Kurama fire festival Part.2

After getting off from the Eizan train, we followed the guided route to get to main street.

Near the bottom end of street there is place called Otabisho, where Omikoshi(portable shrine) rests at the end of festival.
We arrived before the festival starts, so they were showing movie of previous festival at Otabisho.










We decided to walk up the street.




There were already fires beside the houses and some house were displaying traditional items inherit from theri uncestor like this.

And then we got to massive crowd.

This is near Yuki Shrine where the torches gather at the climax of festival. Many people try to stay here to keep there good position to see the festival even tho polce annoucing everyone to move there were huge congestion.

According to festival guide, we can not see the festival at one point but have to keep moving because there are so many people in very small suburb. But seems like no one read the information or hear the announcement...

After few minute we got out of the crowed also the festival started.

Firstly chidrens carry smaller torches and march down the street.

We got to Kurama Tujii the Tsukudani (food boiled down in sweetened soy) shop near Kurama Onsen(hot spring)

http://www.kuramatsujii.jp/store.html (japanese page)

In front of their shop there are large Torch. People in front of shop told us that it might take while the torches get lit and carried so we decided to have something to eat and tourist there told me there are food at Kurama Onsen.

When we came back they were about to carry the torch.

Then the torches got lit and they started to walk down to the Yuki shrine.

There were many torches carryed by men calling out chaunts all over the street and it was making the atomosphere of the suburb very energetic.

We followed the parade down to the Yuki shrine.

At the stone stairs, torches starts to gather.

They put the torches upright and keep it until they can not hold due to the flame gets too colose to them.

They let go torches to the end of steps and the timing they do that is incredible.

Until the last torche go down, they keep stay at the steps and saying chaunts.

Then they carry Omikoshi (Portable Shrine) and parade the street again.

After all torches gone, some people starts to get back. It is because we have to take same crowded train back.
We both had things to do in next morning so we decided to go too.
There were already ques and we had to wait about 1hr to get to the train.

It was very uniique experience and worth the wait and getting through the crowd.
I reccomend everyone to go to the festival if you are in Kyoto on 22nd of October.

Kurama fire festival Part.1

On 22nd of October, there was another popular festival in Kyoto held in Kurama, the northern small surburb of Kyoto.

The festival is very unique, because locals parade down the street of suburb with huge torches.Its original purpose was to illuminate the path thorough the world of the living for the spirits of the departed.

The festival begins at 6pm and continues to till past midnight. Fires are lighted in front of homes in Kurama for the opening of ceremonies. Childrens carrying small lighted torches marches down the street first, and after that teams of men chanting and marching to the rhythms of drums carry huge torches, the biggest one weighs over100 kilograms. The torch carriers finally gather in front of Yuki-jinja Shrine and a portable shrine, or mikoshi, is carried through the smoky streets until the festival ends.

I went to this festival with my friend and I would like to report this in 2 separate chapters.
The road which has access to Kurama very narrow, so in the tourist season there are heavy traffic jam occures.There is bus route by Kyoto bus but it only runs 4 times a day.Currently it is the best to take Eizan Dentetsu Kurama line to get to Kurama.In tourist season people try to avoid traffic jam by taking train, but the maximum number of carriege is two,so the train gets almost as bad as fully packed train in rush hour Tokyo.

When this festival held, roads get closed after 3pm and only locals has the access.So the only access to the area is by Eizan train, therefore the train gets packed. Really packed.
Kurama line starts from Demachiyanagi station, however it is best not to take the train from here.They will limit the number of people get on the train but not from other station inbetween Demachiyamagi and Kurama.If you prefer to sit down in the train, the only way is wait in the que.

Me and my friend decided to take train from Iwakura station.To get to Iwakura station, take Karasuma Line Subway and get off at Kokusaikaikan station(station number K01)and walk about 10mins. It costs 320Yen from Iwakura station to Kurama and takes about 17mins.We were ready to take crowded train but we did not expected the train to be this crowded...
There were few people thought same things as we did and about 10~15 people got on the train between Iwakura to Kurama. I do not use train in rush hour usually and even I did Kyoto's train doesn't get packed as this, so this was theworst crowded train I took.
After getting off at the station there were already policeofficers guiding tourists to take route setted up.

At this time we didn't have any idea how crowded the festival gets...

TO be continued...

Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages )

The Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages ) was held on 22nd of October.

The festival held annually on the same date. It is one of Kyoto's renowned three great festivals, with the other two are the Aoi Matsuri, held annually on May 15, and the Gion Matsuri, which is held annually from 17 to July 24.
It is basically a historical costume parade, where people dress up in traditional clothes fromdifferent period.

They close the streets about 4.5km in central part of the city and the parade start from the imperial palace to the Heian Jingu Shrine.

The parade represents 7 different periods. Which are:
-Meiji Restoration period

-Edo period-Azuchi

-Momoyama period

-Muromachi

-Yoshino period

-Kamakura period

-Fujiwara period

-Enryaku period
The whole length of the parade reach up to 2km.

These are the photos we took from Oike street.

Koto Concert

Last night, we had Koto concert at the Lobby.

All of us enjoyed elegant Koto music at beautiful Autumn night.

There will be another concerts coming up very soon.
The schedule of concerts are:


October 30th

November 6th, 20th, 27th

It is free of charge and open to anyone. Please bring your friends and enjoy the night.

Greetings from new staff

Konnichiwa ^^

Greetings to all our readers, I started working at the reception from last September.
From now on I am going to update our English blog.
(Hope I can do that freuently ^^;)

There is a very strong Typhoon approaching to the main island of Japan.
Usually few weak ones come before one strong Typhoon, but there were none of them approached to Japan in last couple months, so instead of that they are going to come in all at once...

According to the news, if the Typhoon approach without decrease its power, total amount of rain it will produce will be same as what Japan gets in half year.
It is said to hit the main island in couple days so hope it loses its power before that...


Event Announcement:
For those guests staying at 16th October, there will be Koto (Japanese harp) concert at the lobby from 19:30~20:00.
It will be free charge and anyone is welcome (even if you are not staying at ours) so come and listen!

Daimonji on Aug.16th

Hello^^

Finally, the rainy season is over!

That means summer is almost over too...

especially this year, it feels like even shorter than usual.

The next big event in summer in Japan is called Obon (the Bon festival),

which is held from August 13th to 16th. (in some places until 15th.)

It is considered that the ancestors' spirits return to our world.

With lots of offerings, we welcome our ancestors on Aug.13th, and see them off on Aug.16th.

The Bon festival in Kyoto is somewhat different from those in the other areas.

They set fire on those huge 5 Kanji letters (Chinese characters) that are placed on the

surface of 5 montains in Kyoto city as a guide for the spirits to safely find their way back.

The festival starts at 8:00pm.

And this is how it looks like from the rooftop of Nishiyama Ryokan.

From our rooftop, we can see 3 letters which are 「大」　「舟」　「法」 through those

tall buildings that are constructed in recent years.

We do hope that we will always be able to see this magnificent event from our rooftop

for many many years to come....

Yukata, now on sale!

Hello!

How are you doing?


Have you seen girls walking around in Yukata in Kyoto city?
Usually, people wear Yukata (one-layer-Kimono for summer season)
on a special occasion like Matsuri (festivals).
But for some reason, it's not so unusual to see
thses girls wearing Yukata as everyday clothes here in Kyoto.
Maybe that's because the traditional part of the city is still
preserved in this modern day.


Well, speaking of Yukata...
Our Yukata collection at Nishiyama Ryokan is now on sale
for both of men and women!









Isn't this pretty!?
How about strolling around the city in Yukata?
Also Yukata would be a wonderful gift for your family and friends^^
Come see our collection at Nishiyama Ryokan!!!