NISHIYAMA RYOKAN

This morning, I went to Arashiyama to see how KOUYOU (autumn tints) is going in there. People say this season's leaves are not as good as usual season. I would say the colour of leaves in Arashiyama is not as deep as I would expect in Kouyou season, but still it is very nice to ride through the falling leaves. (Altho it is scary to go around the corner with lots of fallen leaves ^^;) I took the pictures at the point below. It was about 8am in the morning but many tourists are already taking pictures everywhere in Arashiyama area. The motorcycle in the picture is not mine but I am borrowing it from my friend at the moment ^^ 大きな地図で見る

Konnichiwa! Kyoto is having nice Autumn weather now. Its little chilly in the night and early morning but when sunny its nice to go around the town. We received update from the Gion Corner, the traditional theatre where holds show to introduce Kyoto's traditional performance arts for international tourists. They hold shows everyday, but from December to February next year they will decrease the number of shows. When you are planning to visit Gion Corner, please check the dates they are open. Dec 4th~6th,11th~13rd,18th~20th,23rd,25th~27th Jan 8th~11th,15th~17th,22th~24th,29th~31st Feb 5th~7th,11th~14th,19th~21st Starting Time: 19:00~ (40mins show and photo with Maiko) Price: 3,150 YEN http://www.kyoto-gion-corner.info/

In this season, there are many temples artistically illuminate their beautiful gardens. Leaves changed colour to its Autumn colours lighted up at night is a wonderful sight. The list below are popular temples for their light-ups. Until DEC 6th Kiyomizu-dera Temple 18:00～21:00 Entrance Fee: 400 YEN Until DEC 6th Koudai-ji Temple Sun-set～21:30 Entrance Fee: 600 YEN Until DEC 14th Syoren-in Temple 18:00～21:30 Entrance Fee： 1,000 YEN All of these temples are easy to access from our Ryokan. Please ask us at the reception how to get there. ^^

One taxi campany in Kyoto called Yasaka Group taxi has very interesing taxis. Their normal taxi which has Three-leafed Clover lamp on top of its roof, but instead of that few taxis have Four-leafed Clover lamp. It said there are 4 taxis in 1400 taxis they have but some say there are about 6~8. We had one of this taxi for picking up one of our guests The one stopped at our Ryokan. The driver of taxi told me that there are few small class taxis with Four leafed lamp, but like his one the middle class taxi is only one the campany has. So maybe when you come stay at ours and catching taxi after the stay, you might be able to see this Taxi!! ^^

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 crowe...

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 se...