Do not miss this special chance to feel the Japanese traditional culture!! This performance is the first designated Important Intangible Cultural Asset in Kyoto.
Apr 21st - Apr 29th 2012: Place: Mibu Dera Temple - Access : 20-30 min. from Kyoto Sta. by Kyoto city bus No. 206 or No. 208. Gett off at Mibudera-michi Bus Stop, and then walk 5 min.
■Characteristics of Mibu Kyogen are as follows■ * All performers are men.
* Performers don’t speak during the performance. * All performers wear masks, and they show their expressions by using traditional Japanese bell, drum and flute. Kyogen is the classical Japanese comedy which is performed between each Noh play. Mibu Kyogen was designated as an important intangible cultural asset in1976. This was the first designation in Kyoto prefecture.
It is believed that Mibu Kyogen was started by Enkaku Syonin, or Saint Enkaku, (1223-1311) in 1300. Because there were no loudspeakers at that time, pantomime was the best way to introduce Buddhism to a lot of people. In the modern era, Mibu Kyogen drifted away from its original religious purpose and developed into a popular entertainment
5 performances everyday. Houraku-wari: Hundreds of unglazed pans thrown with wishes from the stage to get broken Tsuchigumo: Depicts the fight between the Heian warlord and the monstrous ghosty spider Oketori: An old guy falls in love with a 3-fingered young beauty and betrays his ugly wife and so on.
Miyako Odori is the famous seasonal feature, telling us the spring has come in such gorgeous way! The geisha and maiko (apprentices) of the Gion Kobu district perform traditional spring dances with live musical accompaniment.
Date From : 01 To 30 April 2012
Cost:
¥4,500 (Special Class Ticket including tea service and complimentary gift)
¥4,000 (First Class Ticket)
¥2,000 (Second Class Ticket)
Place:
Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theatre (Next to Gion Corner at Hanami Koji street)
Performance:
Four performances of one hour each daily
at 12:30, 14:00, 15:30 and 16:50.
Summer in Kyoto, after big Gion Festival, we will have another special and important festival, not in the day time, but at night!
This is called, "Gozan no Okuribi"
In the evening of August 16th, large bonfires are lit on five of Kyoto's surrounding mountains.
At that night you see the burning letters appear to float in the sky.
This is a Buddhist event held on the last day of O-bon.
"O-bon" is the four-day from 13th to 16th of Aug. In these days, families usually go back to their parent's house to have the time together to welcome back the spirits of their ancestors, hold memorial services for them, and see ancestor's spirits off to the Under World.
"Daimonji", Big
Each Kanji is lit one by one in order from the east to the west from around eight in the evening.
"Ho", Doctrine
Some of the strokes in these Kanji are more than 100 meters long!
"Myo", Lotus Sutra
"Torii", Shrine gate
"Fune", Ship
Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to enjoy the five mountains view at once, but you can try one of them from these good view area. From the access, most recommendable area is below.
* around Demachi-Yanagi Station (Keihan-line)
- at Kamo O-Hashi Bridge or along the Kamo Gawa River
* In the Kyoto Imperial Palace
- It's crowded but it's huge area, so very recommendable to enjoy the view.
Another special night festival on this day will be held at Arashiyama Koen Park, too.
Floating Lantern Festival
- It's held every year from sunset to 9pm. Very romantic view.
the Gozan Okuribi is called one of the four great events of Kyoto. The Okuribi are also believed to protect against evils. In addition, drinking water whose surface reflected the light of the Gozan no Okuribi is believed to prevent paralysis.
Enjoy Classical Music Concert amid Spot-lit Cherry Blossoms!
(musicians are different every day)
A live music concert will be performed in the evening in the shrine garden. You would be amazed a full of beautiful illuminated weeping cherry trees in the South and East Shin-en Garden. What an exotic Spring night in Kyoto.
Seats are not set up for this concert, so you can freely enjoy strolling through the garden while listening to such spiritual classical music.
Concert Place:
Heian Jingu Shrine - Kihinkan Hall in the East Garden (Higashi-Shin-en) Price: 2000yen (1700yen by advance sale)
Time:
18:15-21:00 on April 7 (Thu) to 10 (Sun), 2011
(No postponement for rain)
Access:
10mins walk from Higashiyama station in subway Tozai line.
March 12th (Saturday) to 21st (Monday of Natiional Holiday)
18:00 (light-up starts) - 21:30
Long-awaited one of the famous Kyoto's Night Festivals coming soon!! If you visit Kyoto during this period, don't miss this attractive chance to enjoy such amazing night view under the illuminated sky...
The Lighting and Flower Arrangement Lane display route has been set up in one of the most beautiful and traditional areas in Kyoto, Higashiyama! You would be amazed to be surrounded by those romantic and exotic air in there... each place with different and unique appeal! :)
Access from Kyoto station:
Take Bus (No: 206 or Rakubus 100 at platform D1 or D2)
Get off at Gion or Kiyomizu-michi bus stop
The 4.6-km route will be lined with about 2,400 lanterns and large flower displays will be arranged along the route in a variety of attractive styles.
Admission fee is needed to enter in each temple or garden (around 400yen to 600yen), but just strolling in the route and park is for free.
Enjoy trying the japanese outside foodie from lot's of unique food stall along the lanes. Yakisoba, Takoyaki etc... :)
The illumination area is really huge from Shoren-in Temple in the north to all the way to Kiyomizu temple area in the south, so if you have only one night to visit, you need to take the minimized highlight route! Please ask me the map for the directions for highlight route if you're interested! :) Enjoy getting an inside look at Kyoto including secret spots most people don't even know about.
Shoren-in Temple
Yasaka pagoda
If you're lucky you may come across such special lucky attractions, too!! Good Luck!
* Please note: some performances maybe delayed or cancelled due to bad weather or so)
Kitsune no Yomeiri Junko
(Re-creation of traditional wedding parade)
Start : 19:00pm ～ 20:15pm～ (twice a day)
Parade route: Chionin Sanmon entrance → Maruyama park → Chiourakukan → Maruyama Music hall → Entokuin → Shunkouin → Kodaiji temple's south road → Kodaiji
Take Picture with Maiko-san!
Place: Kodaiji temple Park
From : 18:30pm
Only Earliest Visitors of 100 people (ready for queue!!)
Maiko Dancing performance
(offering to Yasaka shrine)
Place: Yasaka shrine stage
Date: 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st, 22nd
From : 18:00pm ～ 18:30pm～ (twice a day)
These romantic, relaxing evening and nighttime stroll will be the perfect addition to your Kyoto travel memories... :)
2nd of Febrary is one of the important seasonal turning point in Japan. It's called "Setsubun", literally means "division of seasons". In this day we pray for the peace and perfect health throughout the year.
How to celebrate the year is a bit unique... we throw roasted soybeans inside and outside our houses while crying "Oniwa-soto, Fukuwa-uchi!", or "Devils out! Good luck in!".
At Yasaka shrine in Gion, you can enjoy beautiful Maiko's rare traditional dancinzg and also throwing packets of roasted soya beans out into the crowd.
Depending on the date and time, the Maiko/Geiko from different Kagai (Floral City of district) are coming. Don't miss such gorgeous prare from Maiko and Geiko!
Place: Yasaka Shrine.(Access : City Bus No.206 "Gion")
Feb.2
at 1:00PM --- from Ponto-cho district school.
at 3:00PM --- from Miyagawa-cho district school.
Feb.3
at 1:00PM --- from Gion Kobu district school.
at 3:00PM --- from Gion Higashi district school.
In Setsubun, children throw roasted beans in the house to ward off evil spirits and other misfortune. In most of the families, an adult (usually Father) will put on a devil's mask and running through the house while being chased by children! One of the nice chances to enjoy such festive mood in the family. :)
When you visit Japan in Spring, especially in Kyoto, Sakura (cherry blossoms) viewing is really famous attraction!! But even before spring's coming, we're already looking forward to another famous beautiful flower in winter... YES, it's Ume, Plum!!! :)
The plum was introduced to Japan from China in very ancient ages like 8th century of Nara period. Since then, this flower has been one of the most popular flowers for us Japanese, lots of poems related to plum had been enjoyed being composed between noble people in those days...they were so impressed especially how the white color of plum was beautiful as purity...
And next, the pink plum has also got a popularity gradually... the dark pink of beauty had been sung in the poems, too, while the white plum has attracted the people with its special fragrance. This dark pink plum was often featured in the kimono design of noble people.
Because the plum enjoy blooming even in such cold winter, people respect this flower as lucky symbol, and in many situation we use the name of plum in order to tell the grade or quality of the things, such as the type of ryokan's room or cuisine's quality etc. Ume (plum) is the third grade from the top. The top grade is "pine", and the second is "bamboo".
Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine
Viewing Ume Blossom at the plum garden
From 5th of Feb to around End of Mar
(the estimated best bloom is abt 25th of Feb)
Kitano Tenmangu has beautiful plum blossom viewing in its biggest plum garden in Kyoto including a grove of nearly 2000 trees. Enjoy feeling like a spring is coming!
Admission fee (for the garden) - 600 Yen (with green tea and sweet)
Hours: 10:00 - 16:00
Sugawara Michizane, a scholar and politician who was unfairly exiled by his political rivals, is enshrined as Tenjin, the kami ("Shinto god") of education, so many students come to this shrine to pray for success in their studies.
As very famous story in Tenjin shrines; a number of disasters had happened after Michizane's death in exile, so the people were so scared regarding it's because of his vengeful spirit, and then, these shrines were built to appease him.
One more story about Michizane is here... he loved plum trees very much and one tree called tobiume, or flying plum tree in the shrine, has special origin. It's said that the plum petals chased after him from Kyoto to his exile in Kyushu when he was banished.
Baikasai (Plum Festival)
On 25th of Feb
Outdoor Tea Ceremony 10:00 to 15:00
Tickets 1500 Yen (only for the first reserved 3000 people).
* advance tickets available from 25th Jan.
On 25th of Feb, the memorial day of Michizane's death, ''The Plum Festival" is held. Under the full bloom of trees, around 30 of Maiko and Geiko serve you green tea.
What a wonderful combination of Green tea, Maiko and Plum trees!!
If you visit Kyoto on this day, Don't Miss it! :)
If you have enough time on weekend in your Kyoto travelling, I recommend you to include this Maiko Dancing in your Kyoto itinerary.
The other day, I've guided the tourists from America in Gion and by their request to see Maiko, we've enjoyed 'Meeting with Maiko' tour. She has performed for us the most popular dance at this Gion Kobu school, telling you how Kyoto is beautiful in each season in different way...
She has been just three months since her debut as Maiko, very fresh, but her performance was wonderful. Because she's already trainned for one year before debut.
I was so attracted by her each soft movement of hands and face... Actually this dance includes a small love story, too, so her facial expression includes a little shy sometimes... so cute.
For enjoying dinner with Maiko/Geiko in an authentic way, it's quite expensive like more than 600$ including the dinner, Kyoto Kaiseki. But in this 'Meeting with Maiko' tour is just 4800yen for abt one hour tour in Gion.
You can't have dinner, but enjoy nice green tea (Matcha) and then, authentic beautiful Maiko dancing like in the video up close. and enjoy taking picture with her at the end.
If you have enough itinerary and really interested to see Maiko so close in a relaxed way, not like a paparazzi chasing on the street, I recommend you to enjoy this tour. Maiko doesn't speak English, so you need an interpreter for this tour.
In Spring and Autumn, there are several temples which you can enjoy beautiful night light up in Kyoto, among them the exotic light illusion at Shoren-in Temple" is outstanding!!
The best season must be at around the end of November for the full Autumn colors like the picture below, but October also would be nice in the comfortable Autumn breeze. Enjoy the solemn, but romantic light world...
Shoren-in temple is one of the five Monzeki temples, meaning the head priests originally belonged to the imperial family. So the look of the temple is solemn and peaceful like Imperial Palace...
This temple is very famous for its breathtaking night light up show of the garden.
Shorenin temple is dedicated to the Shijoko Nyorai (Buddha).
The Shijoko Nyorai signifies Light itself, and Fudomyo-o, one of his embodiments, is followed by fire. Thus, particularly light is regarded as being divine.
So these show is intended to recreate the graceful and elegant image of the temple itself which at times served as a seat of emperor.
Right after you step in, its mysterious world will spread in front of you! Welcome its pure and sacred land...
Especially, you would be amazed the circular pond is to be magnificently lit up!!
Opening Hours: (Day session) 9am to 5pm (entry accepted until 4:30pm) (Night session) 6pm to 10pm(entry accepted until 9:30pm)
Admission fees: Adults - 800yen (for night session)
* In the day time you can be offered Matcha green tea at the temple if you pay extra 500yen.
Enjoy a Tour of Kyoto's Enchanting Night Scenery by Bus!
If you visit Kyoto in the evening and interested to do something night sightseeing, or you don't have enough days like one night in Kyoto and impossible to see all the famous sites at once in your itinerary, this night bus tour must be something nice experience to try!
Please noted: The serbive is only on every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and National holidays.
Price: Adults 1,600 yen, Children (7 to 12 years old) 800 yen, If you pay extra for English audio guide: 2,100 yen
* 300yen discount! If you bring the leaflet or other unlimited travel passes. Read more detail below.
Reservation:
You can make the reservation three days in advance, or if you don't mind even no guarantee for the seat availability, you can just visit the pick-up point in time.
The cruise is around one hour and half. Jut be sitting back and relaxed! You will be taken around UNESCO World Heritage sites including To-ji Temple (1), Nishi-Honganji Temple (2) and Nijo Catsle (3), as well as Heian Jingu Shrine (10) and Yasaka Shrine (13). Including Shijo Kawaramachi and the Gion district, at the heart of this ancient city.
The purple line is the round tour route. A,B,C,D,E,F is pick-up points.
The bus will take you to the sights above one by one quickly like highlight tour. Unfortunately you can't get off the bus to take the pictures, but just enjoy the magical night lit-up sites through the window. Buildings are illuminated at different times during the year (other than 16th of every month)! Especially The Heian Jingu Shrine will be lit up wonderfully only for this bus tour!
Pick-Up Point Departure Drop-off
It's a little trickey, but there's no bus stop stand for each stop, but please find the mark of the rabbit! and then, the bus driver holding this rabbit lantern will be coming at departure time!
Get Discount!
Print out this pdf leaflet and show the driver for 100yen discounted. -English Leaflet（639KB)
Also, you will be getting another 300yen discount if you show a valid passes like JR pass, Kyoto Sightseeing One or Two-day Pass, 500yen of All-Day Bus Pass etc if you have!
Enjoy your special Kyoto sightseeing at night version! Don't forget to bring a nice camera for night view... :)
1600yen at Minamiza (Kabuki Theater in Gion) This is Minamiza Orivinal Design! What a Perfect Souvenir Idea!! Or Nice Wall Decoration in your Room! Limited Stock, Hurry to get soon! :)
