Ume blossoms and light-up in the Toji Temple Garden

梅一輪　一輪ほどの　暖かさ

Ume ichirin, ichirin hodono, atatakasa

One Ume blossom

One blossom's

Worth of warmth

-　服部嵐雪　Hattori Ransetsu (1654-1707)  -

This haiku-poem has a preface that refers to the Ume blossom as a 寒梅 "winter Ume." 

寒梅 winter ume tree that blossoms in cold winter is a seasonal word for late winter, while 梅 Ume is for spring.

Ume, Japanese apricot, is the harbinger of spring in Japan.

When I was in the Toji Temple Garden with Ume trees in full bloom in the late February, 

it felt like that the weather was becoming warmer with each new bloom of 梅 Ume tree.

It was so warm that I could describe "full bloom worth of warmth" rather than

 "one blossom's worth of warmth".

河津桜 Kawazu-zakura, an early-flowering variety of cherry tree, were also almost in full bloom.

Numerous bamboo lanterns and bamboo balls are displayed for the light-up 東寺月回廊 To-ji Moon Corridor.

Multiple bamboo balls are suspended over Hyotan pond ....

.... and are hanging along the Moon Corridor.

When all the bamboo balls and lanterns are lit up, you're transformed into the ethereal world,

which is completely different from the daytime.

Despite the warmth of the daytime, the night was so chilly.

As usual, temporary warm spells will be interrupted by lingering, volatile winter conditions 

before the real spring is here.

- A little about Toji Temple -

Toji Temple (World Heritage) was built in 796 shortly after the capital was moved to Heian-kyo (Kyoto).

In 823, Kobo Daishi (Kukai) was entrusted by the reigning emperor, making it a key center for Shingon Buddhism.

The Five Storied Pagoda (National Treasure, reconstruction in 1644) is the tallest in Japan.

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Autumn splendor at 天授庵 Tenjyu-an and 南禅寺 Nanzen-ji

It’s that time of the year when Momiji, Japanese maples, shine blazing red.

This post is a report of 天授庵 Tenjyu-an and 南禅寺 Nanzen-ji Temples.

Don't you feel excited just looking at Tenjyu-an from the outside?

The inside is much more than your expectation.
You enter Pond Garden by way of Dry Landscape Garden.

Fascinating reflections can exist anywhere.

A garden with a pond spreads in front of the Shoin architecture.

Tranquil and serene.

Carp look swimming through the reflected leaves.

An image with reduced reflection

Tenjyu-an

Verdant garden of 天授庵 Tenjyuan shows what the garden is like in May.

Which garden do you like, in spring or in autumn?

 Tenjyu-an is close to the massive San-mon Gate of Nanzen-ji.

Trees are fiery red.

Among all the autumn leaves, Momiji is the last to paint the landscape shades of red.

They have touched Japanese people’s heart at its core from the ancient times.

The precinct is ablaze with the final burst of glory before the winter calm.

Nanzen-ji

Today is the coldest of this season; the heaviest snowfall in 10 years

is forecasted in the northern Japan.

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Strolling around my town

 Apricot Rains is over!

Blistering sunny days have come after the sweltering rainy season.

 I've stayed home mostly except for the evening walk as I feel like that I'm being choked 

in sauna in the daytime.

While I spend idly and casually, I've created a post about my town from spring to summer.

My town is a nice and quiet residential area, a bedroom town of

Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara, lying on the rolling hills overlooking four directions.

 I like walking around my town, neighboring towns, and the surrounding area.

Townspeople take care of their gardens earnestly, and the public planting space, too.

Flowers on fences or gates.

Sakura (Cherry blossoms) are beautiful in every park.

I like the stillness of the parks after children go back home.

Sakura bloomed late this year but Dogwood, Wisteria, Geraniums, Roses, Hydrangeas .... 

come to bloom earlier and earlier every year.

I'm always marveled at how many people love to grow plants with green thumbs.

In the nearest park, the Liriodendron tulipifera bloom in mid-May. 

 Few people notice the orange and green, tulip-shaped  flowers on the upper part of a quite tall tree.

Flowers under our feet, either.

In a couple of minutes from the park, I'm home!

Rainy season set in significantly late and ended almost the same as usual.

It was sweltering hot when the sun appeared.

Raindrops on the morning glory; short-lived respite.

By the way, the west side of the town is a countryside with history longer than 1300 years.

Chinese milk vetches dot the off-season paddies in April. 

Where have gone the nostalgic flower carpets? (2016)

When Emperor Shomu (the period of reign 724-749) passed by the area, Ono Fukumaro, 

who ruled the area, was using a "三 three-pitted 碓 stone mortar" to grind grains.

Emperor Shomu saw it and called the area 三碓 Mitsu-garasu.

It is thought to be the origin of the name of this area.

The stone mortar is kept at the Konsho-in Temple next to the Mitsugarasu Shrine 

which enshrines tutelary "kami" who protects the area .

I'll be on summer break in blogging as usual.

Wish you a pleasant season wherever you are.

Stay safe from any disasters.

See you in two months!

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紫陽花 Ajisai and 梅雨 Apricot Rains

How has the weather been recently?

It has been like this here in Kansai region; when it rains, it pours 

and when it's sunny, it's very hot for June.

The rainy season set in yesterday at last when we are usually right in the middle of it.

In the southern Okinawa and Amami Oshima, its end was declared the other day.

Our rainy season is called 梅雨, Apricot Rains, because it falls on the time

when 梅 Japanese apricots ripen.

As its poetic name suggests, there are many nice things during this season.

Ajisai, or Hydrangea, is the most popular flower of the season.

They don't come and go all at once like Sakura but last long almost all through

the Apricot Rains.

When Ajisai start blooming, they show shades of cream to green.

As they age, their colors deepen.

I like blue Ajisai above all.

When I walked along my favorite Ajisai lane , which partly runs parallel 

to Chokyu-ji Temple, I focused on blue flowers to photograph.

June 8th

The path, which connects the Tomio River and the Mayumi residential area,

 is nicely narrow and curving.

A couple of days later than that, I visited 般若寺 Hannya-ji Temple for Ajisai.

I prayed for no risk of torrential downpours.

June 11th

Hannya-ji is more famous for its cosmos flowers in autumn as is called "Cosmos Temple".

Cosmos, autum sky, rain, and a celebration (2017)

Summer cosmoses were mostlly over.

I have stopped by in June every year since I saw Ajisai Bowls for the first time 

three years ago.

One of the monks came up with the idea of Ajisai Bowl to make use of Ajisai flowers

 that are still beautiful after their prime time.

The round Ajisai flowers look beautiful from any angle in spherical glass container.

The temple has changed the way of displaying Ajisai Bowls every year.

The same Ajisai Bowl seen from the different angle.

I liked it when the bowls were placed among the greenery to reflect the surrounding colors.

They looked like planets as is reported here, Ajisai walk, joy of rainy season (2022)

There are many nice places to stroll through Ajisai in and around Nara City 

including temples, parks, streets, etc.

矢田寺 Yata-dera and 岩船寺 Gansen-ji Temples are famous as “Ajisai Temple”.

At Yata-dera Temple on a drizzly, humid day 

Gansen-ji Temple in the various shades of Hydrangea

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