Golden Week in Kyoto May 2015 - Higashiyama Course

Day 2

Today, we walked and run from Fushimi Inari （伏見稲荷）to Ginkakuji（銀閣寺）which is about 24km. It is called Higashiyama Course and is the most bitten root.

Fushimi Inari is one of the most visited places in Kyoto by tourists.  It is famous for thousands of Vermilion Torii Gates contributed by merchants and companies, as it is believed to be the God for good business and many people visit to wish their business well.  Today,  we wished us a good luck through 24 km of the trail.

We struggled the ups and downs of the landscape, while we were entertained by the beautiful sceneries and kind local people we met along the way.   

Sennyuji (泉湧寺）

View of Kiyomizu no Butai(清水寺の舞台）from the trail

Kyoto Incline, inclined railway, at Keage（蹴上） is made as a part of the canal construction in Meiji Era  to pull water from Lake Biwa to the city.  This railway was used to carry the boats on the steep slope. 

Waterfall in the mountainside of Higashiyama（東山）

We happened to not encountered many people whichi is peculiar  for the Golden Week. We enjoyed the trail and finally arrived to Ginkakuji area where is clouded with so many people.

View from the entrance Honen In Temple（法然院）

Wisteria in full bloom

Ice Candy shop near Ginkakuji, which serves us variety of candies at modest price

Golden Week in Kyoto May 2015 - Ginkakuji - Hieizan

Day 1

We checked in the guesthouse to start with.  It is located close to Ginkakuji（銀閣寺）and is actually 5 minutes walk from the nearest bus stop.  It is fully equipped with 2 bedrooms, lounge, kitchen and bathroom (shower with the tab) . they also have a rice-cooker , dishes and any kitchen wares that you may need to fix the meal.

We are greeted by the staff who is originally from NY and speaks fluent Japanese and French.  She knows very well about Kyoto and you could ask her any questions that you want to know.

After having settled in the room, we started the trail from Ginkakuji to the north, the direction of Hieisan. I could barely feel human footage with lizard, snakes and crows crying.  It was a bit creepy, but it sometimes we encountered beautiful scenery which made us relaxed.  

We walked for about three hours without seeing almost anyone and finished the first day at the Hieizan Cable Car Station.  We wished to go further up to the top of Hieizan, but we were tired and we didn't have enough time.  Coming down the mountain on the cable car, we were welcomed by beautifully blooming bushes of azalea which made us glad to be in Kyoto in the most beautiful season through out the year.

Golden Week in Kyoto May 2015 - Machiya Stay, The Kyoto Trail

   

I was lucky to find a simple yet furnished guesthouse for foreign tourists in Kyoto which was still available  fro the GW in late March. This guesthouse is run by a French company named "Vivre le Japon", its English name is Japan Experience and I have been thinking that one day I'd like to stay in one of them. Most of their guesthouses are commonly Japanese style, but they are renovated to attract  international tourists.  I found the information on the internet and I got interested in their concept. Price per night seems to be the same throughout the year even during the GW, summer vacation season etc. It's quite affordable.  They also have several similar houses in Kyoto, Tokyo and Kanazawa and they are rent out for 4 nights minimum.

The Entrance Hall

Bed Room

Bathroom

Lounge

It all started when we were discussing our activities for the GW with my friends.  I came up with an idea and said, "How about Kyoto? Let's enjoy the Kyoto Trail!"

The Kyoto Trails is a 70km long hiking trail in the mountains which surround the city of Kyoto.  It goes from Fushimi(伏見稲荷) to Arashiyama(嵐山) and famous Kiyomizu(清水), Hiei(比叡山) , Kurama(鞍馬) can be visited on its way.  The trail is taken care of not only by Kyoto Municipal,  but also local train companies and thus it is loved by Kyoto people.

The Kyoto Trail

Kyoto is surrounded by low mountains. Due to its landscape, it's very hot in summer and it's very cold in winter though...  But it means we can access easily to the nature. When you are bored visiting old temples and shrines, try to go for it and you'll be relaxed.

We planned to run and walk on the trail for 4 days.

Mt. Fuji Summer Trail is Open

I would like to share an album "2012 Fuji Summer Trail Opening Ceremonies" by my friend Yusuke Hirota, a professional guide of Mt. Fuji.  Every June 30, and July 1st, they's been having these ceremonies to pray for the safety of pilgrims, now for hikers. The best season for climbing Mt. Fuji has come.  For those who would like to summit Mt. Fuji, please refer to the following sites or contact guys at FYG, Fujiyama guides.  I hope you would have good view and lots of fun!

・FYG Guides - Climbing Mt. Fuji

・Mount Fuji Guide

Backcountry Ski Tour in Fukushima

-会津駒ヶ岳 Aizu Komagatake Altitude:2,132m

-April 29 and 30, 2012

-Maps: 檜枝岐，会津駒ヶ岳(1:25,000)

-Starting Point: 檜枝岐，滝沢登山口

-Altitude of Staring Point: 930m

-Weather : good

-Itinerary: piston along the summer route, take/take off ski at 1,400m

-Conditions of Snow: good

-Avaranche Activity: nothing

-Accommodation:  駒の小屋 Y3,000 without meal service

-Equipment: nothing special

hiking up in the beech trees

my ski, telemark, Nunyo (BD) et Scarpa T3

view towards the summit

almost summit

view from the summit towards Echigo

View Larger Map

Cherry Blossom

Cherry blossom holds great meaning for Japanese.  It's not exaggeration to say that there is tremendous importance attached to the significance of the connection between rebirth of nature and that so many official, formal and cultural events take place at the same time.... such as school entrance ceremonies, the start and end of the fiscal period. etc.

April cherry blossom marks the end of the cold winter weather and the arrival of hope alongside bright, warm Spring days.  This is a new beginning.  This is rebirth.  This is the start of something beautiful.

Here I would like to introduce phrases quoted from an essay of David A. Sein which explains Hanami , cherry blossom viewing.

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Cherry blossom viewing hanami is one of the most popular events of the year in Japan.  When the cheery trees are in bloom, millions of people go to parks, (like in Ueno Park) riversides, ( like  Sumida River) and even cemeteries (like in Zoshigaya, Yanaka) to enjoy the beauty of these lovely blossoms.  They sit under the trees, eating, drinking, chatting, appreciating the beauty of the white and pink flowers.

Blossom viewing is a very old custom in Japan.  At first, it was done only by nobles, and they went to see plum trees instead of cherry blossoms.  After a while, cherry blossoms became more popular, and by the 1600s, blossom viewing had become popular among ordinary people as well.  

Cherry blossoms are important to Japanese people because they remind us that life is short, and that you should appreciate the wonderful things around you, since they may not last for very long.  

One thing that many foreigners wonder about is why the beautiful cherry trees have no cherries.  The reason is that they are bred for blossoms rather than fruit.  They actually do have very small cherries, but they're really tiny and aren't good to eat.

Tea Ceremony, September

In the world of tea ceremony, there is an idea of being ahead of its season.  We conceive the arrival of next season by the flower arrangement, the ball or other utensils prepared by the host.  At the last lesson, it was last Saturday, and it was very hot and humid because of a coming typhoon, but the ceremony room was full of autumn.   I felt my sprit calmed down and relaxed only by sitting in the room and forgot the annoyance.