Weekly Topics/Archive
November 2021 |
Autumn leaf season has come.
From the best time to see the autumn maple leaves on the Internet, I have
selected
Sanzen-in temple in Kyoto as a candidate site for this year's autumn leaves
viewing.
It's because I haven't been to visit there.
According to the autumn leaves information on the Net, it was still time
for the maple
leaves to start changing colors untill a week ago, but it has changed to
the best time to
see them since the day before yesterday.
According to the weather forecast, the weather was fine today, so I decided
to go to see
the autumn maple leaves.
Sanzen-in temple is an old temple located in the village of Ohara in the
nothern part of
Kyoto City, which is known for a gotochi song “Onna Hitori”whose the lyrics
begins with “Kyoto Ohara Sanzen-in ” and also famouus for its beautiful
autumn leaves.
−Youtube “Onna Hitori” sung by Duke Aces−
[Note] Sanzen-in temple ; 三千院、 Oharame no Komichi ; 大原女の小径 (道の名前)
the best time to see 〜 ; 〜の見頃、 autumn maple leaves ; モミジの紅葉、 candidate
site ; 候補地
autumn maple leaves viewing ; もみじ狩り、 gotochi song ; ご当地ソング、 lyrics ; 歌詞
The location of Sanzen-in temple as seen on Google Maps is as follows.
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| The location of Sanzen-in temple & the access from Kyoto Station to
Sanzen-in temple (Nov.20,2021) |
I left home with a backpack as usual shortly after 10:30 a.m.
In order to go to Sanzen-in temple, I chose the shortest access on Google
Maps.
In fact, I take the subway Karasuma Line from Kyoto Station and get off
at Kokusaikaikan Station.
And then I take the Kyoto Bus No.19 (bound for Sanzen-in temple) to the
Ohara Bus Terminal.
At the bus stop “Kokusaikaikan-mae” which is the starting station, many
people was
lining up for the bus bound for Sanzen-in temple.
I'm sure they will also be people who go to see the autumn leaves.
[Note] with a backpack ; バックパック姿で、 shortly after ＿o'clock ; ＿時少し過ぎに
starting station ; 始発駅、 line (queue) up for 〜 ; 〜を求めて列をつくる
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A line of people waiting for the bus bound for Sanzen-in Temple at the
Kokusaikaikan-mae bus stop
(2021.11.20_11:56) |
Just as I thought, the bus was packed with passengers, and most of them
didn't get off
until the terminal.
The bus went north along the Takano River on the Saba-kaido Road and arrived
at the
Ohara Bus Terminal in about 22 minutes.
Along with many passengers who were ejected from the bus, I walked uphill
to Sanzen-in Temple on the “Oharame no Komichi”.
This pathway seems to be the approach to Sanzen-in Temple.
When I walked a little, I found a field of cosmos called “秋桜”.
The pink color was bright under the blue sky.
[Note] be packed with 〜 ; (部屋などが)〜でいっぱいである、〜で混んでいる
go north ; 北上する、 Saba-kaido Road ; 鯖街道、 ejected from 〜; 〜からはき出される
walk uphill ; 坂(丘)を上って歩く、 pathway ; 小径
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| Cosmos field colored in bright pink (2021.11.20_12:36) |
A small moutain stream called Ryo-sen River (also called Rokawa) flows on the right
side along the approach, and shops such as souvenir shops and restaurants
stand side
by side on the left side without interruption.
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| Leaf peepers walking uphill on the patyway (2021.11.20_12:42) |
[Note] mountain stream ; 渓流、 Ryo-sen River (Rokawa); 呂川
stand side by side ; 軒を並べる、 without interruption ; 途切れることなく
leaf peeper ; 紅葉狩り客、紅葉見物客
All the shops on the pathway sold Ohara's special products.
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A shop selling the taste of autumn in Ohara
(2021.11.20_12:40) |
A pickles shop selling Ohara's speciality,
“Shibazuke” (2021.11.20_12:44) |
[Note] taste of autumn ; 秋の味覚、 pickles shop ; 漬物店、 speciality ; 名産、特産品
Shibazuke ; 志ば漬け、 pickle : 漬物
Ohara's specialty, Shibazuke, is a pickle made by salting eggplant, cucumber, Japanese
ginger, etc. with chopped Japanese basil.
Among the Taira clan that was completely destroyed in the Battle of Dan-no-ura
at the
end of Heian period, only the Kenreimon-in (TAIRA no Kiyomori's daughter)
survived.
She liked the pickles presented by the villagers during living in seclusion
in Jakko-in Temple.
As they were bright purple and beautifully colored, she called them the
pickies of shiba
(purple leaves).
It's said that it is the origin of the name “Shibazuke”.
On the way, I found the maple trees turning color brightly covered the
Ryo-sen River
It's a wonderful view, isn't it?
[Note] eggplant ; ナス、 the Taira family ; 平家一族(一門)
be completely destroyed ; 全滅する、 the Battle of Dan-no-ura ; 壇ノ浦の戦い
Kenreimon-in ; 建礼門院、 villager ; 里人、村人、 Jakko-in Temple ; 寂光院
live in seclusion ; 隠棲する、隠とん生活をする [seclusion ; 隔絶された(人里離れた)場所]
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| The brightly colored maple leaves spreading over the pathway (2021.11.20_12:47) |
Can you tell the difference between Momiji and Kaede?
I couldn't tell it, so I decided to look it up.
The differences are like this.
Both are the same in terms of plant classification, and belong to the Acer L. of the family
aceraceae.
In Japan, maples with deep lacinia in the leaves are called “Momiji” and
those with shallow
lacinia are called “Kaedei”.
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Leaf of Acer palmatum (Japanese maple, or Momiji in Japanese)
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Leaf of Acer platanoides
(Norway maple, or Kaede in Japanese |
[Note] Momiji ; モミジ、 Kaede ; カエデ、 look up ; (言葉などを)調べる
in terms of 〜 : 〜の観点から(言うと、見れば)、〜に関して、 plant classification ; 植物分類
the Acer L. of the family Aceraceae ; (植物) カエデ科カエデ属
lacinia ; (植物) (葉などの) 切れ込み
After climbing up the pathway, I got to a small square with a stone monument
engraved
with “Kajii Sanzen-in monzeki”.
It was about 10 minutes uphill.
As there were souvenior shops et. along the way, I never got tired of it.
[Note] stone monument ; 石碑、 engraved with 〜 ; 〜と彫られた
get tired of 〜 ; 〜に飽きる
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| Autumn leaves near the sanmom gate of Sanzen-in Temple (2021.11.20_12:48) |
When you go up the wide stone steps, you can see souvenior shops and restaurants
up to the front of the sanmon gate.
The colored maple trees overhanging from both sides of the pathway welcomed
me.
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| The view of the approach near the sanmon gate (2021.11.20_12:50) |
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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The autumn leaves near the sanmon gate
(2021.11.20_12:50) |
The signboard about Sanzen-in Temple |
And I got to Sanzen-in temple gate called “Gotenmon”.
It appear more like a castie gate than a sanmon gate.
The high stone wall is impressive.
[Note] appear more like A than B ; BよりもAのように見える
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| Gotenmon gate of Sanzen-in Temple (2021.11.20_12:51) |
At the foot of the stone steps of the Gotenmon, there was a stone statue
with the
motif of Oharame.
It has a simple and cute look, soothing the viewer's heart.
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| The stone statue with a motif of Oharame (2021.11.20_12:51) |
And now, it's time to enter the precincts of Sanzen-in Temple and see
the autumn maple
leaves.
I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of autumnal space is spreading.
[Note] soothe someone's heart ; (人)の心を和らげる、in the motif of 〜 ; 〜をモチーフにした
look forward to 〜ing ; 〜するのを楽しみにする、 precincts ; 境内
Amida Sanzon-zo (the statue of Amida Triad) ; 阿弥陀三尊像、 triad ; 三人組
To be continued Weekly topics-2.archive / No.302-Nov.20,2021
Trip to Sanzen-in temple in Kyoto to view the autumn maple leaves(2/3)
−The colored maple leaves in the precincts of Sanzen-in Temple and Amida Sanzon-zo
(the statue of Amida Triad), a national treasure−
Japanese Diary-2.archive / No.1056-2021.11.20 /
「京都・三千院へ紅葉狩り(1/3) 大原女の小径〜三千院の門前」
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