Rainy Season

Japan is currently in rainy season. After many rainy days in Kyoto, it's clear sky today and here is the beautiful evening glow.

Ayu (=Sweetfish) Fishing Season

Kamo river ayu fishing season opened on May 31. Ayu is one of the leading delicacies in Japanese cuisine.

Restaurant "Nakau"

Nakau is a Japanese fast food restaurant chain which has become extremely popular recently, and there are many Nakau restaurants in Kyoto.

They specialize in gyudon (bowl of rice topped with beef), oyako donburi (bowl of rice topped with chicken and egg), and Japanese noodles. Not only the food is served fast, but it's cheap and tasty!

Photo: Prawn and vegetable tenpura on rice (340 yen) and cold plum noodle (390 yen)

Swallows

I've been back in my hometown Shimane and swallows are back to the nest in my parents house again this year! There are six babies and it's so fun to observe them grow every day. Having swallows (=bluebird) back in the house is the "symbol of happiness"!

Best Starbucks in Kyoto

From this Starbucks cafe, you can see the Rokkakudo Temple!!!
It's raining today...

Gion Festival

Gion festival is one of the biggest festivals in Japan which begins on July 1st and ends on July 31st. The Gion Festival started in 869 AD when a real bad plague spread in Kyoto area. The plague soon ended after the festival, and Gion festival became extremely popular! Yes, Gion Festival began, to stop plagues!!

Shin-cha Season

Shin-cha means New Tea. May is the month of "tea picking." New leaves are like jewels of green tea that you get only for two weeks of the year. Tea fields of Uji City in Kyoto are full of fresh green tea fragrance!

Kawadoko opened on May 1st!

"Kawadoko" means platforms over the river on stilts that diners sit on while they enjoy their meal. Kawadoko is a tradition in Kyoto dating back to the Edo period, when wealthy merchants placed low tables on the riverside of the Kamo River to entertain their guests. If you visit Kyoto in summer, please enjoy Kyoto's traditional Kawadoko cuisine!

Children's Day (Boys' Day)

May 5th is Boys' Day called "Tango no Sekku." Families with boys celebrate their boys' healthy growth and happiness, and usually fly huge carp-shaped streamers called "Koinobori" outside the house. The carp symbolizes strength and success.
(March 3rd is Girls' Day called "Hina Matsuri.")

After cherry blossoms

Cherry blossom season is over and we are enjoying blooms of azaleas now in Kyoto.
Photo: Ken-nin-ji Temple in Gion