三千院 (Sanzenin)
My mailfriend Yuichi was on a business trip to Kyoto (he lives in Tokyo) last weekend, but he had a couple of days free so we decided to hang out a little! Viktoria also decided to join us.
So, Friday evening we went out to a couple of local bars; the Hub (British Pub) and Moonwalk (where drinks are only 200¥/each and about as strong as that's worth too :P).
On Saturday, however, we went to Sanzenin in Ohara, north of Kyoto. Autumn is the recommended season to visit Sanzenin and it was pretty much perfect. This is the season of or coloured leaves - or "koyo" in Japanese, and it's amazing. Sometimes when looking at the mountains it's like looking at a quilt of frozen fire. So I hope you will enjoy these photos. They don't do the nature justice, but it's a taste of what it's like for us here! We were also lucky because there was a geisha visiting Sanzenin and I managed to snap a few pictures.
Just arrived in Ohara. There were alot of market stands and goods being sold. I liked the atmosphere, even if there was alot of people. Almost no Westerners though. I think I saw two others max.
It was a bit cold, but we bought ice-cream! Very tasty ice-cream.
This is a special delicacy for the area called "aisu kyuri" - it's frozen cucumber on a stick. Strange, but the Japanese were happily munching on them.
Yuichi and Viktoria in front of the gate to Sanzenin.
Same place. Me and Viktoria.
One of the gardens of Sanzenin.
More garden.
More!
Viktoria and Yuichi.
The geisha - or geiko as they are called in the Kansai region, where I live. They are not a rare sight here, but it's hard to manage to capture them in a photo. Because you always see them when you don't bring a camera, or you're not fast enough to pick it up. I spotted three in a cab that had stopped at a red light today too.
She was very beautiful. But alot of people were taking pictures of her so I couldn't get it any better than this. Also not the best light...
Koi! Not the best photo though. They would come out all blurry. This was the best.
Me and Yuichi.
Viktoria and me. Haha.
Shoes! We had to take on and off our shoes a few times - something that Viktoria wasn't very happy about :P Since we walked quite a bit through the building we had to take the shoes off and carry them in a plastic bag.
Faces carved in stones. These were amazing in person! The picture really doesn't do them justice.
A photo that I cleverly sneaked as they were posing. I was a tad bit far away though.
They offered free samples of a kind of ocha that had gold leaf in it! It was pretty good, tasted a bit like soup, and was very warming. I like this photo, but I didn't notice the guy in the back until I edited it XD
Bonsai tree! They had a whole row of these, but this one in particular caught my eye.
Viktorius Rex. RAWR!
Yes. My friends are so photogenic!
Hmmm...
I guess I should post this too, to be fair. A photo Viktoria took of me hehe.
This is amazing! It's the middle of November here and flowers are still blooming. The florists have the flowers outside their shops too. Insane!
Some pretty scenery.
Stone carving. This was so small. Maybe 2 dm high or so.
Momiji! Viktoria loves these.
Back outside Sanzenin. The sun had started to set here. I love the mountains around Kyoto, they are always so beautiful and gives this mystical, magical feel to the surroundings.
ALSO:
If anyone missed it; I am doing Christmas cards this year! Comment at that entry if you want one! And you don't have to feel obliged to send me one in return.
So, Friday evening we went out to a couple of local bars; the Hub (British Pub) and Moonwalk (where drinks are only 200¥/each and about as strong as that's worth too :P).
On Saturday, however, we went to Sanzenin in Ohara, north of Kyoto. Autumn is the recommended season to visit Sanzenin and it was pretty much perfect. This is the season of or coloured leaves - or "koyo" in Japanese, and it's amazing. Sometimes when looking at the mountains it's like looking at a quilt of frozen fire. So I hope you will enjoy these photos. They don't do the nature justice, but it's a taste of what it's like for us here! We were also lucky because there was a geisha visiting Sanzenin and I managed to snap a few pictures.
Just arrived in Ohara. There were alot of market stands and goods being sold. I liked the atmosphere, even if there was alot of people. Almost no Westerners though. I think I saw two others max.
It was a bit cold, but we bought ice-cream! Very tasty ice-cream.
This is a special delicacy for the area called "aisu kyuri" - it's frozen cucumber on a stick. Strange, but the Japanese were happily munching on them.
Yuichi and Viktoria in front of the gate to Sanzenin.
Same place. Me and Viktoria.
One of the gardens of Sanzenin.
More garden.
More!
Viktoria and Yuichi.
The geisha - or geiko as they are called in the Kansai region, where I live. They are not a rare sight here, but it's hard to manage to capture them in a photo. Because you always see them when you don't bring a camera, or you're not fast enough to pick it up. I spotted three in a cab that had stopped at a red light today too.
She was very beautiful. But alot of people were taking pictures of her so I couldn't get it any better than this. Also not the best light...
Koi! Not the best photo though. They would come out all blurry. This was the best.
Me and Yuichi.
Viktoria and me. Haha.
Shoes! We had to take on and off our shoes a few times - something that Viktoria wasn't very happy about :P Since we walked quite a bit through the building we had to take the shoes off and carry them in a plastic bag.
Faces carved in stones. These were amazing in person! The picture really doesn't do them justice.
A photo that I cleverly sneaked as they were posing. I was a tad bit far away though.
They offered free samples of a kind of ocha that had gold leaf in it! It was pretty good, tasted a bit like soup, and was very warming. I like this photo, but I didn't notice the guy in the back until I edited it XD
Bonsai tree! They had a whole row of these, but this one in particular caught my eye.
Viktorius Rex. RAWR!
Yes. My friends are so photogenic!
Hmmm...
I guess I should post this too, to be fair. A photo Viktoria took of me hehe.
This is amazing! It's the middle of November here and flowers are still blooming. The florists have the flowers outside their shops too. Insane!
Some pretty scenery.
Stone carving. This was so small. Maybe 2 dm high or so.
Momiji! Viktoria loves these.
Back outside Sanzenin. The sun had started to set here. I love the mountains around Kyoto, they are always so beautiful and gives this mystical, magical feel to the surroundings.
ALSO:
If anyone missed it; I am doing Christmas cards this year! Comment at that entry if you want one! And you don't have to feel obliged to send me one in return.