Kobe Luminarie Trip

Kobe Luminarie

I would like to inform Kobe Luminarie.

Kobe Luminarie is stareted from December 5.
This Luminarie pray the hopes and dreams to the reconstruction and regeneration of Kobe and the requiem of the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake victims.

This festival is 19th and this thema is Memory of Light.

The decoration of the illumination that covered streets and squares, shows us the beautiful geometric pattern.
It is a joint work of Hirokazu Imaoka and Valerio Festi.

This place is held at East Park that is 1km south of Sannomiya station, and 300m length road to East Park.
This Festival is started from 17:00.
From 15:30, lots of people are gathered at Festival start point.

Time schedule
Monday to Thursday : 18:00-21:00
Fryday : 18:00-22:00
Saterday : 17:00-22:00
Sunday : 17:00-21:30

Luminarie illumination is started by the bell sound.

Saturday and Sunday are very crowded at 17:00.
Luminarie street is beautiful,but East Park is most beautiful.

At Luminarie street, taking picture by stopping is not permitted.
Please watch illumination without taking pictures.

Please enjoy watching illumination.

But East Park is permitted to take pictures.
I recommend to take pictures at East Park.
Branch shops are gathered at this Park.

Please enjoy watching Luminarie illumination with eating snacks.

Real illumination is amazing.

This festival continue to hold till December 16.

That's it.

Kyoto Trip : Toji temple, West Honganji temple, East Honganji temple, Nijyo Castle.

Kyoto Trip : Toji temple, West Honganji temple, East Honganji temple,
Nijyo Castle.

I would like to inform near JR Kyoto station walking trip.

Trip Cource: Toji temple, West Honganji temple, East Honganji temple, Nijyo Castle.

From Kyoto station 15minutes walking, you arrive at Toji temple.


Toji is a world heritage.
Enter Toji from South gate.
First is Gojyu no Tou.
Gojyu no Tou is usually closed, but spring golden week and early November it is opened.
Buddha is sitting in Gojyu no Tou.
Near Gojyu no Tou, Japanese garden with pond is existing.
Please go around this Garden, it is wonderful at Autumn leaves time.
Next is Kondo. Kondo has a big Buddha statue, it is golden color.

Toji is a main traveling points of Kyoto, but not so many travelers are visiting.

Next is Nishi Honnganji Temple, 20 minutes walk from Toji temple.

This temple is a big temple.
Entering this temple, it is free, no charge.
Please sit a big hall and pray your dream.

At precinct, you can see two big Ginkgo trees.

South of this temple, Ryukoku university is existing.

This university hall is a Important cultural property.
Only outlook of this hall is available to see.

West of Nishi honnganji temple, Temple town is seen.

This town has many Buddha goods shops.
Jyuzu:Rosary, candle, Buddhist altar are seen.
Some shops are continued from Edo period.
You have a calm time at this town.

Next is Higashi Honganji temple.

This temple is located to Nishi honnganji temple, so called Higashi Honganji temple.
Current this temple is repairing now, entering main temple is available.

Temple structure is same as Nishi Honganji temple.

Go to Horikawa street, ride bus and go to Nijyo Castle.

Nijyo castle is established by Ieyasu Tokugawa.
Lots of castle have Tenshukaku, do not have Honmaru and Ninomaru.
But Nijyo castle has Honmaru and Ninomaru, does not have Tenshukaku.
Nijyo castle is a main traveling point of Kyoto, so many travelers are visiting.

Through gate, enter Ninomaru.

In this house, Pine trees and tigers are drawn on bran.
These pictures are famous as a Kanou-family picture.
I think Tiger is unique shape, because tiger is drawned by tiger fur.

After Nimomaru, walk around Japanese big Gardena.

Walk over Hori, and enter Honmaru area.
Honmaru is not opened, go to Tenshukaku Trace.
Climb stone steps, you can see a overview of Nijyo Castle.

It is a nice view.
I don't know Tenshukaku is existing at Nijyo castle.
Honmaru is not available to see.


This day is a castle carnivals, so Falconry is seen at a Garden.
Ieyasu Tokugawa like Falconry.

Falconry is a Hawk to capture prey.
Hawk is not a big bird.

This time Trip, except Nijyo castle traveling points are availble to walk.
Please enjoy Kyoto walking trip.

That's it.

Kyoto Shokakuan Temple's Writing brush Festibal

Kyoto Shokakuan Temple's Writing brush Festibal

I would like to inform Writing brush festibal at Shokakuan.

Ride a bus, and get off at Tohukuji temple South.
Writing brush Festibal is held at November 23.
Shokakuan is called a Writing brush temple.

Writing brush Memorial service is praying writing brush, that are used.

PM 1:00, Yamabushi and young boys lifted Mikoshi, and walk around Tohukuji temple area.

After parade, Mikoshi is returned to temple, Festibal is started at PM 2:00.
Yamabushi pray, Conch, drum, Sutra chanting.

Fire is added to Torch, torch is moved Gomadan, Gomadan is covered with fire.

Monk read pray, worshipers throw writing bushes and pens into Gomadan.

Worshioers pray fitting the hands to flaring up fire.

Worshipers taking a smoke from Gomadan make you progress writing characters.

This temple is received twenty thousands writing brushes.

For achieving beautiful characters, please visit and worshipe this temple.

That's it.

　

Otsu castles and temples

I would like to Otsu city trip of Osaka Barrier gate, Zeze Castle Ruins Park, Otsu Science Museum, Ishiyama Temple, Mii Temple, Sakamoto Castle Ruin.

Osaka Barrier gate
Ride Keihan train at Yamashina and get off at Ohtani station.

About 200m walking to the east, you arrive Osaka Barrier gate ruin.

This is a Barrier gate between Kyoto and Shiga Otsu.

In front of this ruin, Route 1 road has a lot of cars.
Mountain is closing in on both sides of the national highway, it is a place of mountain trees are beautiful.
This area was a rest place for travelers at old days.
This small town has a restaurant eel, Semimaru shrine, and traditional town.
Walking trip at this area is good for you.

Next is a Zeze Castle Ruins Park.
Getting off at Zeze-Honmachi station, 15minutes walking, you arrive at Zeze Castle Ruins Park.

This castle was made by Ieyasu Tokugawa for patrolling West Daimyos.
Current there are only Castle gate and Zeze Castle Ruin Stone.
You can see a wonderful view at this park.


Near this park, Otsu Science Museum is existing.
This museum is a science museum for Lake Biwa.

Exhibiting Lake Biwa history, and fishes, education models for science.
This museum has also a model of Zeze castle at Edo period.
You understand Zeze castle.


Next is Ishiyama temple.
For going to Ishiyama temple, Riding bus at Keihan Ishiyama station is convenient.
Number of buses is often.

First is a long approaching road, 2nd is steep stone steps, then you arrive at Precincts of the temple.
Crimb a steep stone steps again, you reach a Main temple.

Murasaki Shikibu, who was a famous writer, was writing Genji-Monogatari at this temple.
So, this temple has Murasaki-Shikibu statue in a Main temple.

From this temple, you can see a Lake Biwa.


I go to Mii temple.
Get off at Miidera station, and walk along First Sosui river of Lake Biwa. About 15minutes walking, you arrive at Mii temple.

Mii temple has 13 temples in Precincts of the temple.
Visiting all temples needs you over 1hour.
At center of the Precinct, there is Kondo main temple.

When you pay a monetary offering, you can enter this temple and walk around veranda.

Next is Sakamoto Castle ruin.
Get off at Matsuno-baba station of Keihan train, after 20minutes walking, you arrive at Sakamoto Castle ruin.

Stone statue and Jin-Gasa are only existing along the road.
This castle was made by Mitsuhide Akechi.

From this castle ruin, go to Lake Biwa 5minutes, you find a Statue of Mitsuhide Akechi.

Mitsuhide Akechi was a member of Nobunaga Oda, but he killed Nobunaga.
But he was a good governer at Sakamoto Town, and had a good reputation in Sakamoto town, and Fukuchiyama citywide.

This trip needs 6 hours.
Please visit Otsu castles and temples.

That's it.