Last week, we visited some places connected with Neesima Yae by bicycle. Do you know her? Her story has been turned into TV dramas in Japan
now.Yae was a Japanese woman of the late Edo period who lived into the 20th century. She herself was skilled in gunnery, and took part in the defense of Aizu during the Boshin War. After the war, Yae came to Kyoto to care for her brother Yamamoto Kakuma, who had been a prisoner of war in Satsuma custody. She remained in Kyoto, and became a Christian in the 1870s. Soon after, she married Rev. Joseph Hardy Neesima and, together with Neesima and Kakuma, played an integral role in the founding of Doshisha University. Yae was also a tea master of the Urasenke tradition, with the art-name of Neesima Sōchiku. She also served as a nurse during the Russo-Japanese War and Sino-Japanese War.
First, we visited Doshisha University.
It is about 15 minutes’ bicycle ride from NISHIYAMA RYOKAN.
Next, Neesima’s Residence.
This building is located along Teramachi street.
Konkaikōmyōji
From January 10 to March 18, 2013, there is a special exhibition. Temple's treasures which connect to Yae Neesima are shown to the public.
Cemetery of Yae and Joe
These are on the mountain and we walked a long distance..
Ryozen museum of history
You can study the history from the end of Edo period to Meiji period here.
Finally, we visited Kennin-ji.
Yae had a connection the person who teached Sado in Kennin-ji.
We saw the the painting on the ceiling,
it was nice of us that we can take photo freely in the building.
We enjoyed the cycling tour and found that we can visit a lot lf place in Kyoto city by bicycle. It's comfortable outside especialy from the warm season like spring:D