Lunch menu of "Yayoi Ken"

This 890 yen (US$9) lunch includes: steamed rice (with free refill), tofu miso soup, cabbage salad, two types of hamburger (Japanese sauce and cheese), two sausages, fried chicken, and vegetables (potato, onion, and green beans). How about that! And this is the expensive one in their menu!!
Yayoi Ken is in five minute walk from "Maeniiya."

Look at this Vending Machine!

This vending machine only sells "Green Tea of Chion-In Temple."
No room to choose!
Overwhelming... (^o^)

Hana-Toro "Flower & Light Road" Event

There were full of people enjoying Hana-Toro event in the evening.
Photo @ Nene-no-Michi (Path of Nene).

After having walked through the Nene-no-Michi, I watched two maiko girls dancing on the stage in the park of Kodaiji Temple. Maiko girls were so charming and their dance was very graceful!

Midnight Nenbutsu in Gyoki

"Nenbutsu" means chanting. In April, all night nenbutsu event will be performed in Chion-In Temple; starting at 8PM on April 18th and ending at 7AM the next morning. People gather in the hall of the Sanmon Gate and chant without break. Almost 900 people participated in the last year's nenbutsu chanting event.

Chion-In Temple

Chion-In Temple was beautifully lighted up for "Hana-Toro" festival in Higashiyama district.

Full Moon

It looks like a street light...

Getting ready for "Hanatoro"

Hanatoro means "flower and light road." From March 13 to March 22, streets in Higashiyama district are decorated with almost 3,000 lanterns (see photos). Most of shrines and temples in the district will be illuminated during the festival as well.

The stage is set up in Kodaiji Temple Park where daily live music, dance and performances are held. Maruyama Park and Kiyomizu Temple will also have special areas for street performances.

Japanese Wedding

When visiting shrines, we sometimes see a group of people like this photo; they are having the Japanese style wedding ceremony. "Happy wedding!"
Photo @ Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

Plum Blossoms

Plum trees of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine are very famous. There are over 2,000 plum trees with 50 varieties. The plum blossoms at the shrine are at their best right now.

Taste of Japan

"Rakugan" are traditional dry sweets made of rice powder and sugar, molded into shapes. When looking at them, you may think that they are toys or something. Rakugan are works of art to express the feeling of each season. They are considered to be the highest ranks of Japanese sweets and are usually served with green tea.

Asahi Beer's Museum

I visited Asahi Beer's Oyamazaki Sanso (Villa) Museum yesterday. It takes about 15 minutes from Kyoto station to Oyamazaki by JR train. A Japanese businessman, Shotaro Kaga, converted his private villa into the museum to show his collection of art (1,000 items). The entrance hall holds Claude Monet's water lilies.