Sakura at The Shin'en Gardens of Heian Shrine In Kyoto!
The day of my visit to the Shin'en Gardens of Heian Shrine In Kyoto was during the peak season of the cherry blossoms. It was also on a Saturday and there where lots of people. As you enter the Minami Shin'en (South Garden), the Yae-Beni-Shidare zakura (八重紅枝垂桜) are a stunning view. The pink blossoms are a delight for the eye and there are so many of them. The garden contains a smaller garden called Heian-no-sono featuring plants and flowers which appear in Heian-period literary works. Progressing along, you enter the Byakko-ike pond of the Nishi Shin'en (West Garden). The irises around the pond are not in bloom yet, I’ll have to wait till next summer to enjoy their deep colours. Next we explore the Naka Shin'en (Middle Garden), there is the Soryu-ike pond with the Garyu-kyo, a walkway consisting of stone pillars which once served as foundation stones for the girders of Sanjo Ohashi and Gojo Ohashi, famous bridges in the centre of the city of Kyoto. The pond is surrounded by an exquisite expanse of rabbit-ear irises. The last garden is the Higashi Shin'en (East Garden) with the large Seiho-ike pond on which courtiers are said to have gone boating in ancient times. The Taihei-kaku (泰平閣) hall stands out as it sits across the pond. Many people take a break here and enjoy the view before leaving this magnificent garden.
IMG 2448 Japon 8eme Jour Kyoto inside Temple & zen garden
Flooding in Japan
Video clip is of Kyoto Sept 16 2013
Kyoto Tea Room
Us making a mockery of a Japanese traditional tea ceremony. You're supposed to quietly contemplate the scenery while drinking delectable tea. I think they spiked our drinks with caffeine or something... quite beautiful and serene though...
Kyoto Tours Video
Kyoto Tours Video is old Japan writ large: quiet temples, sublime gardens, colourful shrines and geisha scurrying to secret liaisons. Kyoto Tours Video Temples, Shrines Gardens. There are said to be over 1000 Buddhist temples in Kyoto. Youll find true masterpieces of religious architecture, such as the retina-burning splendour of Kinkaku-ji (the famed Golden Pavilion) and the cavernous expanse of Higashi Hongan-ji. Within the temple precincts are some of the worlds most sublime gardens, from the Zen masterpiece at Ryoan-ji to the riotous paradise of moss and blossoms at Saiho-ji. And then there are the Shinto shrines, monuments to Japans indigenous faith. The mother of all shrines, Fushimi-Inari-Taisha, has mesmerising arcades of vermillion torii (shrine gates) spread across a mountainside.