2024/04/11

The public open of the Osaka Mint Bureau's cherry tree-lined avenue.

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I went to the cherry blossom tree-lined avenue at the Osaka Mint Bureau.

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I came here for the first time in 10 years. I thought it was held a little later in previous years.

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Entering from the south gate of the Osaka Mint Bureau, it was quite a distance to this point.

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To enter, I showed a QR code to get in. Even though it was now by reservation only, it was still quite crowded.

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It was difficult to get close to the cherry blossoms in full bloom because they were full of people taking pictures.

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I gave up and had to shoot over people's heads.

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This year's cherry blossoms "Otemari" near the exit of the North Gate were in full bloom and well worth seeing.

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The cherry blossoms along the Okawa River are still in bloom, despite the strong winds and rain of the previous day.

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We will be in the happy mood of viewing cherry blossom until the end of this week.
.s
posted by toons at 19:54 | diary

2024/04/02

Gion Shidare-zakura - The most famous giant cherry blossom in Kyoto.

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I have been checking the blooming of Gion weeping cherry trees in Maruyama Park in Kyoto. It was difficult to get close to the park because it was full of foreign tourists.

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This year they were blooming more beautifully and gorgeously than they have in a long time.

This is probably because the weeping cherry trees planted around the old Gion shidare-zakura trees have grown larger and filled the lower margin of the old tree in the center.

After this, to Gion Shirakawa.

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This place is also full of foreign tourists. I guess there is no place for Kyoto citizens to relax anymore.

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To the Takase River in Kiyamachi.

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Since the center of Kyoto city looks like this, we can enjoy the cherry blossoms on the upper reaches of the Kamogawa river for another week or so.
.t
posted by toons at 22:56 | diary

2024/02/04

Setsubun Festival in Kyoto

Setsubun Festival in Kyoto is held at various shrines, and since the Corona disaster has settled down, I visited Yoshida Shrine for the first time in a while.

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Yoshida Shrine is an old shrine located on Mt. Yoshida on the east side of Kyoto University campus.
It is usually the coldest time of the year, but this year was somehow bearable, perhaps due to the mild winter.

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Yoshida Shrine is located northeast of the Kyoto Imperial Palace and is famous as the guardian deity of Kyoto. On this day, many worshippers rush to the shrine from all over Kyoto. The long approach to the shrine is lined with stalls, providing a festive atmosphere.

However, the crowds were less crowded than in front of the Corona Disaster. This may be because this year's Setsubun was on a weekend and it was past 8:00 p.m. when I arrived at the site.

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After visiting the main shrine, I enjoyed a freshly brewed new sake from Matsui Shuzo, Fuji Chitose!
It was a fresh sake with a slight oaky aroma that warmed my stomach at once. I also had another glass of Nigorizake (cloudy sake), which was even better.

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After this, I went to Daigengu, the birthplace of the Setsubun Pilgrimage, located at the back of the main shrine! Gods from all over Japan are enshrined in the branch shrine, so I also visited the gods of the areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

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Night view of Kyoto city from Mount Yoshida. The west direction is a suburb, so there are a little less city lights.
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posted by toons at 08:14 | diary

2024/01/17

New updated iOS app - "Magnetscape" ver 6.0

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"Magnetscape" has been updated to version 6.0 today!

"Magnetscape" is a magnetic measurement & analysis tool that observe invisible magnetic fields by using a built-in iPhone magnetic sensor.

There are various magnetic fields in our surroundings. For example, the magnetic field fluctuates even with a large motor, a compressor, or a metal nearby. Earth's magnetic field exists even in places where there is nothing, and we are affected by that magnetic filed.

This app can monitor the surrounding magnetic field in real time, it can be used for various purposes in real life. For instance, it can be used for investigation of static magnetic field, search for low electromagnetic field at alternating magnetic field (electromagnetic field), metal detection and more.

The latest version is compatible with iOS 17.1 and has improved internal processing and performance.

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Detailed information about this app is available on the AppStore and can be found at the following link.

2023/12/17

A little early Christmas present!

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In the evening, while walking around the neighborhood on my way home from shopping, I received a gift from a little girl (probably a first grader) whom I did not know! Inside was an assortment of candy.

She told me that there was a Christmas party at a nearby church, and she and her mother were handing out the gifts to neighbors on their way home.

It was very cold because of the cold wave, but the cute gifts were very comforting. Thanks to the lovely ladies!
.t
posted by toons at 23:55 | diary

2023/12/12

Le Marché de Noël 2023 in Kyoto

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Last weekend, I visited "Le Marché de Noël 2023".

This is a Christmas market held at the "Institut français du Kansai Kyoto" that I look forward to every year.

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Until last year, the event was held on a smaller scale at the Corona Disaster, but this year it was more crowded than in the past. The day was much warmer than usual, so perhaps the crowd was even larger than usual.

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chie / celllo & voice : A new style of cello storytelling, a fantastic and healing music that somehow seemed very nostalgic even though it was the first time to play it. The sun was gradually setting and it matched the Christmas atmosphere very well.

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At the booth of wine store Indigo, I drank an Alsatian wine (Domaine Achillée) imported directly from Alsace. It was a refreshing wine with fresh, citrusy and spicy aromas typical of Alsace. Furthermore, I was happy to see it served in a full-fledged wine glass.

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posted by toons at 06:14 | diary

2023/10/07

"Blooming" lighting event at Heian Jingu Shrine

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I visited the "Blooming" lighting event at Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto.

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It was a dedication event by JRA Kyoto Racecourse, so Daigoku-den Hall was lit up from Keitenmon Gate at the entrance to Heian Jingu Shrine.

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The projection mapping of the Daigoku-den Hall was a fantastic scene of autumn cherry blossoms and chrysanthemums in full bloom and racehorses running at full gallop, inspired by the Shukka-sho and Kikka-sho, the G1 race.

This event is free of charge and will be held for 9 days from 10/6 to 10/14 (17:30-20:30).
.t
posted by toons at 23:59 | diary

2023/07/17

Yamahoko Junko parade in Kyoto Gion Matsuri 2023

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The Yamahoko Junko parade was held on a national holiday, so the number of spectators was quite large, about 150,000.

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After leisurely watching the Yamahoko procession on live TV, I went to the goal area at Shinmachi Oike. So I found "Niwatori-hoko" was turning a corner. This float was 25 meters high and weighs as much as 10 tons.

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"Niwatori-hoko" slowly moved southward along the narrow Shinmachi-dori Street. Each float would be dismantled as soon as it returned to its own town.
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posted by toons at 14:38 | diary

2023/07/16

Last day of Yoiyama, the preliminary festival of Kyoto Gion Matsuri 2023@

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Tonight was Yoiyama, and since it was likely to be more crowded than yesterday, I went to visit some of the floats while it was still light.

"Hosho-yama," located at Higashinotoin Takatsuji, was rather empty since it was far away from the other floats. It was popular among young women as it had good luck in marriage.

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The "Imitake" stood at the corner of Shijo Fuyacho. It was a green bamboo sakaki, about 15 meters high, used to tie a shimenawa (sacred rope) on Shijo Dori. It will be used for the ritual cutting of the shimenawa by the naginoko floats during the Yamaboko procession.

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When the pedestrian zone opened at 6:00 p.m., the Shijo-dori street were quickly filled with visitors. The crowds became too much, so I ate early at a familiar Japanese restaurant and headed home. As of 9:30 p.m., there were approximately 340,000 visitors.
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posted by toons at 23:59 | diary

Second day of Yoiyama, the preliminary festival of Kyoto Gion Matsuri 2023@

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Last night, I went out to the second day of Yoiyama.

As you can see, Karasuma street, lined with food stalls, was crowded with many spectators. I was afraid of the crowd and left early.

The number of people on Shijo Street, where the big floats were lined up, seemed to be even harder with about 280,000 people as of 9:30 p.m. It was a good thing I went around yesterday.
.t
posted by toons at 08:30 | diary