Nara , tradition, nature and more Part 1

With a Tenugui(Traditional Japaese thin towel) in one hand,
and my Pentax Camera on the other hand.
I jumped on the train to Nara.
I wanted to avoid the heat and crowd of the people from the Gion festival.
There was no plan on me.

Nara is such an attractive city.
Not only the city but the nature.


I randomly walked into the Nara machi. The traditional district of Nara .
This beautiful destruct is not well known for foreign tourist.Most of the people are going to visit Toudaiji and park at the other side of the city.















Every corner of this town, you meet small and big temples ,shrines and nice old style houses decolated by colorful Kukuri monkies. (they protect you against the evil spirits ).

Those old shops are selling medicines, hand craft , ceramics, cafe, restaurants.






kukurizaru
















My tea farmer friend from Kyushu introduced me one of the authentic Tea cafe in this little town.
This place is called "Shin-ju -Ann"(heart tree house "shinju" also means pearl)

http://homepage3.nifty.com/shinjyuan/
















The house has a beautiful but small courtyard　regarding to a style of traditional houses.
They have anonymous number of precious and gorgeous ceramics to treat customers.
And the tea they have are amazing.
We could not stop having a conversation for hours and hours.
I was moved by their passion for the tea.
I brought some tea for us to try .They served me a precious tea from the highland of Shizuoka.
After drinking good tea ,
Amazing! the feeling is so calm, and somehow refreshed.
We felt like we've been a friends for many years .
Such as alcohol, Tea break the wall between the people but in a very peaceful way.
I believe the essence of drinking tea culture is not just about "drinking" .The momentally pause you take for putting the leaves into the pot , see the steam, listen the boiling water,appreciate the color and taste and the time you share with others or even by yourself are included in this pleasured ceremony.



As I followed the wind,
I decided to crush in at the nice cozy guesthouse called Makura(pillow).
The young owner of this lovely place was so smiley and kind.
After drop myself for the short rest, I took a long night walk to the Kasuga-taisha shrine.
The wide deep ancient forest lying there. I was about to enter the forest in a pitch black, then somehow bounced back by the air of the real darkness and the dignity of the sacred forest.
I gave up walking into the forest and took the path to the Nigatsu-do behind of famous Toudai(big buddha) temple.





Surprisingly, mysterious lights on the lanterns were waiting for my arrival.
I refreshed myself with spring water of temple, wiped myself with Tenugui(perfect item for the random trip).

The view from the Nigatsudo veranda was superb . I could see the over view of Nara,surrounded mountains and sky behind the night shadow of unique shape of Toudai-ji roof.
I lied on the floor by myself,nice wind go through in the silent midnight temple
music of the fountain water...sense of time has lost ..

When the clock handed midnight, I slowly started walking back to my bed.
I met a lot of one night neighbor, Deers. They were singing a song each other and stop for gazing at me .

What a beautiful day and night.

I fell into a deep and sweet sleep.


cat from Shinjuan



To be continued to .....

Inevitable Matter While Traveling

Today's highest temperature hits 37ºC.....

All of us are running with sweat when we clean up the guest rooms, in the worst case a drop of sweat fall down onto a futon after making up nicely, and have to change the cover once again..... I swear my hyperhidrosis.

On a day when I think about a haircut, two guys of our guests asked to the reception if they can use somewhere to give a haircut ? We made room beside the entrance and soon they started a haircut with open door.

They met each other at Kyoto Hana Hostel. The hairdresser is his occupation in England, and traveling with the tools.

For some long-term traveller men with short hair, haircutting in overseas should be annoying. To tell detailed demands are very difficult when one cannot speak the language where he travels. When I traveled in 40ºC India ten years ago, the local hairdresser gave my hairdo the same as Bollywood Superstar "Shah Rukh Khan" with his best effort.

At the time, I couldn't bear the sideburnsless hairdo, and had a butch haircut.....

ONOMICHI

Hello!
One hot day, I went to Onomichi with Chika(J-Hoppers Hiroshima staff).

It was soooo hot that day that we couldn't
walk for more than 5 minutes.
Every 5 minutes, we needed a rest.

Every time I arrive in Onomichi station,
I'm always curious about this castle.



Is this built safe? What if a strong earthquake comes?

This castle is now ruined.

Onomichi is famous for Senkoji-Temple.
On the way to the Temple, we walked in the
covered arcade street with many old shops.


Fire crackers


This street is one of my favorite place in Onomichi.


Last time I went to Onomichi,
I didn't take the rope way to the Temple.
But this time, it was too hot that we had to take the rope way.
But still, inside the rope way was hot :(

Right after we got off the rope way, we ran into the shade.
After a while, we head up to the Senkoji-Temple.
But stayed there just for 10 minutes.

We decided to get some rest in a cool place.
There was one cafe where we planed to go.



As soon as we arrived, we noticed that they didn't
have any air conditioners.
So we decided to go back to the station...

We found a nice cafe next to the station and stayed
there for about an hour.
This place was the longest place we stayed in Onomichi!

Nice and sunny day is great but please don't
suffer from the summer heat!

☆Tanabata party at Kyoto Hana Hostel☆

Hello everyone!!
How are you doing?
It is toooooooo hot and humid in Kyoto since raining season has ended.

We had a Tanabata party on the 7th of July at Kyoto Hana Hostel.
There were 'Somen noddle' and some Japanese rice cake, 'Shiratama Dango', for everybody.

Our great staff who have prepared the feast for the night.
We all wore YUKATA to entertain a circumstance of Japanese summer and, color the party.





Our guests and we had a great time☆













Our partners from J-Hoppers Kyoto ran to the party after work!!



We went to do fireworks at bank of Kamo river after we had a great dinner and drinks.





One of our guest and one of our staff 'drunken monkey' had too much drinks,and got tooooo hot.That is why, they ran into the river to extinguish their fire after this picture...



Thank you very much for everyone who joined the party and made it enjoyable and memorable.
We hope to see you in Kyoto again!!
Whoever could not join us this time, please bring yourself next time!!

Hiroshima's proud tree

In 1945, an Atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima city.
At that time, people were saying that there is no way all the greenery would grow back, in Hiroshima, for at least 75 years.

There is a true story about The Chinese Bottle Tree.
The tree was 1300m away from the epicenter, and seared by the blasts of hot air at the time of the explosion. It had terrible damage so people thought that the tree would never recover.
But the following year, to everyone's surprise, the tree brought forth many leaves, and as green as always.

And I am growing two of the Chinese Bottle Tree seeds in my garden now.
One lady stayed at Hiroshima Hana Hostel the other day and gave me 5 seeds in a lovely package. She is involved in the project to hand Chinese bottle tree seeds to people from all over the world.

I am so proud and excited to grow these seeds!!

They are 2 months old now.















The leaves look HEART shaped :) So pretty!
I would like to hand these tree down through generations with the story of The Chinese Bottle Tree in 1945.
I am really hoping that they will thrive in my garden.

The Chinese Bottle tree is producing offspring and continue telling its story to people who visit the peace memorial park.

There is one more plant which has heart shaped leaves!
















The Olive trees!
It has come to fruit, which surprised me as its such a small tree.
It has 7 olives at the moment. I can not wait to harvest them in autumn.

Ｉｔ is so much fun growing plants and see them every day!

One Way to Compose. Pictures in Words

Tintinnabulation is an area to wonder,
Where an answer speaks
In the sublunary region of the sounds;
Music. One shan’t unearth a manuscript of any worth

Possessing an inborn urge to diverge and deviate
Only oneself can divide the colours and make them appear.
Music offers and utters the idea of love in a dynamic force.
But who can thoroughly comprehend.

It’s a torrid story to be untold
See the toil transforms aglow
Sweetest voice shall beguile me;
Undine, you are so fair

Tanabata Party at Kyoto Hana Hostel

Hello everyone!!

How have you been this rainy days??

Today, I want to inform everybody that...


We are having a Japanese Star Festival Party at Kyoto Hana Hostel on the 7th of July.

Tanabata is a Japanese Star Festival.
There is a legend that every 7th of July, Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair) can meet each other if it is not raining on that day.
So Tanabata is a day of celebration of their meeting.
On that day,we ,Japanese people, write our wish on the piece of paper and hung it on a bamboo tree.

We are planning to make some Japanese rice cakes.
Please join us!!

Here are some of our stuff who are going to brighten up the party at Kyoto Hana Hostel.

Here is our boss UEP-----!!



This is our coolest guy YUYA!! I love his glasses!!



He is the funniest monk in Kyoto, SAWANAKA SAN (right), Coolest beauty Ms.HARADA (middle), Me (left)




The cutest girl as a night stuff, Naomi(right), Him again, (right)


We have more stuff to welcome you in Here, Kyoto Hana Hostel.
Please check it out on the 7th of July!!

An awesome night, cormorant fishing!

I went to Kintaikyo (Kintai bridge) in Iwakuni with my family on farther's day last week.
It was the first time I saw cormorant fishing up close.

Before the cormorant fishing, we went to a famous Japanese restaurant "Sanzoku".
It is about an hour drive from Hiroshima and only 10-15 minuets drive from Kintaikyo.

The restaurant was decorated in traditional Tanabata flags. They are so beautiful!!

After a lovely dinner, we were ready for the great night.

But when we arrived at Kintaikyo, the staff at the reception asked us to buy an Obentou (lunch box) for dinner. We have already eaten, which was a shame because it looked really good!!
We didn't have Obentou but I reccommend you to buy an Obentou there or you have the option of bringing your own obentou, but will have to take your rubbish away with you after.

On the tour we stopped in front of Kintaikyo for around 30 minuets. Perfect to have some food and a few beers on the boat if you bring them.
The young man who was punting the boat along looked very new and we thought he had not earned his traditional outfit, because of the bright colorful shorts he was wearing. We hope he keeps his job and passes on their ancient tradition to the next generation.

When right fell the fishing began. The boat was led by fire light and 8 birds were working busily to catch anything that moved.
You could see the birds swimming underwater.

It really was a wonderful sight. And a terrific evening!

After the tour finished and we were back on dry land, the birds line up on the gunwale of the boat and dry their wings. Perfect for a few pictures.

Well done guys!!

Thank you for your work!!

Day to Day food life of Kyoto

Kyoto is rich in food culture.All the various foods from all over the world gathers here in Kyoto.
Pizza , Arabic , Indian, Chinese, Korean, Czech style cafe, Nepali,,etc.My food adventure goes on , life taste like what you flavor the food you have .
It's a rainy season, flowers are shinning , the sound of rain bring you the best moment to read the book , gazing the misty forest over the window.
Please let me introduce some of my beloved places with good food, good people, and great atmosphere.



Here it is , Cafe millet, is one of my favorite place up in north east .
You can take bus from Demachiyanagi station 45min ride.When you start to see a forest and rice paddy, you are almost there.
home made Tofu, bread,organic fresh veg meal
While you are waiting, you can take a walk in the beautiful field.

















Mumokuteki organic vegan cafe and restaurant in Down town.Stylish Western style cafe with great Japanese and western style meals







Naya, the best chef in Kyoto.
You don't know the menu until you come to the place.He serve only organic, seasonal food.
There is no air conditioning in this place. The wind blow from the wooden opened entrance to the tiny moss garden.

Today's farm cake with tofu sauce





Kyoto Nama chocolat near the Heian-shrine.
This cozy Japanese old house serve you the best organic chocolate.
You can enjoy the song of birds comes down to a nice back yard

mochikibi berry cake with maccha sauce






Whether it's right or wrong.
Our life is no longer completely Japanese in ancient style.
Japanese cultured developed with accepting new things blending into the tradition.
So does the food.
Food culture changes, but the soul should remain.
Let's cherish them.

Chinowa kuguri *Wish for the next half year*

The huge CHINOWA ring appears to every shrines in Kyoto for this special period of the year.
People walk through inside of this huge ring and write the age, name and wishes on a paper doll.

It's absolutely one of the best time to visit shrines and temples for the fresh shinny green maple leaves.
In the young and lively air, we let our foulness and wish good fortune for the coming half year.

June 25th to 30th
Jonangu shrine Kitanotenmangu shrine Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrine
Umemiya shrine Kibune shrine Shiramine shrine Jishu shrine Yoshida shrine
and almost all the shrines in Kyoto.(Bus and JR trains covers most of the shrines )
Most of the special ceremonies are held on the 30th June.