Under the leaden skies

We are currently in the middle of the rainy season, Tsuyu, or Apricot Rains.

I visited some places in Kyoto on a cloudy break in the season.

The Old Mitsui Family Shimogamo Villa was originally built in 1880, then relocated and

 extended in the south of Shimogamo Shrine in 1925.

 It served as a shared villa for the Mitsui family, one of the most prominent and influential

 merchant conglomerates in Japanese history.

 

You can sit on the traditional tatami mats and watch the garden covered with moss

and dotted with baloon flowers, which is one of the seasonal blooms.

The residence features a moss garden with a gourd-shaped pond that mirrors 
the deep green hues.

There is a winding stroll path along the water’s edge.
You can look back at the historic three-story Taisho-era residence.

The third-floor watchtower is restricted to those who book a special program or dining plan.

As you see in the photos, natural tones appear much richer 

when the sky looks dull, heavy, and dark gray.

The Hydrangea garden is on the west side of the main garden within the villa grounds.

Hydrangeas are the floral symbol of Japan's rainy season.

At the ponds in the Kyoto Botanical Garden, green reflection becomes dense and dramatic, transforming the landscape into a peaceful sanctuary.

With a little of sunshine for a few seconds, colors turned vibrant emerald.

In the Lotus Pond, there is a harmonious blend of greens composed of 

fresh maple leaves, lotus leaves, and iris blades.

 I’ve enjoyed this humid yet relatively cool period before our notoriously brutal summer sets in.

Linked to Mosaic Monday

Green-scented, wind-fragrant May

風薫る/Kaze kaoru is a seasonal term traditionally used in Waka and Haiku, Japanese poetry.

 It describes the refreshing breeze that blows through fresh greenery, carrying the scent of flowers and plants.

It signals the start of the pleasant early summer right before 梅雨 Apricot Rains, about a month and a half

 rainy season.

May is a season of "green scent"— fresh, crisp aroma arising from young, lush vegetation. 

Probably because of the high moisture content of the thriving new leaves,

I feel soaked in the dripping essence of  foliage when walking in the greenery.

Sparkling or dancing light  and reflection.

Bentobox-like small, rectangular, shallow basin sits nestled inside a larger, natural pond.

As the gentle, rhythmic ripples moves across its surface, the reflection of the surrounding

foliage start shimmering.

The window became a leafy veil, with the trees outside painted on the glass.

In Nara Park, deer are very active and transitioning from their winter to summer coats, 
often looking patchy as they shed.

The breeze in early May often carries these scents of Wisteria, Rhododendron, or Yellow Roses.

So free and comfortable in the balmy air of May!

Linked to Saturday's Critters

Mosaic Monday

Sakura Album, 2026

The period from late March to the second week of April feels so fleeting every year. 

The reason lies in the blooming of 桜 Sakura; its peak is so short that we want to be present 

and appreciate the “now”.

The delicate and elegant beauty of Sakura blossoms is a moving expression of life, death, and rebirth. 

Impermanence is what makes life precious.

- One of the parks in my neighborhood, March 30th -

- Along the 佐保川 Saho River, April 2nd -

- 春日野園地 Kasugano-enchi, Nara Park, April 3rd -

-茶山園地 Chayama-enchi, Nara Park -

奈良の九重桜 Nara-no-kokonoe-zakura species

- Along the 賀茂川 Kamo River, Kyoto, April 6th -

Driving along the Kamo River, Kyoto, and celebrating my husband's birthday.

 Have you ever seen Sakura brizzard?

The falling petals are a spectacular finale that promises the cycle of life.

散るという  飛翔のかたち  花びらは  ふと微笑んで  枝を離れる 
- 俵万智 TAWARA Machi -

Meaning: In their scattering, the (Sakura) petals take flight; with a soft smile, they let go of the branch."

 I like to see the scattering Sakura blossoms not as an end but as a ‘flight’, 
taking to the sky of their own will.

By association,  I think of the two of my grandchildren who graduated from junior-high 

and elementary school  and then entered the new chapter of their lives this spring.
 It's a flight with a cheerful smile — a departure, a journey to the next stage.

Sakura blossoms have an endearing way of whispering a gentle farewell.

There is something sad and uplifting at the same time.

See you next year.

Linked to Saturday's Critters

Mosaic Monday