The red oni leads the group in a dance to spook onlookers, threatening with sumo-like movements, raised weapons and a cold stare.

driving demons
into the darkness...
laughing
闇がりへ鬼追出して笑ひ哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1813.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.

#Kyoto #京都 #Japan

The red oni leads the group in a dance to spook onlookers, threatening with sumo-like movements, raised weapons and a cold stare.

driving demons
into the darkness...
laughing
闇がりへ鬼追出して笑ひ哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1813.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.

#Kyoto #京都 #Japan

🫘👹🪓DANCING DEMONS❤️💚🖤

One of Setsubun's (節分) liveliest festivals takes place at the small temple of Rozan-ji.
At 3pm three oni (one red, one green, one black) appear before the main hall. Clasping flaming torches and mean-looking weapons, they begin to dance!

#Kyoto #廬山寺

Although oni are a common sight at Setsubun, Rozan-ji (廬山寺) has an origin story for its own 3 ogres.

When the temple's founder, Ryōgen (良源 912-85), was in training he was bothered by 3 troublesome oni (or spirits, depending on what version of the tale you read).
#Kyoto #鬼

🫘👹🪓DANCING DEMONS❤️💚🖤

One of Setsubun's (節分) liveliest festivals takes place at the small temple of Rozan-ji.
At 3pm three oni (one red, one green, one black) appear before the main hall. Clasping flaming torches and mean-looking weapons, they begin to dance!

#Kyoto #廬山寺

Setsubun (節分), which falls on February 3rd this year, marks the beginning of spring in the lunar calendar.

Yoshida-jinja (吉田神社), Mibu-dera (壬生寺), Yasaka-jinja (八坂神社) and Rozan-ji (廬山寺) host the city's most famous celebrations.

#Kyoto #京都 #Setsubun #節分 #Japan

Kinukake-no-michi ends (or begins) at the 'Golden Pavilion' (金閣寺).

Kinkaku-ji, reliquary hall of Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺), was the last remaining piece of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's sprawling 'Kitayama Palace' (北山殿). The original was burnt down in 1950.

#Kinkakuji #金閣寺 #Kyoto #snow

Kinukake-no-michi ends (or begins) at the 'Golden Pavilion' (金閣寺).

Kinkaku-ji, reliquary hall of Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺), was the last remaining piece of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's sprawling 'Kitayama Palace' (北山殿). The original was burnt down in 1950.

#Kinkakuji #金閣寺 #Kyoto #snow

吾 唯 足 知 can translate to 'what one has is all one needs' or 'I learn only to be contented'.

The original, donated by Tokugawa Mitsukuni (徳川光圀 1628-1701) around 1660, is actually located beside Zōroku-an (蔵六庵) tearoom (out of sight).

#Japan #Kyoto #竜安寺 #蔵六庵

Long after he had died, Seimei was the subject of countless stories and miraculous legends.

As an onmyōji (陰陽師) Seimei worked in the palace's onmyō-ryō (陰陽寮 'Bureau of Yin-Yang Divination'), responsible for geomantic and spiritual matters.
#folklore #Japan #Kyoto #安倍晴明

⛩️SEIMEI'S SHRINE⭐️

It may be small, and perhaps not as picturesque as other nearby shrines, but Seimei-jinja's (晴明神社) grounds are filled with interesting monuments and memorials to Abe-no-Seimei (安倍晴明 921-1005) and his mysterious life.

#Kyoto #晴明神社 #京都

Hosokawa Katsumoto (細川勝元) helped establish Ryōan-ji (龍安寺) in 1450.
Originally a large estate owned by the Fujiwara family, the temple's current pond, 'Kyōyōchi' (鏡容池), was created by Tokudaiji Saneyoshi (徳大寺実能 1096-1157) as a boating lake in the 12thC.
#Kyoto #京都

Hosokawa Katsumoto (細川勝元) helped establish Ryōan-ji (龍安寺) in 1450.
Originally a large estate owned by the Fujiwara family, the temple's current pond, 'Kyōyōchi' (鏡容池), was created by Tokudaiji Saneyoshi (徳大寺実能 1096-1157) as a boating lake in the 12thC.
#Kyoto #京都

Snow brings fresh meaning to Ryōan-ji's famous riddle🪨🌨️🤔

#Kyoto #京都 #Japan #Ryoanji #龍安寺 #zen #snow #雪

Despite growing concerns about overtourism, Japan remains the top destination for international travelers in 2026 — and data suggests the gap with other contenders is widening. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2026/01/24/travel/travel-japan-world-rankings-tokyo-kyoto-osaka/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #travel #travel #overtourism #tokyo #osaka #kyoto

Right beside Ninna-ji is the (often overlooked) temple of Renge-ji (蓮華寺), a site that traces it origins to Kūkai, who enshrined a stone image of Fudō Myōō (不動明王) in 806 within a grotto on the north west bank of Hirosawa Pond (広沢池).

#Kyoto #京都 #Japan

During a summer stay at Omuro Goshō (御室御所), Uda impulsively thought it would be cooling to see the nearby mountain covered in snow. He had men unravel white bolts of silk on the slopes to create the wintry effect.
The mountain was soon christened Mt. Kinukake (絹笠山).
#Kyoto

But what does Kinukake-no-michi (きぬかけの路) have to do with draped silk?🤔

Well, the road winds through the foothills of Mt. Kinugasa (衣笠山), known also as Mt. Kinukake (絹笠山).
The mountain is named after an incident involving Emperor Uda (宇多天皇).
#Kyoto #衣笠山 #京都

There are one or two good snowy days in Kyōto each year, so when the flakes begin to flurry you have to make the most of it❄️🙌🌨️🧤🥶

#Kyoto #京都 #Japan #snow #winter #Japan #kyotosnow #snowday