Hiked along the slope of the Eastern Mountains of Kyōto (東山), first up to the little-known Himukai Daijingū (日向大神宮), a little Shintō shrine whose grandiose name borrows from the ancient and most-revered Ise Jingū after which its architecture is modeled. Then to the iconic Zen Buddhist temple Nanzenji (南禅寺), and along Philosophy Road (哲学の道) to the Silver Pavilion Ginkakuji (銀閣寺). Then as now there was a shortage of silver, even to the Ashikaga Shōguns, so the pavilion was never gilded, but with its similarlity to the Golden Pavilion Kinkakuji and topped by a phoenix, it is nevertheless charming. Sakura cherry blossoms at their best all along the way, with other spring flowers like magnolia and early-blossoming purple azaleas, made for a long and aesthetically pleasing hike.

#Japan #Kyoto #mountains #spring #sakura #cherry #blossoms #magnolia #azalea #flowers #Shinto #shrine #Buddhism #Buddhist #temple #hiking #architecture #phoenix #photos #photography

@religion

'Cherry Dessert'
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cherry-dessert-jasna-dragun.html

My wife went with me to Sakura no Miya near Ōsaka Castle where the river is lined by sakura cherry trees. The Ōsaka Mint (大阪造幣局の桜の通り) by the river features several varieties of sakura (most of these photos).

I was concerned that the need for a mobile phone barcode to enter the Mint could exclude most foreigners. This was the only crowd control I've seen this year. If they do that in Kyōto with constant loudspeaker warnings, people won't find the peacefulness they came there for.

My wife looked up the Ōsaka Mint Website on the spot and got the barcode, so we could get in. She took some photos of me, so you can see how I look in my old age, shortly after the catheter operation that fixed my irregular heartbeat. I could walk for over four hours, feeling great since returning home!

Open access publications: https://japanned.hcommons.org

frühling #kirschblüte #chriesi #cherry #prunus #blossom #engelburg #foto #photography #imvorbeigehen #shotoniphone

South of Kyōto City, the major Shintō shrine closest our house is Nagaoka Tenman-gū (長岡天満宮), associated with the presence of the statesman-scholar Fujiwara Michizane (菅原道真) over a thousand years ago in the Heian Period. He was not the only case of being exiled wrongly by the Imperial court, followed by natural disasters, interpreted as the work of his angry ghost, then being deified as the Shintō kami Tenjin (天神) to supplicate his spirit. Thus the shrine is also called Nagaoka Tenjin (長岡天神). Students facing high-stakes exams have traditionally prayed at the many Tenjin shrines to this god of learning. Today, the large shrine grounds provide a place to walk and commune with nature as well as to worship and to hold hopeful events. Now is peak cherry blossom season, so here are four scenes where I often go for contemplative hikes.

Publications on Japan: https://japanned.hcommons.org/japanology

#Japan #Kyoto #Shinto #shrine #spring #cherry #blossoms #nature #hiking #photos #photography

@religion

One of my favourite times of the year: when the trees start to turn green and everything is in bloom at the edge of the forest and in the Streuobst-Wiesen.

A basic walk in Kyoto is from the Kawaramachi Station area along shops to Yasaka Shrine, then Maruyama Park (first photo). But instead of turning right toward the traditional shops along the slope and reaching the world heritage temple Kiyomizudera, I sometimes turn left and go along the slope to Chion-In (other three photos), the national head temple of a Pure Land Buddhist sect. Pure Land Buddhism has the most adherents in Japan, and this is a very large-scale temple for parishioners and members nationwide, rather than a sort of outdoor museum or monument like Kiyomizudera and most other major tourist attractions.

Everywhere in Kyoto and other prefectures is gorgeous during the fleeting cherry blossom viewing season, so any walking route with a lot of cultivated nature is rewarding to experience now.

So inviting
but I headed home to drive my son to soccer practice

frühling #kirschblüte #chriesi #cherry #blossom #stgallen #foto #photography #imvorbeigehen #shotoniphone

frühling #kirschblüte #chriesi #cherry #blossom #stgallen #foto #photography #imvorbeigehen #shotoniphone

Cherry blossoms at Belmont Plateau
Nearly in full bloom this morning. I should be stopping by every day to capture their peak blossoms

Belmont Plateau this morning
Nice to make a quick stop on the way to work

I've just retired from 40 years in Japanese higher education. I'm happy, however, because I'm completely healthy. I just had a catheter operation that fixed the irregular heartbeat that was concerning for several months.

I still belong to the EU-Asia digital partnerships grant project, and a long presentation on Japan to students from California is scheduled for May.

I'm already back to outdoor activities, as you can see with these photos of sakura cherry blossoms in the castle ruins park near our house.

Cherry blossoms here in Virginia have already passed their peak, while those in Philadelphia are just beginning to bloom

Good evening, #mastoart #mastophoto

This is #FensterFreitag #WindowFriday #window #windows #fotografie #photography

Tian Yuan Temple, #taipei #taiwan

#roentare
#photographyisart
#photooftheday
#pictureoftheday
#picoftheday
#potd
#cherry
#flower
#spring
#oriental
#asia
#temple
#architecture
#tree
#trees
#treesofmastodon
#landscape
#landscapephotography
#ayearforart

@Roentare

Unintentional matching of my cough drops with my tie and the forecast snow/rain mixes coming to Montana & Wyoming this first week of spring.

Just a touch of spring here in #Asheville, as my #Yoshino #Cherry tree begins to pop a few blossoms.

Not much of a photo, but so nice to see

Asukayama Park in Kita City, Japan

Visit the cherry blossoms at Tokyo’s unofficial smallest mountain.#parks #mountains #cherry #section-Atlas
Asukayama Park