beauty

Joy at Kyoto: 5

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In 1965, 清流園 garden was constructed within 二条城 site to offer hospitality to visitors. Western half is Japanese style, served by 和楽庵 and 香雲亭 tea rooms while eastern half in European atmosphere. Southern lane features weeping pagoda trees which bloom in white, butterfly-shaped from late July to August. Oh, Mei-Shun nearly forgot mentioning this lady’s tress who looked waiting for her.

Joy at Kyoto: 4

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二条城 has vast space in the center of this ancient capital. This garden accommodates a spacious pond where a heron takes a rest, a lovely little fall twinkles. You can enjoy feeding big carps as well. 本丸=hon-maru, main building of Japanese castle, was lost by fire only with a firm foundation left. Going up stairs, you would have a nice view on mountain silhouette and lightning rods on roofs.

Waiting For …

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Our ancestors she might be, a white lily at the shrine Shin and Mei-Shun walk to in the morning. It takes just a week for buds to be clearly recognized — three flowers could be seen on this stalk soon. Another pleasure of the couple was the luckiest omikuji, all the same in number and fortune they drew respectively.

Rice ears began to appear on the top of each green, attracting many blue dragonflies with little white flowers.

 

 

Pretty Peach

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Mei-Shun loves them so much. She often says her favorite is Japanese cherry, yet the reason owes a great deal to lovely looking and such short time of the best like its blossom. As for taste, the former wins a triumph. Oh, how beautiful they are, with the sweetest scent! They are agricultural products, yet really artworks. Thanks a million, Shin, who knows well his wife is a fruit bat.

Misaka-Hakuho

Asama-Hakuto

Joy at Kyoto: 2

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Shin reserved a hotel in front of 二条城 this time. It is very nice to see such a popular sightseeing point through a window, avoiding crowd. Early in the morning, they enjoyed walking around the garden after breakfast. Another pleasure to stay here is a nice French restaurant “C’EST SYMPA“. They serve really beautiful dishes and wines for amazingly reasonable price, while net shopping is available.

 

 

Japanese Culture@holiday

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Shin and Mei-Shun enjoyed on Saturday 宵々山=yoi-yoi-yama, floats exhibition held two nights before 山鉾巡行=yama-hoko-junko, march of these portable shrines of Kyoto Gi-On Festival. Here is their favorite 舟鉾=Fune-Hoko, ship-shaped one. It reminds them of their first Gi-On experience more than 20 years ago, when they met Mei-Shun’s father by chance on the way to Kyoto.

Tanabata Celebration

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We are so happy to see you two in the garden. And it was lucky for Mei-Shun who found you standing straight up in green before Shin used the lawn mower. Ah, that might be why she often saw butterfly couples these days. They were messengers sent by you to let us know today’s festival, weren’t they? All right, let’s wish 織姫 and 彦星 would be able to meet tonight crossing a bridge made by magpies over the galaxy.

Change Color

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That seems why hydrangeas are said to carry messages like “whim” and “arrogance”. On the other hand, blue flowers have “patient love” while “humbleness” with lace caps. Mei-Shun has to thank to the Ys, because they let us enjoy not only the last one in violet but also pink gradation. And she is happy to do so to mom, who really represents sky-blue following below in her garden. Dad, you loved it so much as well.

Day by Day

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We have many hydrangeas around here. One of Mei-Shun’s favorite is this in pale pink at the Ys. They are kind enough to leave two hydrangeas and one camellia in backyard, let us enjoy them from the beginning of blossom. Oh, Ms. Lespedeza, why you are so hasty? Your beauty would culminate in autumn. Please do not compete with a flower of rainy season.