Posted in calendar, travel and places, temples, kyoto on Apr 29th, 2007 2 Comments »
With the sprouting of the fresh green and the red splash of the azaleas, in May Japan bursts out in a frenzy of festivals.
[Shiobune Temple fire festival. Photo Ad Blankestijn]
Late April - Early May, Nara: Opening of Hokuendo Hall of Kofukuji (2007: 4/27-5/6).
May 1- 4, Kyoto: Nenbutsu Kyogen at Senbonshakado Temple.
One of the three greatest kyogen […]
Posted in nature, technology, history, travel and places, kyoto on Apr 28th, 2007 No Comments »
The Hozu River is the designation for the upstream section of the Katsura River, between the Hozu Bridge in Kameoka City and the Togetsu Bridge in Arashiyama. The river originates in the Tanba mountains and finally, south of Kyoto, flows into the Yodo River. It changes name three times, because the upper reaches above […]
Posted in technology, architecture, travel and places, museums, kyoto on Apr 25th, 2007 No Comments »
Kyoto is often seen as purely a historical city for tourists. Indeed, when you sit in a quiet Zen garden you tend to forget that it is also a hothouse of advanced research and industry.
That was already so in the past. In the last 30 years of the 19th century, after the capital was transferred […]
Posted in nature, travel and places, gardens, temples, kyoto on Apr 23rd, 2007 1 Comment »
Although now most flowers are gone, last weekend (April 14-15) there were still some beautiful sakura left in Kyoto. After having seen the “Kansetsu sakura” of the Philosopher’s Path (planted by the wife of nihonga painter Hashimoto Kansetsu, in the memory of her husband) and the famous trees of Arashiyama (originally from the sacred groves […]
Posted in life, architecture, art and photography, business, news on Apr 20th, 2007 No Comments »
With sadness we note the passing of Clifton Karhu on March 24 at age 79, the great American-born blockprint artist who made Kyoto his home. Karhu’s prints are known for their strong lines and vivid colors and his themes pay tribute to the beauty of Japan’s old capital. Norman Tolman, founder of the Tolman Collection […]
Posted in kyoto on Apr 15th, 2007 1 Comment »
Kyoto’s secluded temple graveyards harbor the ashes of many famous artists and authors. Years ago, I heard that the grave of Tanizaki Junichiro (1886-1965) could be found in the old graveyard of Honenin Temple, but a cursory visit rendered no results, there were no written indications. During my visit to Honenin last week, to see […]
Posted in travel and places, religion and philosophy, museums, temples, kyoto on Apr 13th, 2007 No Comments »
There is one very special image of Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha, one that claims to be modeled after the Buddha himself, during his lifetime, and that therefore became the object of a particularly fervent popular cult in Japan in the 13th century. This wondrous image still can be seen in the Shaka-do, the Sakyamuni Hall […]
Posted in nature, travel and places on Apr 12th, 2007 No Comments »
Hokkaido has the following six National Parks:
1. Daisetsuzan National Park:
The largest national park in Japan, more or less in the center of Hokkaido, near Asahikawa. Called the “Roof of Japan” for its large volcanoes as Mt Asahidake (2290 meters high), Mt Tomuraushi and Mt Tokachi. There are extensive fir and spruce forests on the […]
Posted in culture, life, intercultural on Apr 11th, 2007 1 Comment »
A visitor from outer space, studying the different peoples of the earth, could easily get the impression that Japan is a devout Christian nation.
After all, our space traveler would observe that churches are so popular here that you even see them on the roofs of other buildings. Here an old English country church has been […]
Posted in Japan on Apr 9th, 2007 No Comments »
In contrast to Tetsugaku no Michi, which I strangely ignored, I did mention Arashiyama as a cherryblossom viewing spot in my article on the sakura front a few weeks ago. But I somewhat hesitated to go there, fearing a terrible mass of people. Well, I went there yesterday as I also wanted to see […]
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