Mifune(three boats) Festival

On May 19th, Mifune Festival was held on the Katsura River near Togetsu Bridge.
There were festival attendants dressed in Heian period costume performing as Seisho-Nagon, an essayist in Heian period, girl servants, dancers, and musicians on the boats.

Chinese Restaurant, Moriko, and Jibo-sha, the cafe along the Shirakawa River

Walking from Keihan Sanjo Station along the Shirakawa River, we went to the Chinese Restaurant, Moriko. The restaurant serves Kyoto taste Chinese meal.
We had fried rice, ramen, spring roll.
They were all delicious.

After having lunch, we continued walking along the Shirakawa River and got to Nanz
Sosui Museum. From there we walked along the ex-incline railroad.
Walking there was very interesting.

After that, we went to Konchi-in temple, near Nanzenji Temple. Nanzenji Temple is very famous and always crowded, but Konchi-in Temple was not crowded and we enjoyed very serene time seeing beautiful garden.

We walked back along the Shirakawa River again. We took a rest and had coffee and cookies at a cafe, named Jibo-sha.

Take-sasa-do, paper shop and Japanese-style cafe on Koyaku-no-zushi Road

Turning to Koyaku-no-zushi Road  from the Shijo-dori Street, you can find the paper shop, Take-sasa-do and Japanese cafe.
You can buy colorful designed paper at the shop. On the opposit side of the paper shop, there are cake shop and a Japanese cafe.
At the Japanese cafe, you can enjoy Japanese sweets, cakes, and drinks. The cafe’s interior is very chic and full of Japanese taste.

Take-sasa-do, the paper shop

Japanese style cafe

Ishiyama-dera Temple and Mii-dera Temple in Shiga

From Kyoto Station, it takes about 30minutes to go to Ishiyama-dera Temple by train.It’s in Otsu City, on the south side of the Lake Biwa. Ishiyama-dera is famous for having been the place where Murasaki Shikibu thought out the story of The Tale of Genji. The temple was founded in 8th century and one of the most old temples in Japan. The major building was rebuilt in 11th century and still remains there now.
The temples were built on the rock. The name of the temple was from this; Ishi means stone or rock.

Mii-dera is located near Mii-dera Station the six stops from Ishiyama-dera Station of Keihan Ishiyama-dera Line. Mii-dera is also with long history and famous for its bell with beautiful sound.

Hosen-in, Jisso-in and Jakko-in Temple in Ohara

There are about six temples 2 kilometers around in Ohara. You can go all of them on foot from Ohara bus stop.
Housen-in Temple is famous for 700-year-old pine tree and the view of the garden through its window. The garden seen from the room seems like pictures in frames.
We can enjoy having maccha green tea and sweets seeing beautiful scenery.

Jikko-in also has a very compact but beautiful garden. Shakunage flowers were very beautiful with SHAKKEI, including back ground scenery into the garden.

Jikko-in Temple is located on the opposite side of the bus stop. It takes about 15 minutes to walk there.
The main building of Jakko-in got fire and burnt out in 2000. Present building was newly built in 2003.We entered it and listened to the explanation of the history of the temple there.

Sanzen-in Temple in Ohara

Today we went to Ohara, which is in the north east of Kyoto city. We took Kyoto bus from Kokusai-kaigijo Station of Tozai Subway line. It takes 30 minutes to Ohara by bus.
From Ohara bus stop, we walked 10 minutes and arrived at Sanzen-in Temple.
Sanzen-in Temple has a very beautiful garden. We could enjoy seeing beautiful Shakunage flowers and ao-momiji(green maple leaves) in the garden.

There are six cute jizo statues by the river.

The reflection of green leaves on the surface of the pond is very photogenic！

Ao-momiji(Green Leaves of Maple Tree) in Daikakuji Temple

It takes 20 minutes to walk to Daikakuji Temple from Saga Arashiyama Station. Around the Osawa Pond in the temple’s garden, you can enjoy walking among beautiful Ao-Momiji(green maple leaves).
If you enter from the entrance the right side of the temple, you can enter the garden only paying 200 yen donation.