Early morning by the Katsura River

I got up early in the morning and went walking to Togetsukyo Bridge. It wasn’t hot yet, and there were only a few people jogging and walking dogs.
 I enjoyed seeing the beautiful sunrise and lotus flowers.

lotus flowers in the pond by the gate of
Tenryuji Temple

Gion Festival❗

  Gion Festival has a lot of events through July and the climax of the festival is Yamahoko Junko.Yamahoko is the large decorated cart. On July 17, the parade is held with all of Yamahoko drawn by many people.This parade is called Yamahoko Junko, and tremendous number of people come to Kyoto to see it.
  It is worth seeing, but it is also enjoyable to go to Yoi-yama(the eve of Yamahoko Junko) or Yoi-yoi-yama(two days before Yamahoko Junko), because we can see Yamahoko standing-by on the street.
  I went to yoi-yoi yama on July 15. From 18:00 the part of Shijo Street, where Yamahokos  were set here and there,  was opened to  pedestrians. I went to Karasuma Station by Hankyu train. A lot of people were already there  at 17:00. I waited in a building because it was murderously hot outside.After the street became a pedestrian zone at 18:00, I joined the people on the street. I walked on  Shijo Street from Karsuma to Horikawa Street. There were
some of Yamahoks on the street and I enjoyed seeing them and hearing the festival music.

Naginata-hoko is alway the first cart of the parade

the decoration of the cart is a very old Percian carpet

many people wore yukata (summer kimono)

We could see many Yamahoko and they said we could get on some of yamahokos  when we  bought some goods of  them or paid entrance fee.The rules were varies on each of them.

At night, lanterns on the carts were lighted and it’s fantastic to see them from the far end of the street.

I enjoyed Yoi-yoi yama a lot, so I recommend you to go Yoi-yoi yama and Yoi yama when you come to Kyoto. They are on July 15 and July 16 every year.

Early Morning in Sagano

I started walking at 5:00 today. Weather forecast said it would be  tremendously hot today, but it was still cool in the early morning. I could enjoy walking through the bamboo grove and on the narrow path to
the Atago Mountain, feeling cool air, viewing beautiful scenery, and hearing birds singing.

bamboo grove

Ogura Mountain 

Adashino Nembutsuji Temple

the path to the Atago Mountain

the torii(the sacred gate) of Atago Shrine

Togetsukyo Bridge at 9:00p.m.

It was very hot today, but it was cool at night on the Togetsukyo Bridge. The wind blowing over the river was cool, and it was very comfortable to walk on the bridge.

the bridge is lighted up

Heavy Rain and the Katsura River

  Last week, we had a lot of rain in the west part of Japan.There  were devastating floods and landslides. Over two hundred people were killed and over one thousand people lost their houses.
   Kyoto also had a lot of rain and the water level of the Katsura River was dangerously high. The weather forecast said the heavy rain might cause the Katsura River overflow. 5 yesrs ago, the river actually
overflowed, and the shops near Togetsukyo Bridge were half sunk.So I was worried that it might overflow again. It was close, but it
didn't this time.
  Today I went to see the Katsura River and was very relieved to see the river flowing gently under the Togetsukyo Bridge.

Lace Glass Beads

I’ve recently been making lace glass beads.

It takes quite a few processes to make them.

Following are processes. 

First, paint the melted glass with  a white thin glass stick. Next stretch the glass and make a lace glass stick. Cut it and make some short sticks. Then put them on the melted glass.

  I made a hair ornament with it.

I made another type of glass beads:hollow glass beads.

I made a cell phone charm with it.

It is lighter than common glass beads because it is hollow. So it is good for making  a charm.