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2019年8月10日

Mukaegane, Welcome Bell at Rokudo-chinno-ji Temple

After the Gion festival (祇園祭), the next signature event in Kyoto is Mukaegane (迎え鐘, welcome bells for deceased ancestors) at Rokudo chino-ji (六道珍皇寺) temple. Every year from August 7 to 10, this long established event is conducted in order to welcome the spirits of deceased family members who are returning to this world during the ・・・

2019年8月2日

Yokan, (Sweet Beans Jelly)

It’s been severely hot in Kyoto. In such a weather, cool looking sweets are the real treat. The other day, my colleague brought a bar of Yohan (羊羹, sweet bean jelly) to work to share. She gave me one slice of it and it was so pretty! Nanajo Kanshundo (七條甘春堂) near Sanju-sangendo (三十三間堂) temple is ・・・

2019年7月29日

Boiled Pumpkin Service at Anraku-ji Temple

Every year, I visit the event called “Shishigatani Kabocha-kuyo (鹿ケ谷カボチャ供養)” at Anraku-ji temple (安楽寺) located at the eastward of the Tetsugaku no michi (哲学の道, a street called Philosophers’ Path). Anraku-ji is a temple of Jodo sect of Buddhism founded by one of the disciples of St. Honen (法然上人) and is very famous for its beautiful ・・・

2019年7月28日

Practice of Gion Festival Music in the Community

It’s July. The Gion festival (祇園祭) has begun. At the Iwatoyama (岩戸山) float community where I live, the symbol lantern is lit at the eaves of a restaurant. The practice of Nikai Bayashi (二階囃子, Gion festival music unique to each float) has begun too. After the Kippu-iri (切符入り, the ceremony for the commencement of the ・・・

2019年7月24日

Gyoja-mochi, Available only on July 16

In Kyoto, we have some confections exclusively available only during the Gion Festival (祇園祭り) season. For example, the float called Uradeyama (占出山) sells a sweet cake called Kiccho-Ayu (吉兆あゆ, fish shaped pancake with gummy rice cake called Gyuhi inside) manufactured by Daigokuden-honpo (大極殿本舗) only from July 14 to 16. Among many other, the most famous ・・・