by Philbert Ono
Kyoto-related posts.
“Kyoto by the Sea” (海の京都) is a tourism catch phrase for northern Kyoto Prefecture that mainly faces the Sea of Japan. This region is most famous for Amanohashidate (天橋立), Ine fishing boat houses, Tango Peninsula, Tango chirimen silk fabrics, Kurotani washi paper, Maizuru navy town, and the castle town of Fukuchiyama. For a few days in October 2018, I visited
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After Amanohashidate, the next must-see place is Tango Peninsula, the main part of Kyoto by the Sea (northern Kyoto). On the east coast of the peninsula is Ine (伊根), a picturesque fishing village right on the water’s edge. The waterfront homes are unique for having built-in funaya “boat garages” (舟屋) to keep a boat next to the water. The Ine
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On a map, Tango Peninsula (Tango Hanto 丹後半島) in northern Kyoto Prefecture looks like a short thumb sticking into the Sea of Japan. Some parts of the coast are quite dramatic or scenic as I found out when I once bicycled around it years ago. It took a day, and it’s much easier to enjoy the coastal scenery on a
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Meet Gion Matsuri’s brand new boat float, the Ofune-hoko (大船鉾). It made its debut in the Gion Matsuri procession for the first time on July 24, 2014, a week after the first and main procession on July 17. The Gion Matsuri now holds two yama-hoko float processions. The first one on July 17 (Saki Matsuri) is still the larger one
» Read moreby Philbert Ono Whenever I see a new book about Kyoto, I tend not to pay attention. As if world-famous Kyoto needs another book for PR. There’s no shortage of books about Kyoto. And most of those books are rather clichéd. The book cover often has an image of Fushimi Inari Shrine’s torii tunnel or Ryoanji’s Rock Garden, or Kinkakuji Gold
» Read moreI just saw a screening of my friend Peter MacIntosh’s documentary geisha film called Real Geisha Real Women at The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo on June 22, 2009. It’s a well-done 52-min. film by Peter who interviewed several Kyoto maiko and geiko who give an intriguing look at how they became a maiko/geiko and how it has affected their
» Read moreI can’t believe it, but the Tourist Information Center in Kyoto (inside the building where you can go up to Kyoto Tower) has closed on Jan. 31, 2004. Just when the Japanese government is promoting its Yokoso Japan! campaign to entice more foreigners to visit Japan, they do this!! Kyoto is one of the most tourist-infested places in Japan, and
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