Natsukashii Kyoto

I thought I'd do some retroactive posts about Kyoto since I didn't write much about my experience while I was actually there.

では、

This was taken in Kibune 貴船. In the hot summers of Kyoto (every Japanese person inevitably mentions the basin in which Kyoto is located, when you mention Kyoto and summer heat in the same breath.) wealthy people since olden times have found ways to escape the heat. Kibune is one such escape up in the mountains of northern Kyoto. During the summer, restaurants along this stream lay out planks across the small stream, crisscross lights overhead to create a unique alfresco experience. A highly recommended, if a bit pricey, experience.

Guess where I am going!

It was the inspiration behind the setting of Mononoke Hime!


There will be this,and this,
and I will be staying here: All photos courtesy of Kairakuen Minshuku.
楽しみです！

Monet in Japan

Monet is quite popular here, and impressionist artists in general I think. But I didn't realize how popular until I heard about the Monet Gardens. These are gardens that were created to imitate the ones that inspired some of Monet's most well-known paintings, like his water lilies series. Instead of being in Japanese and English, all of the signs and explanations were in Japanese and French. I went the same day I went to the Morning Market.

This is the Water Lily Garden, it was the right season for water lilies but unfortunately not the right time of day. By the time we got there the flowers had mostly closed up.

The effect was quite nice, and I imagine it is quite lovely when the water lilies are all open. I realized that such overflowing greenery is something I miss about home. Japanese gardens tend to be more trimmed down and spare. I suppose any Japanese gardening book could have told you that but I didn't realize it until these gardens. A bit slow on the uptake huh?

And some kittens up for adoption that we found at a rest stop...so so adorable. They were just left outside in a box with a sign. They were mewing and just begging that somebody pick them up. And I did, only to realize the signs instructed us not to do so unless we were taking one with us...I guess that explains why none of the elementary school kids I saw were playing with the kittehs. Oops.