As I was digging through some photos I took in Kyoto I came upon this rather lovely one and determined to find out what the lantern meant. かがり火 is simple enough. Kagaribi means bonfire. 祇園 is Gion (the famous Gion known for teahouses and geisha). No surprises there as I took this picture in 円山 (maruyama) park which is either in or right next to Gion. So I figured this must be in reference to some bonfire festival that would shortly be taking place in the park. Right?

Wrong. A quick google search turned up this site, meaning that this decorative lantern is nothing more than an advertisement for a nearby restaurant which specializes in its tofu dishes.

Oh well. It’s more attractive than the billboards plastered along the sides of U.S. highways.

Posted on June 28th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: cherry blossoms, kyoto, sakura, signs. Comments: 2

The above photograph is from Kiyomizudera (清水寺) in Kyoto. The boards to the right are ema. Below I have a picture of one close up.

Normally these wooden plaques are written on in Japanese and contain a wish or request. This one had some rare English and is used more as a memorial than the typical desire or prayer.

Posted on June 10th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: cherry blossoms, ema, japan pictures, kyoto, sakura. Comments: 1

Zenshoan is best known for its ghost scrolls (幽霊画), which I hope to see this August, but in late March it can also be a nice place to visit with the blossoms beginning to bloom. The gold statue of the Buddha in the background is quite large. It overlooks the cemetery (墓所) on the grounds. Located in “Old Tokyo” in Yanaka (谷中), the shitamachi neighborhood is fun to stroll around.

Posted on May 12th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: buddhist, cherry blossoms, japan pictures, sakura, shitamachi, Tokyo. Comments: None

This isn’t the main Kiyomizu structure. Rather it is one you see as you approach the main hall. It seems a fitting photo for the season.

Posted on April 8th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: cherry blossoms, japan pictures, kyoto, sakura. Comments: None