Feel the energy of universe at the Kurama mountain temple

  Kyoto’s summer is hot and humid so I’m always looking for good way to avoid uncomfortable climate in this season. This day I guided my guests to Kurama mountain temple and Kifune shrine located north from the city.

 After getting off the train, Kurama Tengu, one of Japanese supernatural beings welcomed us in front of the station. His nose was broken by heavy snow this January and it have been restored.

HeavySnowfall Breaks Huge Tengu's Nose Kurama, Kyoto City- Kyoto Shimbun

Kurama temple has three objects of worship and one of them enshrined next to the main hall is “Goho-Maoson” who resembles Tengu. It is said that Goho-Maoson came down Earth from Venus 6.5 million years ago…

 There are a lot of stories about Tengu and one of them is associated with my Jewish guest’s background. It is said that one of the lost ten tribes came to Japan and became Tengu. You can watch detail story on the following youtube video with English subtitle.

 Anyway back to the tour…we climbed up the mountain and stopped by Yuki-jinja Shrine that has unique shape of building. Since this shrine hall is dedicated to two deities, it is divided into two parts to enshrine each of them and the center part is used for passing way. Beyond the hall, you can see 600-year-old cedar tree.

This unique building also shows us Japanese beauty in asymmetry. Left side of hall has four pillars but right one only has tree. I don’t know the reason but it delivers the sense of traditional Japanese aesthetics called “Wabi-sabi”.

 On the way to the main hall, we took rest and my guest boy enjoyed attracting with nature. If you lean against an old tree like him, it makes you relaxing and gives you energy. Here Mt. Kurama is the birthplace of the “Reiki” practice, an alternative therapy but most of Japanese doesn’t know it. “Reiki” is popular in overseas rather than in Japan. Actually my guest’s sister is practicing “Reiki”.

 Finally we arrived at the main hall of the temple. In front of the hall, there is special floor called “Kongosho”. We saw some of worshipers standing on it to receive the energy of universe. We also went to underground floor of the main hall and it was so mysterious beyond the description.

 Besides the hall, there is pile of sand representing the vehicle of “Goho-Maoson” who came here from Venus. It looks like UFO…..

Anyway we continued to climb the mountain and then get down to the side of Kifune shrine. 

Exposed cedar roots located in the mountain trail  between Kurama temple and Kufune shrine. It is said that legend samurai Yoshitsune was trained by Tengu around here.  

Picture exhibited in the Kurama station depicting that young Yoshitsune took the sword fighting lesson in the Mt. Kurama.

Public Domain, Link

We also stopped by the Mao-den hall. Here is the place where “Goho-Maoson”  descended to Earth. 

After climbing down the Mt. Kurama, we took lunch at Soba noodle restaurant and headed to Kifune shrine. Since it is the season of “Tanabata” , my guest’s son enjoyed writing his wish on the paper. There were a lot of bamboo trees decorated with colored wish paper.

Tea Ceremony in the hottest day of the year

August.6th was the hottest day of the year. It was wise to avoid walking outside so I guided my guest to Kenninji temple and Fukujuen where you can enjoy tea ceremony experience.


 Before the tea ceremony, we went to Kenninji, one of the oldest Zen temple in the city. Its founder Eisai firstly imported green tea leaves from China and its Hattou lecture hall is surrounded by the hedge of green tea leaves. Also Kenninji holds an old tea house which has very low and narrow entrance called “nijiri-guchi”. It is a device to treat everybody equal because even high social status man has to bend in the moment when passing thorough the entrance.

 My guests got interested in tea ceremony and requested me to go the one in table and chair style so I made reservation at Fukujuen nearby the temple. It was first experience for me to go the chair style ceremony because we usually hold it at tatami mat room. The design of hanging scroll, bowls of tea and accompanied sweet all reflected the sense of summer. Especially I like the transparent design of the sweet that makes me cool.

 As there is a saying in tea ceremony ‘”Ichi-go ichi-e” which means "Treasure every encounter”, the host shows the utmost consideration for the guests. I’d like to practice it also in the guiding activity for good experience of my guests.

“Hoitto, hoitto!” Call of mikoshi portable shrine at Maiko beer garden

17 July is the highlight of Gion festival and many people enjoy to see “Yamaboko” float procession that I wrote in the previous article. Although the float is quite spectacular, its parade is only a means of getting rid of evil spirits from the Kyoto city to welcome Yasaka shrine’s deities. So I guided my guest to the most important part of Gion festival; “Shinko-sai” after my half day tour.

 In front of the Yasaka shrine, three portable shrines gathered together. The street around the shrine was packed with so many sightseers and local festival participants. The bearers carrying the portable shrines were crying out “hoitto, hoitto” roundly and that made Japanese festival like atmosphere. This is the real “Matsuri”!

After enjoying “Shinko-sai” starting ceremony, we headed to “Maiko beer garden” located in Gion shirakawa. It was perfect place to talk with “Maiko”; apprentice of Geisha and take photo with her. My guest had a lot of questions and I translated it to Japanese language for Maiko. She is “Koharu” from Miyagawacho, one of the flower districts located nearby Gion. Miyagawacho is good place to enjoy the quiet and tranquil because it is not widely known especially by foreign tourist.

When we were enjoying “Maiko beer garden” at the top floor of Japanese ryokan inn, suddenly vigorous call of festival “Hoitto, hoitto!” coming from the street. That brought us back to the festival again. Middle-aged men sitting next to our table also started shouting “Hoitto, hoitto!” toward the local people carrying “mikoshi”. The call of “mikoshi” portable shrine has magical power to produce festival atmosphere even at “Maiko beer garden”.

After the call of festival had gone, Maiko dance performance started and we came back to peaceful world. She was holding “uchiwa”Japanese old fan that delivered me the sense of summer. It is interesting to note that her ornament shape and kimono design were also “uchiwa”. Wearing seasonable designed ornament and kimono is important in Japan.

 On the way back to their accommodation and my station, local people were still carrying and shaking the “mikoshi” with the call “Hoitto, hoitto!”. Their back Chinese character “Nishiki” shows that they are Nishiki food market associated people.  “Mikoshi” portable shrine deepens the connection with deities and local solidarity. 

Following NHK program video also explains about them. You can watch the following video until 3 Agust.

Museums on wheels “Yamahoko” decorated with gorgeous tapestries imported from overseas

 Gion Matsuri is one of the most famous Japanese festivals and its highlight is called “Yamahoko Junko”. It takes place on July 17^th. and gorgeously decorated floats are paraded down the center part of Kyoto city. Since this year’s July 17^th is national holiday and tremendous crowds of sightseeing people are expected…, I went to "Hiki-zome" pulling the newly built floats event that was taken place on Thursday July 13^th. It is good chance to see the floats of festival in close distance.

Local school children were pulling “Hokaboko” float. It is also good opportunity for visitors to experience pulling float. The man on the roof makes sure the float procession by pushing the obstacles such as electric line.

This day, I guided my guest from Netherland to some sightseeing destinations. Some of them were Gion festival associated places; Yasaka shrine and Gion festival gallery. We could see beautiful portable shrines at the stage of Yasaka shrine.
From here you can see the view of early 17th century depicting local people shaking the portable shrine to entertain the deities of Yasaka shrine. 
: The area in and around the Kyoto city (Funaki-version)

We stopped by Gion matsuri gallery that is perfect place to explain about the festival float because it holds the model. You can view the structure in close distance. The front part was decorated with gorgeous tapestry. It looks like museum on wheels!

It is clear that those tapestries are originally from other countries such as Persia and Europe. But how those products were imported from overseas under the isolationist foreign policy by Edo shogunate? Actually those tapestries were brought by merchant via my guest’s country. Dutch was allowed to trade with Japan because they were more interested in business rather than in missionary work. Considering about those historical background, the float of Gion festival is something like the showcase of the long relationship between Japan and Netherland.

The other amazing point is that the float is constructed without using any nails! Only carpenters use ropes made of hemp. The process of assembling floats is one of the interesting viewing point and you can see it in the gallery. Above picture tying shape is called “butterfly”.

This one is called “Shrimp”. Each district float has its own shape. It is something like an art!

"Discover Kyoto" explains whole story of float very well!

I could see also "Huna-boko" literally means ship shaped float 

Here is uploaded photos by my guests.

"Hamo" seasonal fish cutting demonstration

 "Hamo"  is one of the specialities in Kyoto summer.  It is a kind of eel and translated as conger pike in English. Every July 5th, there is an annual event called "Hamo-dochu" that is precious opportunity to experience Kyoto food culture.

The highest-ranking geisha called "Tayu" also attends this event. "Tayu"  dyes teeth black that is different from other Geisha. It might sound unique for western people but "Tayu" keep the traditional custom.

My guest could enjoy commemorative photo with "Tayu"! 

"Tayu" was making attention of people rather than fish cutting demonstration  but the main purpose of this event is for promoting "Hamo" traditional seafood culture.  "Hamo"  contains a lot of small bones so cooking it requires professional skill. 

The chef was slicing the fish around one millimeter interval to cut the bones and press associate was recording the sound.  It is real hassle to prepare so it is not consumed so much elsewhere.  

But why Kyoto people have loved this fish? The reason comes from the location of the city.
Since Kyoto is located far from sea, it was difficult to carry sea ingredients to the ancient capital in fresh condition.   "Hamo"  was the only fish that has strong vitality to be transported to Kyoto even in hot summer season. That was the reason Kyoto chef has to cut the fish meat so many times.

Bowl of "hamo cuisine" was served free of charge. It is cooked with somen-noodle and vegetables.  They also comes from Awaji island where the "Hamo" fish comes from.  Boiled "hamo" was shrimp like texture for my guest.

We also visited Fushimi Inari shrine where is famous for thousands of torii gates and I wrote the wish of guest on miniature torii.  One of them means  "recovery from illness" in Japanese that is for my guest's sister who couldn't participate the tour because of  her stomachache.
Miniature torii with Japanese words must be good souvenir for her but also worked well because her sister actually got well and joined us together after the event!




Following is "Mamo-dochu2015" taken by Sankei

"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!

Ninja experience in Iga and peaceful garden in Koka

 As the truth of the Ninja is shrouded in mystery, the mountains that surrounding Iga city were wrapped in mist. It was rainy day when we got to the birth place of Ninja but this made really Ninja like atmosphere.

He showed us various trick devices of ninja house. Those were for the measurements to protect the know how to produce gun powder from the enemy.

View of the city from the top floor of Ueno Castle

  My guests were staying in the hotel nearby Kusatsu station where is convenient location to access to Iga and Koka, the birth place of Ninja. Although it took about 2 hours to get to Iga, we could enjoy talking and country views such as rice field and bamboo forest. Even we were able to see the factory of the world's largest toilet manufacturer "TOTO"  from train window on the way to the destination.

 Since my guests had JR Pass, their transportation fee was free except for taxi from JR Iga Ueno St. to Ueno Park. First place we enjoyed in Iga was Iga Ueno Castle located in the park. Even though t is one of the sightseeing highlights of the city, nobody there except for the castle staff so we could occupy whole castle!

Comparing to other castles, Iga ueno castle has high stone basement for its scale. It had might been hard work to sneak into the castle even for matured ninja.

Todo Takatora, a famous lord who made the castle stronger and governed it under the regime of Tokugawa shogunate

My guest liked Takatora's black lacquered helmet.

 After the castle, we headed to Ninja museum. On the way to there, we stopped by memorial building of Basho, historical Haiku master.

It was built to commemorate the 300th birth year of Haiku master. 

Inside the building, there is Basho made of local ceramic in kilt.

 Basho was born in Iga so it is the image of him before leaving for Edo capital city. Since he traveled all around Japan to compose Haiku, it is said that Basho was a Ninja to gather the information. The truth is shrouded in mystery though, still now many people love his works.

 We headed to ninja museum and checked the time schedule of the show. While waiting for the show, we enjoyed the ninja house and the exhibitions of the museum.

You can see the schedule from the official webpage

My guests tried ninja star shuriken throwing. His girlfriend tried blowgun with long shaft and hit the target very well. She has potential. Photography and video recording were prohibited during the show.

After the show, we went for lunch to the castle town.  My guests like beef so "Iga beef" was a must to eat.

We enjoyed Iga beef with reasonable price. Marble beef is melt in your mouse! This was also only in Iga experience because most of this local beef is consumed in the city. 

After the lunch, we strolled around the town and stopped by traditional sweet store. My guest loves doubling on the skewer. Kind shop staff also served us good green tea.

"Oshimon" literally means press thing. Tile fish is a typical gift for auspicious occasion such as graduation ceremony of school but Iga is inland country and it was hard to get it. So people makes auspicious fish with sweet by using mold. 

  We really enjoyed Iga city that is not only for ninja but also other traditional Japanese culture and townscape.  On the way back to Kusatsu, we also visited the other ninja associated city, Koka.

The garden of Daichi-ji temple depicting treasure boat by the hedge of azalea. It was so tranquil and what we could hear was only bird sound. What a peaceful place!

Amazing pine tree that has so long branch welcomed us. 

When I was around the age of 2 years old, I was living nearby here and brought here by grandma and mother. So the temple gave me some nostalgic feeling. Kindly priest of the temple explained about the temple and I translated it for the guests.

 As the last destination of this tour, we went back to Kyoto and enjoyed the illumination event of Nishihonganji temple. It was so fantastic and worth to visit there.