Yeah, good welcoming! 

The cherry blossoms are still in booming. I was lucky! Actually some of the trees are still in blooming after the blooming season like in the end of April. The mountain side or north side has the late blooming timing.

Here's the museum. That's awesome. But, It was prohibited to take a photo. Nohhhhhhh! X(

The museum was really cool. You can go and observe inside directly. 

In the garden I found a hare. Of course, it's a sculpture.

The name is one that. Yeah, I love it.

Kyoto has so many museums and good places to watch the cultural things. 

It's not only historical.

Yeah, enjoy them!

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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 by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

Contact

Miyako-Odori, the Maiko Dancing Show just in Spring

When I walked on Hanami-koji St., I found the street is very bright and crowded.

I find the light in front of the building, which is called Gion-kobu-kaburen-jo theater.

Oh, the light is for Maiko dancing show. The name is "Miyako odori".

Here's the poster with Maiko girl.

And also you never lose because of this gateway. 

This season, April is not just for cherry blossoms, but many events. Miyako-odori is one of them.

Of course, sometimes you may be confused which one is better and how to get or how is it like.

Yeah, we will help you! We are something expert on Kyoto!

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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 by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

Contact

Cherry Blossoms ~We Love it~

This time, I can't show nothing, but just the photos of cherry blossoms. Yeah, they are so nice and a good object to shoot, and also a good icon to introduce Kyoto.

Yes!! They are in blooming! This street is in 1 minute from our hostel.

Full blooming! And weather is nice on the day. The temperature is getting warmer!

This is a normal street, but with cherry blossoms.

Some of them were commuting. I saw them while I'm waiting for the street lamp. 

Everything is our daily life. If it's with cherry blossoms, we are very happy. Because we, Japanese , love the trees, and the scenery with the trees is always something emotional. In the begening of spring, we graduate and go to new school or company, meeting new situation and people.

That's iconic. Cherry blossoms are in our heart! 

  

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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 by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

Contact

Cherry Blossoms in Blooming in Kyoto --The end of March in 2013--

Walking down a street, you can enjoy them along the river side. They are in full blooming. Thought the sky is not really bright, the color is brilliant.

I took the photo, on a bridge. Some people commuting to a school or company were observing the trees. They are fascinated!

Here's the other place. In the evening, those blossoms were illuminated. Shirakawa-river is along a sort of historical street, which is Shinbashi street.

It's on Shinbashi street. When the sun has set, the illumination will be more brilliant.

At night, people goes to a cherry blossom viewing party. The gate is Yasaka-jinja shrine.

There were so many stalls in the shrine. They sold Japanese old coins.

The site to view cherry blossoms.

It's one of the famous tree in Maruyama-park.

Spring is a great season! Enjoy them, and don't miss it!

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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 Season of Cherry Blossoms

Now in Japan cherry blossoms are in full bloom.


Before We wrote about cherry blossoms in Kyoto on this blog.
This time I am writing about cherry blossoms, too.
However this time is about cherry blossoms in Tokyo for a change.

I took this photo near Tokyo Station.
There were many cherry trees along this street.


It is amazing that we can enjoy cherry blossoms in the center of this big city.


Cherry blossoms are associated with entrance ceremony and graduation ceremony of school in Japan.


So I visited here.

This is the building of Ministry of Education in Tokyo.
I found this by chance.
I guess they are busy in this season.


All over Japan cherry blossoms are very beautiful at the moment.
I recommend you come to Japan to see them.
If you do so, please do not forget to visit Kyoto.

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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

Bye Winter and Hello Spring

it is getting warmer in Kyoto.
I feel that Spring has come.
This is sooooo good for me because I do not like cold days.


I can not believe it was very cold last month.
This reminds me of certain guests.

They are the guests from Malaysia.
They were staying at A-yado last month.


Malaysia has warm weather so they were not used to coldness.
Every time when I asked them "How are you?", they always answered "Cold! Cold!"


Now it is warm so it is a very good time for them to come to japan.
I wish they would come to Japan again and enjoy Kyoto in Spring.

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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

Nijo-jo Castle and the Illumination, plus Cherry blosome

I took the photo in front of Nijo-jo castle, which is the most famous castle in Kyoto. The castle is surrounded by a kind of rive to protect itself from enemies.

Here's the entrance. I didn't go inside this time. 

Because the illumination event is held from 29th of March with cherry blossom trees in blooming. The season is not just cherry blossom trees but you can enjoy illumination at night. Temples and shrines will be illuminated.

And I went back to my home along a business street. And somehow I found a cherry blossom.

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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

Wow, it's in blooming!

Some of the type of cherry blossom trees are already in full blooming. This is one of them.

But, the blooming season hasn't come yet. Within 1 or 2 week it will come to Kyoto.

Enjoy the warm weather, beautiful trees and parties!

Shidarezakura(シダレザクラ）in the Maruyama park(円山公園）

The cherry blossoms have started to bloom in various parts of Japan.
So I went to Maruyama park(円山公園） which is a public park next to Yaska Shrine(八坂神社） to check the cherry bloossoms.
But they haven't bloomed yet. They are still bud. I think it will take 1 more week.

Well, this park is one of the most crowded spot for cherry blossom viewing in Kyoto.
Especially around a tall Shidarezakura(シダレザクラ weeping cherry tree) on the picture, many people enjoy Hanami(花見）which is having a picnic under a blooming cherry tree every year.
Also this tall cherry tree gets lit up in the night. It's so beautiful.

I'll go there for Hanami when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.
Please join me if you are in Kyoto.
Let's have a party!!

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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

Cherry blossoms just around the corner

In these days, getting warm so coming Hanami season.
Many tourist is going to get together in Kyoto.
If you stay in our hostel, you can see beautiful Cherry blossomes near here(just 1min by walk ) and it's very good location on old style of houses, stream and stone path.
I see many photographer there when i coming through.

light up in the night time!

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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

Kurama(鞍馬) Area for the Beauty of Nature and Tengu

This city, Kyoto has two parts, which is the city side and the countryside. Both have their own characters. The city side has very historical temples and shrines and busy streets good for drinking at night. It's sometimes very chaotic, yet worth staying.

About the countryside you can enjoy the beauty of nature. I took the photo from train. The mountain and maple trees in March.

Just the mountain. Actually with some houses. Streets are wide. Compering to the city side, it's also comfortable.

Oh, this area is called "Kurama(鞍馬)", which is very famous for Tengu(天狗). Tengu is a Japanese imaginary creature. It's said they are very smart and had super natural powers. They could fly and thy could make winds.

The masks are Tengu masks. You can buy as the souvenir. Their faces are normally red and their noses are very toll. They have the mustache. And the eyes is like starling something. 

The building is Kurama-dera temple. That's one of the famous things in the area.

Very big wooden sign board like 4 meters.

Inside the temple, there's some big trees. This is a sort of gods. The tree has a magic power. So if you make a wish, it will come true!

From the upstairs. You see ropes in the both photos. The ropes are sacred ropes for a god tree.

In the evening, I went up the mountain in Kurama-dera temple. The shade and shadow was very deep.

And the sunshine before sunset was glaring, yet it was really comfortable.

In the nature, and in the old temple, you may feel something special and new. That's located the north side of Kyoto. From our hostel it's a bit far, like 40 minutes by train.

But, the place is still super nice!! Please try visiting!

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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