Blog　2018年03月の記事

2018年3月3日

Roubai Flowers at Kyoto Gyoen National Garden

Some hints of spring are showing up all around in Kyoto. Sweet scents of plum flowers are in the air. At Kyoto Gyoen National Garden (京都御苑), pretty little yellowish flowers called Roubai (蝋梅, Japanese allspice) are now in bloom. The scent of the flower is very sweet and uplifting. It is said that the flower ・・・

2018年3月3日

Sachinoi, a Well at Kyoto Gyoen National Garden

If you take some time to explore Kyoto Gyoen, you will come across many sites of historical importance. Among them, a monument which reads “Sachinoi” has an interesting history. It is a well named after the Emperor Meiji (明治天皇). The current location of Sachinoi well was originally within the premises of the Emperor Meiji’s grandparents’ ・・・

2018年3月2日

Honmaru Yaguramon Gate at Nijo Castle

There are many culturally and historically important gate constructions at Nijo (二条) caslte. Among them, Homaru Yaguramon* (本丸櫓門) gate, a national important cultural property of Japan, is the most valuable one since it’s the only survivor of big fires occurred many times in Kyoto. *Yugura means turrets at castles in Japanese. Even in the Edo ・・・

2018年3月2日

Hina Dolls Now Displayed at Oike Bettei Branch

Hinamatsuri (おひなさん, 雛祭り, Girls’ Doll festival, a Japanese tradition to celebrate and pray for the health of girls in the family) is coming soon. When I was a child, my parents used to celebrate the event with traditional dishes unique to Hinamatsuri in Kyoto, such as Barazushi (ばら寿司, a type of sushi with a variety ・・・

2018年3月2日

Spring is Here – Tsukushi (Young stem of Horsetail)

I’m always excited around this time of year. It’s the time hints of spring can be found everywhere. If you walk around in Kyoto, you will notice that spring is drawing near at your footsteps. Tsukushi (土筆) is the stem of an edible herbaceous perennial plant called Equisetum arvense, commonly known as the field horsetail. ・・・