Yaeyama Islands④(八重山)

After Hateruma island,I went to the Iriomote island. 

                                                This is　harbor in Iriomote. 

This is beach that is located beside the harbor. They are very close. But sea color is so different. Is it caused by only depth? Could you teach me reason, If you know about this. 

 Iriomote has good and cheap peach. Price is 200~300yen(2~3 dollar). 

And there are some activities. I took a play of river. This activities jump from rock.

 And you can take waterfall shower. And I took a　caving. Cave is so deep , tite and dark. These activities are very hard. But I love it. Would you like to try!?

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Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
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Our Guest from France in Yukata!!

Another staff, Yusuke wrote this article.

http://hostelkyoto.blogspot.jp/2013/08/getting-lost-but.html

Yeah, at last, she,with her friend, was in Yukata .

Oh, but before their "cheese", there's another story. She was looking for how to wear Yukata. But, it's very confusing and complicating.. So she was worried about the time for a festival called Bon Fire. 

Oh, on the day there're 2 male staff. We couldn't help her! ;(

About 10 minute later a super helpful Japanese girls came to check in. And she said "I could do it for her!!"

After 30 minutes, her smile and posture in Yukata were perfect!

Yes, it's a great day for them and us. The story sounds nice, because it has something to do with the human relationship. Even if we speak different languages, and we can't talk in a common language, there's no problem. If a person smiles, so do another!

It's set a great relationship! The place, A-yado GION is such kind of hostel!

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The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

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Bon Fire on 16th of August, The "Gozan-no-okuri-bi"

The mountain has the kanij, "大", which means "Big". But, the angle is not really good. So it looks more like "K", not like "大".

Oh, this angle is better to watch the kanji. You can find the kanji "大" on the middle of mountain. 

On 16th tomorrow, the mountain's kanji will be fired up. Actually, it's consisted with big torches. The torches has the fire on the day.

This is another mountain for Bon fire. The kanji is a bit complicating. "妙" is not used in our daily lives so frequently. It sounds like Buddhism word to us. The "妙"(myou) will be also fired up. Yeah, Bon fire has 6 shapes and kanjis. All of them are wonderful!

Our guests goes out for it! Enjoy!! We're looking forward to listening good stories from you!

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The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

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On 16th August...

This is a view from the top of Mt. Daimonji (大文字山).

On 16th August five giant bonfires are lit on five mountains surrounding the city.
This is an event called Gozan no Okuribi in Bon festival.
Mt. Daimonji is one of the five mountains.

Mt. Daimonji is open for 24 hours so you can go up the mountain at night.

This is a view from the top in the daytime. 

Mt. Daimonji has totally different two faces.

When you walk in the mountain at night, a torch is necessary.

Without torches, you cannot see anything.

Some stairs don not have balustrades so you need to mind your step with care.

If you are afraid of darkness, you should go with somebody.

The mountain at night could be very scary. 

On the other hand, the view from the top is very beautiful. 

Only on 16th August you cannot enter the mountain.

On the day you should look up the bonfire from the ground. .

There are some good places for seeing the fire nearby A-yado.  

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The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

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Word of Mouth of Water Birds

This is my favorite place. It's an artificial river set 100 years ago to connect Kamo Riv. in Kyoto to Biwa-ko lake in Shiga for the water supply of Kyoto.  Watching the nice stream, listening to the sound of the river I was feeling good.

I found a water bird on the riverside. It was sitting to take a rest in the shade. The temperature was 36 degrees centigrade today. A water bird needed to take a rest.

Next day I was there again. And I found something strange.

Oh, water birds in a line. Everybody took a rest. Because the temperature is 36 degrees again.

The water bird I found yesterday should be proud of the its job. I was surprised by the word-of-mouth of water birds.

In hot days you should take a rest in the shade. Today the temperature is 37 degrees or something. So HOT!! Yet, the city is beautiful with many thing worth seeing!

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The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

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The Large Summer Event, "Tanabata" in Kyoto

When I walked along a river side street, I found a two color lights. One was orange light, which were the lamps of out side lounges or restaurants. And one is white on the bank.

The river's name is Kamo river. It reflected them.

During 3rd to 12th of August, "Kyono tanabata" is held on. Tanabata is one of the most popular events in Japan. Wishing something, hanging ornaments from bamboo grass, we hope a girl and boy can be meet. They live in the sky and love each other, but they are separated by a river. Just one time in a year, a birds make a bridge for them. So if the weather is fine at night, they can see each other. 

The white lights is on bamboo grasses. They has also sheets for wishing.

It's the "Projection Mapping". New technology for these kind of events. It's much vague because of my camera.

If you run along the projected bank, you are projected too. It's fun! They don't have any traffic stop for the projection.

The projection was fantastic!

A letters to tell the importance of the beauty of rivers. It says "Let's maintain the beautiful river for the future generation."

Oh, I found a guide sign for a new technology. It's the other one.

But, nothing here.

Engineers were struggling with an trouble on the machine. The technology is just new. So maybe it has some problems. It's for making large amount of electricity without consuming fossil fuel. They're struggling for the future generation. 

 

The objects were on the bank too. The place was nice to relax, sitting on it, listening the sound of river stream.

The following URL is to go to official website:

http://www.kyoto-tanabata.jp/global/en/index.html

Nice night! I went to just one event place. They have two! Wow, I can enjoy more!!

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The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

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The Guest from Paris Loves the City

Wow, they're carrying a potable shrine for a largest festival in July of Kyoto. The festival has the schedule for almost everyday in July. I took the photo on 5th floor of the building A-yado is in. Our guests and I are so lucky!

And here's a photo of a nice woman with the lovely smile. She knows about Japan and Kyoto very well. She speaks very beautiful Japanese, and she knows the culture. Her name is Esther.

And she gave us the present! It's a famous souvenir of a shrine. It made us happy! Thank you! 

We opened it. It looks so nice.

Beautiful Candies! We all love sweets. And we love souvenir from our guests.

Thank you for the good present!

She has been in Japan in April, Autumn and Summer. In Japan we can enjoy four seasons with the characteristics such as cherry trees and colored leaves. She has experienced three seasons. The Winter of Japan is waiting for her.

Thank you for everything, Esther. When you have the chance, please come to Kyoto. This city is also waiting for you! And, of course, we're looking forward to seeing you again!

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Link to Our Website
The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

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Mt. Daimonji (大文字山)

On August 16th five giant bonfires are lit on five mountains surrounding the city.
This is an event called Gozan no Okuribi in Bon festival.


I went up Mt. Daimonji, one of the five mountains.
The mountain is close to Gikaku-ji Temple.

It is the beginning of the mountain trail.
First there is an ascent.
You can hear songs of birds and insects.

After the ascent, There are stairs to the top.
You need to mind your steps not to fall down.

This is the half way point.
You should drink water frequently to prevent dehydration.

Going further, you get to this stairs.
This is a very long stairs and we do not see the end from the starting point.
However the top is not so far.

This is the view from the top.
The summit commands a panoramic view of Kyoto.

There are fire grates for Gozan no Okuribi.


It takes 30-50 minutes to get to the top.
Please do not forget to bring a bottle of water and a towel with you.

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The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

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Gion Matsuri Festival 2013 ~Yoi-yama, one of the main parts at night~

The clouds are something strange. It looks the calm before the storm. With a temple and sunset it's getting more beautiful.

Wow, so many vacant seat. It' said for "17th/July". What happens in this city, Kyoto?!

Yes! Tonight Kyoto has a part of the great festival, Gion Festival（祇園祭, ぎおんまつり).

It looks so nice. All lanterns are like having their own faces.

Bigger one! It's in Shijo-dori St.

On that one, there'are so many people playing their instrument. They're not only exciting, but historical. Those style are from some hundred years ago.

This one is also fantastic! And coming 10 pm, which is the closing time of playing instruments, the whole area is getting crowded, and everybody is so excited!

Oops! It's blared. Because I feel dizzy for crowded streets and the heat of people! Now time to finish taking a photo...


The Gion festival is one of the biggest three festival of Japan. It stars 1st of July and continues to 31st of July. Some parts are just for local people and priest of Shinto. But, spectacle parts, which you can join in are all worth seeing!

Matsu is Japanese culture. Sometimes we feel nostalgic for it. Because we, Japanese join in it from childhood, having foods of stalls, laughing loudly.

That's a definitely good cultural part!! Yeah, of course, you can join in! And enjoy!!

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The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

Contact

Illuminated Floor along Beautiful River

Getting hot in summer. If your country has the high temperature and humidity, the city's summer should be very hard to live. Kyoto has about 38 degrees centigrade and humid air. And yet I love summer.

In the late evening, when I walked along Kamo Riv. I was looking at the lights of illuminated floors, being touched by cool breezes. At night, Kyoto is still hot. But if you go out after your dinner, then you will catch the winds.

The lights are in dark shade as if they are floating. And the river reflects them all the time at night. On the floor people are drinking and chatting. 

Looking at the lights, imagining smiling and laughing, I came to talk with somebody. No, no, I'm not lonely ;(  I just love people in their happy lives. And I wanted to tell they looked happy.

Now I'm telling it to you! That's all I wanted to do :)

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The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

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The Nicest Temple in Kyoto for Hydrangea Flowers

June is the rainy season of Japan. And the season still has something worth seeing and worth trying despite of rainy days. 

This is hydrangea flowers, which is called Ajisai(紫陽花, あじさい) in Japanese. When we see them we remember June and rain drops on the flowers. 

We love it!

And then I was transported to the hydrangea temple very eventually and instantly. No, I'm just joking. The temple has 10,000 hydrangea flowers. That's why I've came here.

That's the main building. Yeah, it's raining. Raining days are special for the flowers. It got more beautiful.

Like this. Blue, white and purple hydrangeas!

So special. I love June.

If you watch the flowers, and you remember the colors of them one by one for all places, you will be surprised next year. Because the color will be changed by the substance in soil. That's also good fun for the flowers!

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Link to Our Website
The backpackers hostel in Kyoto is located in a historical district, Gion.
Good access by buses and trains to everywhere. 
Please contact us by the form, if you'd like to book our hostel.

Contact