Momiji no happa (Maple leaves)

Nijo Castle Garden

Nijo Caste Moat

Map of Kurama dera

Hokusai - Man using abacus

 
23 November 2011 (National Holiday: Kinnokansha no hi or Labor Thanksgiving Day)


      No question about it, the love of tree gazing is rampant.  We seem to have fallen right into the frenzy.  On Sunday we took the nearby train up the mountains just north of us, to the village of Kurama, passing through the "tunnel of maples" at which point the trains slows down.  We stopped to buy some rice to bring along (changed counted by abacus).  It was a refreshingly cool day for a change, and we explored the lovely and peaceful (in spite of the Sunday crowd) mountain side temple, Kurama-dera.  We hiked up the side of the mountain to the main temple, past ancient cypress trees (cryptomeria?), continuing on by a remarkable area of twisted roots, had some sticky rice we had bought and then hiked down to Kibune, a small village by the Kibune-gawa where Kyoto people come to eat at the Ryokan restaurants in summer to cool off (the restaurants erect dining platforms that hang over the water.  Needless to say it was beautiful to see the sun reflecting in the delicate red maples.  Kurama is also the site of the Fire Festival in October where gigantic torches are carried up the mountain path to the temple (this photo and the others of Kurama are not mine).

     Last night we went out to one of the temple "light ups."  We chose Kodai-ji, a zen temple with wonderful sand gardens, groves of trees, bamboo, etc winding up the hillside.  Of course there were hordes of people doing exactly the same thing, but still it was lovely to see the lighted up trees reflected in the pond,  and especially the ethereal look of the lighted pale green bamboo grove.  We both thought the light show on the beautiful sand and rock garden was a bit un-zen like, but still entertaining.  (Photos of night foliage not mine.)

     Today we visited Nijo Castle which is in central Kyoto.  It was a great spot.  The castle is not surprisingly very grand - rooms with wonderful, imposing paintings of pine trees, various animals and birds and especially wonderful wooden lattices and carvings every where.  The castle has magnificent and well kept gardens and ponds.  Another more recent castle is surrounded by a large stone wall and moat.  There are also "nightingale" floors which we didn't get to walk on, but which are floors that squeak when an intruder enters (there is apparently a nail under the floor board that moves up and down inside a clamp).  The morning was completed by a cup of matcha and a sweet in the tea house sitting on tatami mats looking at the gardens.  It doesn't get much better (even though sitting on the floor is not Win's forte).  I can sit Japanese style for about 5 minutes until my feet fall asleep, but then I can sit with my legs to the side about long enough to have tea.

     Last Friday night we had an excellent dinner with Giovanni and Ferr, who seem to have considerable knowledge of the local restaurant scene.  A hole-in-the-wall sort of place on Sanjo dori, east of the river, on the south side of the street, marked by a large red lantern and no discernible  name.  At the counter we were served excellent fish, tempura, raw lobster (!!), fish entrails (?liver) and you name it.  All with good cheer.  I will pass on raw lobster, but the cooked parts of the lobster and the lobster miso were excellent.


Happy Thanksgiving to all.  We miss the gathering.  Love to all.