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

We're kicking off Setsubun season with 2 sweets from Kameya Shigehisa (亀屋重久), named after a famous phrase you will hear during the February 3rd celebrations...

鬼は外!🫘👹🚪➡️
"Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!"
福は内!🍀➡️🚪😊
"Devils out! Fortune in!"

#wagashi #和菓子 #京都

We're kicking off Setsubun season with 2 sweets from Kameya Shigehisa (亀屋重久), named after a famous phrase you will hear during the February 3rd celebrations...

鬼は外!🫘👹🚪➡️
"Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!"
福は内!🍀➡️🚪😊
"Devils out! Fortune in!"

#wagashi #和菓子 #京都

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

⛩️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

ICYMI: Kiyomizuzaka・清水坂: Overtourism in Kyoto.

京都のオーバーツーリズム https://hermosawavephotography.com/260111/ #清水坂 #京都 #オーバーツーリズム #旅行 #観光

ICYMI: Kiyomizuzaka・清水坂: Overtourism in Kyoto.

京都のオーバーツーリズム https://hermosawavephotography.com/260111/ #清水坂 #京都 #オーバーツーリズム #旅行 #観光

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

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

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

❄️GREATER COLD🏔️

In the traditional calendar the 'greater cold' (大寒 January 20th-February 3rd) is upon us, and snowy days are here🙌

Cold morning prayers on my way to work🥶🌨️☃️

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

🍁AUTUMN AT KYŌTO'S GREAT WALL🧱

During fall Kitano Tenmangū allows guests to enjoy the maples that grow along the Odoi (御土居). Now mostly leveled, this great berm was created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to encircle and define the boundaries of the city.
#Kyoto #京都 #北野天満宮

🍂NENBUTSU FALL🍁

Even the stoniest of hearts cannot help but enjoy autumn in Arashiyama.

#otaginenbutsuji #愛宕念仏寺 #arashiyama #嵐山 #Kyoto #京都 #羅漢 #rakan #nenbutsuji #mtatago #愛宕山 #autumn #紅葉

During the imperial celebrations the emperor symbolically eats the first new rice of the year, and gives thanks for a successful harvest.

At many shrines the harvest offerings are proudly displayed.
#Japan #Kyoto #京都 #新嘗祭 #teaceremony #茶道 #wagashi #和菓子 #勤労感謝の日