When you come to Imamiya-jinja Shrine, of course you have to eat aburi-mochi.Aburi-mochi is a kind of rice cake snack, made of thumb-sized rice cakes dredged with soybean flour, skewered on a bamboo stick, roasted over charcoal fire, and then basted with white bean pastes.

Koetsu-ji Temple has a striking entrance leading up to the main gate.The temple grounds, which are thickly wooded, are dotted with tea ceremony rooms. It is located next to Mt. Takagamine and Mt. Washigamine, and in the distance you can see the 36 peaks of the Higashiyama Mountains.

Go up the slope from the Senbon Kitaoji intersection towards Mt.Takagamine.There are buses on the route, but I walked all the way up, looking at Mt. Hiei on my right.At the end of the road, I found my destination, Genko-an Temple.The round window in the main hall is the “window of enlightenment”.The square window is the “window of confusion”.You can enjoy the view of the garden, framed by the round and square windows, from the main hall.

As the 260-year Edo period came to an end, Kyoto entered a period of upheaval. At that time, this village far from the city of Kyoto became the stage for history.Iwakura Tomomi, a member of the Imperial Court, was plotting to move history forward in this area. Many samurai who sympathized with him and opposed the ruling powers of the time visited this private residence.

Many tourists take the Eizan Train toKuramaandKibune.However, few tourists get off at Iwakura station on the way.InIwaku...

A town of Koreans left behind by Japanese society.That is Utoro.The town of Utoro is being cleaned up.The old scenery you see on the internet no longer exists.However, you can see that old scenery at the Utoro Peace Memorial Museum.What kind of place is the Utoro Peace Memorial Museum? From the exhibits, it's like the world of the films “Break Through! (Patchigi!)” and “Blood and Bones” (Chi to Hone).

In Fushimi, there is the “Fushimi Jukkoku-Bune Cruise” that takes you around the waterways.The cruise goes from behind the Sake brewery at the Gekkeikan Okura Memorial Museum to Misu lock (Misu-koumon) and back.The same cruise route allows visitors to walk along the waterway.From the Gekkeikan Sake Brewery, pass the Teradaya Ryokan and head south on the Fushimideai-bashi Bridge.

In the evening, the lanterns are lit.The lights of the lanterns add to the charm of Kyoto.In July, the lights of the Gion Festival are lit here and there.If you want to walk around, the best time is in the evening.You can enjoy the charm of Kyoto.

Construction of the Shugakuin Imperial Villa began under Emperor Emeritus Go-Mizunoo between 1655 and 1656 during the Edo period, and was completed around 1959.The Shugakuin Imperial Villa encompasses three areas: the Upper Villa, Middle Villa, and Lower Villa. Its vast grounds include the pine-lined paths connecting each villa and the adjacent farmland.

In Okazaki, there is a villa called “Murin-an” that was the garden villa of Yamagata aritomo, a statesman during the Meiji and Taisho periods. It is a luxurious garden with water from the Lake Biwa Canal flowing into the garden and the Higashiyama mountains as a borrowed landscape.