"Flowers Will Bloom" Traditional music performance on the stage of Shimogamo shrine

 Spring to early summer is the best season to enjoy various flowers in Japan.  This day I guided my guests to all around east area of Kyoto and fireflies festival held at Shimogamo shrine.

 One of the highlights of the festival was performance with traditional japanese music instruments; koto, shamisen and shakuhachi.

 On the stage of Shimogamo shrine, they played the famous music composed by KANNO Yoko. It is melody of the famous song “Hana wa Saku”  which meand "Flowers Will Bloom" in Japanese.  It is for supporting the 3.11 disaster victims.

KANNO is from Sendai city, one of the destinations of earthquake. My favourite work of her is "I do" one of the theme song of  "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex".

  "Flowers Will Bloom"  youtube vide of JSDF

It is amazing  collaboration with USAF Band.  This song takes me back the days I'd been to Northeast Japan for supporting the reconstruction as a volunteer.

 Back to the festival of shrine, we also enjoyed Japanese court-ladies kimono called "Juni-hitoe" that means "12 layers robe". The design of Japanese kimono changes according with the seasons as each sesonal flower has its own color.

 "Hotaru" Fire flies was slightly lingting up inside the gage. It added fantastic atmosphere and perfect for honeymoon trip of my guests.

My guests took nice picture just after enjoying Japanese sake at an Izakaya.  Following is some photos of the tours

Seasonal sweet called "Minazuki" . We stopped by a traditional Japanese sweet store located in Philosopher's Path .  White jelly is made of flour starch and sugar that represents the ice. The red beans on top is for getting rid of evil spirit.

Iris blossom of Heianjingu shrine garden.

We enjoyed the stepping stone of the pond garden and found some lotus flowers. 

The shape of window of Ginkakuji temple was also lotus flower.

Here is famous for Sakura blossom but the out of cherry blossom season is also beautiful!