The KOTO haori collection is currently on display in Shanghai “The bund finance center”
Event period : 2024.1.25-2024.2.25
Shop: 京都之家 Kyoto House
Address : 浦东嘉⾥城L
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KOTO’s new HAORI are new available on Kyoto house in 🇧🇪 Belgium. #aoiclothing.bxl
Please take a look if you are in the area.
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We were able to welcome the new year of 2024 safely.
On New Year's Day in Japan, families gather together to enjoy a meal called “osechi-ryori”.
“Osechi-ryori” is an auspicious dish that contains the strong wish that the whole family will live a healthy and happy life this year.
“Osechi-ryori” is a traditional custom of eating “osechi-ryori” together as a family on the third day of the New Year to pray for each other's health and longevity.
Along with “osechi-ryori”, there is also ozōni which is eaten during the New Year. The ingredients and taste vary depending on the region, but ozoni in Kyoto is made with white miso.
Actually, I love this white miso ozōni .
Although ozōni is a New Year's dish, there are several restaurants in Kyoto where you can enjoy white miso ozōni all year round. Please try it when you come to Kyoto.
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Kadomatsu and shimekazari are traditional Japanese ornaments for New Year’s Day. They are placed in pairs in front of houses, shops, hotels, and others to welcome Toshigami-sama, a deity of harvest and ancestral spirits. Also, it’s believed to ward off evil spirits.
In Kyoto, "Shimekazari" is displayed in front of the gates.
"Nebiki no matsu" will be displayed at the entrance.
Nebikimatsu is a tree that is displayed at old houses, shrines and temples in Kyoto as a yorishiro to welcome the god of the year during the New Year. The shape of the tree with its roots still attached symbolizes the wish to ``keep growing'' and ``keep one's feet firmly planted on the ground.'' A common way to decorate a branch is to wrap washi paper around the base of the branch and tie a mizuhiki string.
Are you ready for the New Year?
Well then, I hope everyone has a happy new year.
]]>In Japan it is tradiitonal to welcome the new year, by cleaning the house throroughly.
This is not just regular cleaning and we need to clean everywhere in the house.It also has a special meaning for the Japanese tradition.
We actually have a new year deity and if we clean the house before the new year, people believe that it will bring happiness, health and wealth to us.
For example
I replace the paper on my Shoji screen every year when I do a big cleanup.
Shoji screens are traditional Japanese partitions used to separate Japanese rooms.
It is a light wooden frame covered with washi paper, and is mainly used to maintain privacy or to separate rooms.
It also plays a role in regulating lighting and natural light to make it gently oscillate. Therefore, it is used in meditation spaces, relaxation areas, and situations where you want to make use of Japanese-style interiors.
Thanks to its beautiful design, it can be incorporated into modern interiors.
It is customary to clean up at the end of the year in Japan.
This means to get rid of dirt of the year and get ready to welcome a new year with fresh feelings.
Wouldn't you like to do some deep cleaning and start the new year with a fresh feeling?
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At 12:00 noon, the festival procession starts from the Kyoto Gosho, the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and arrives at Heian-jingu at 14:30.
It is a festival that showcases a costume procession from the Heian period to the Meiji period.
The procession takes you back in time, starting from the Meiji period and going through the Azuchi-Momoyama, the Muromachi, and the Heian Period when the capital was founded in Kyoto.
About 2000 people parade dressed in authentic costumes representing various periods and characters from Japanese feudal history, covering a distance of about 5 km over a span of 3 hours.
The procession line itself is about 2 km long. The procession lasts nearly two hours.
If you want to find a good place to see the parade, you should arrive at least one hour earlier.
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This time we will be introducing a store located about 10 minutes by car from the KOTO store. This is a mansion called "AKITUSHIMA” located upstream of the Kamogawa River.
The 800㎡ residence was renovated over a period of 8 years, including the building and garden. In fact, the owner runs a school that trains international individuals who can play an active role overseas, and this mansion was built as a clubhouse for the school.
The interior of the store is adorned with furniture that the owner has collected from all over the world.
Each piece is unique and worth seeing.
My favorite is this room by the river.
This tea room also serves tea to international students.
I'd like to take a bath someday...a bath with a view of the garden.
You can feel very elegant just by carefully examining the furniture.
The cuisine you can enjoy at this establishment is a French course meal prepared by a top-notch chef.
It is also possible to rent out the mansion for parties.
In other words, Kyoto is not just about shrines and temples.
Please come and experience a different side of Kyoto.
May today be a day full of smiles...
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On the old lunar calendar, the full moon appeared on the fifteenth night of each month.The date is different every year,and it's on September 29th this year.
The best night in the year for observing the celestial body is said to be the fifteenth night of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, known as jūgoya no tsukimi.
Moon-Viewing Decorations
The place where people gather to view the moon, such as a veranda or window, is known as the tsukimidai. It is traditionally decorated with such offerings as rice dumplings called tsukimi-dango and produce like taro as well as susuki, or pampas grass.
We were able to see a very beautiful full moon in Kyoto this year as well.
Can you see it in your country?
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On my first trip in four years with my parents, we went to Ise-Shima, Mie Prefecture, which is about a two-hour drive from Kyoto.
This is where the summit was held several years ago.
Japan is surrounded by the ocean on all sides, so there are many spectacular ocean views.
The view from here is unique and can only be seen in this area.
No matter how many times I visit, the calm seas and islands never fail to impress me. It's a view that soothes people's hearts.
I enjoy taking a bath while admiring the view, just relaxing, and sometimes even dozing off. The best part is doing nothing at all.
This is a highly recommended destination for adult travelers in Japan.
Ise Jingu is also nearby! Please come and visit by all means.
Along with the Gion Festival, it is one of the festivals that represents and reminds Kyoto of summer. The Hi-gashiyama Nyoigadake Daimonji is actually best known for Okuribi, hence is what is re-ferred to when talking about Okuribi, but there are others such as the Hidaridaimonji of Kinkakuji Okitayama (Daimonji), Myoho of Matsugasaki Nishiyama (Mandoroyama) and Higashiyama (Daikokutenyama), Funagata of Nishigamofuneyama, and the Toriigata of Saga Mandarayama, all lit during the same evening on different times, and are called the Kyoto Gozanokuribi.
1 Daimonji
2 Myou Hou
3 Funagata
4 reft Daimonji
5 Torii gata
From 20:00, the lights will be lit in order from No. 1.
You can see it from many places in Kyoto-city .
Please come by all means!!
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The newspaper company and KBS Kyoto published and broadcasted the award ceremony of the "KYOTO HAORI Competition" held the other day.
kyoto news paper
Senken news paper
senken news paper
KBS kyoto TV
Thank you very much for posting and broadcasting.
Taking this opportunity, we will continue to promote activities so that people around the world can wear kimonos and haori not only as traditional Japanese clothing, but also as one of the “clothes” of clothing, food, and shelter in their daily lives.
We also hope that through our products, countries around the world will recognize each other’s cultures and contribute to world peace.
【Received the Grand Prize in the Kyoto Haori Contest】
This time, we won the highest award in the "Kyoto Haori Contest", which solicits ideas for new clothing "Haori" to be sent from Kyoto to the world.
While keeping the basic shape of the kimono, I used tweed fabric, which became a trend from the winter of 2022 to the spring of 2023, to create a Chanel jacket that every woman wants to wear at least once.
By setting the shoulder position lower than a normal haori and creating a drop position, I was able to achieve trendy drop sleeves. Additionally, the sleeves of the kimono were designed with the image of puff sleeves on clothes.
Taking this opportunity, we will continue our activities to promote the wearing of kimonos and haoris not only as traditional Japanese clothing, but also as a part of everyday clothing, food, and shelter.
Through our products, we hope to foster cultural understanding and contribute to a more peaceful world.
Summer in 2023 is just around the corner!
Speaking of Summer in Kyoto, it is the Gion Festival for us.
Ochigo San has been already chosen and the Gion festival will be held starting on July 01 and will last for a month.(Ochigo San is a boy taking an important ritual role who gets in the leading float called Naginataboko, cuts a sacred straw rope with a sword, and makes a sentence of starting a procession, a parade of floats on the street as a divine messenger.)
We have provided a detailed explanation of the Gion festival three times on KOTO’s blogs before. Please feel free to refer to the below links.
Gion Festibal①⇒★★★
Gion Festibal②⇒★★★
Gion Festibal③⇒★★★
We will introduce you to the pleasure of the Gion Festival for the children living in Kyoto this time.
For those of us who were born and grew up in Kyoto,
the most enjoyable parts of the Gion Festival are definitely two days (July 14 and July 15), which are called Yoiyoiyama and Yoiyama, leading up to the main procession on July 17.
During three days, known as Yoiyoiyoiyama, Yoiyoiyama, and Yoiyama respectively before each highlight of the Gion Festival, or the float procession on July 17 and July 24, is like the so-called, eve.
The streets turn into pedestrian precincts in the evening and there are many street stands where you can feel the cheerful festival atmosphere.
As you watch the floats lined up on the streets, you also enjoy listening to the live music played by Japanese instruments called Ohayashi and seeing inside the floats, however, the most pleasurable thing for children is the street stalls.
These stalls offer a variety of treats such as Ringo Ame or an apple coated in candy, shaved ice, and cotton candy. Additionally, they also enjoy other exciting stalls such as a yo-yo (balloon) fishing in the water, scooping goldfish with a paper net, target shooting, and balloons that a festival can offer.
It is customary for us in Kyoto to wear Yukata and Jinbei when attending Yoiyama of the Gion Festival.
Yukata and Jinbei were always essential at fireworks and festivals such as Gion Festival, especially during our childhood.
When Summer came, we were really looking forward to my mother making us wear Yukata or Jinbei.
By the way, "Yukata" are casual clothes for the summer season, similar to “KIMONO”. Meanwhile, Jinbei or Jinbee is Japanese-style home wear worn by males and children.
Why not go out to a festival in Yukata or Jinbei?
We are sure that you will enjoy the festival in them even more.
You can purchase Jinbe-san for small children here.
We highly recommend these products for your children or your grandchildren.
⇒★★★
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Aoi Matsuri or Hollyhock Festival is held on May 15 every year as one of the three big festivals of Kyoto. It is the annual event of Kamigamo and Shimogamo Shrines,(near the KOTO shop) the guardian shrines of the Kyoto capital.
The parade is led by the two police officers each riding on a horse decorated in purple, the color for the high nobles.
This elegant parade is composed of 500 people dressed as nobles and servants of the Heian Era, about 1,000 years ago. The festival queen is the Royal Princess "Saiodai" carried on a palanquin andsome 30 nobles ride on a horse. All the participants are wearing hollyhock leaves on their head or costume. Carriages drawn by an ox are gorgeous .with wisteria decoration.
The parade starts from the Old Imperial Palace Garden, goes through Shimogamo Shrine and ends at Kamigamo Shrine, which takes 6 hours. Reserved seats are available to watch the parade at the Garaden. One seat: 2,050 yen.
Of course, you can watch the parade for free at many places along the route. My recommendation is the Kamo river bank lined with huge old trees.
Get out of the subway Kitaoji Station around 2 p.m., walk diagonally forward right for five minutes and you'll get to the river bank. The farther you walk, the less spectators. In half an hour, the parade will come into your eyes in a slow and elegant manner.
You can see it along the Kamo River from Kitaoji Bridge to Misono Bridge.
The procession seen in the fresh greenery is really nice.
Please enjoy it once!
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Hello, this is KOTO KYOTO!
Many tourists from all over the world have been visiting Kyoto this Spring after three years.
We hear not only English, but also German, French, Italian, etc., and the other language I have never heard in town. ☺
We, KOTO got messages and questions from overseas, such as, “I would like to visit your shop as I will travel to Kyoto.”, “I would like to buy looking like this, can I buy it?”.
We are really happy that people in the world gradually have been getting to know us.
By the way, after the Cherry blossom season, we are looking forward to the following holiday,
“Golden Week”.
Golden Week is a series of a holiday, consisting of April 29, Showa no hi (the birthday of the Emperor of the Showa era), May 03, Constitution Memorial Day, May 04, Greenery Day (it is set for the people who can take a holiday), May 05, Children’s Day =Tango no sekku).
This concentrated period of holidays and national holidays including weekdays and Saturdays became Golden Week, as people can take a longer holiday.
Many people overseas might think that such a length of the holiday is not called, “Golden Week” ….
Today, we would like to introduce Children’s Day, May 05, one of the holidays on Golden Week.
Originally, this holiday on May 05 is called “Tango no sekku”, which was a day to celebrate boys to pray for their healthy growth and happiness.
In 1948, May 05 is declared a national holiday, the purpose of the day was to respect children’s personalities, consider their happiness, and appreciation towards mothers.
“Tango no sekku” had started to call Children’s Day “.
“Tango no sekku” was an event in the past to prevent illness and misfortune (bad things), the flower, iris (Shobu) which decorated for this event, Shobu in Japanese is a homonym with words meaning “fight”, and also iris leaves resemble for swords which was a tool for warriors or samurai. It is said that the event gradually became to boy’s celebration.
Families who have boys often display Koinobori (carp-shaped windsocks) outside their houses on this day.
Carps (Koi in Japanese) are symbolized strong, swim in a strong fast current river, and climb up even a waterfall.
There's a meaning to wishing children to grow up well like such strong carps behind it.
Koinobori (carp-shaped windsocks) has their meanings in colors and size.
These represent a family of carps,
The biggest carp is called, Magoi, which means black carp, a father.
The middle-sized carp is called, Higoi, which means red carp, a mother.
The smallest one is called, Kogoi, which means blue carp, a child.
A five-colored streamer putting together with Koinobori, means to purge misfortune wishing children to grow up without troubles.
Please take a look at here⇒★★★
There is also a tradition to display a helmet at home.
A helmet is a part of warrior figures to protect the body in the past, it is meant to protect children's bodies and grow up healthy.
Please take a look at here⇒★★★
How about celebrating Japanese style “Tango no sekku” and wishing boys health and grow-up well for families with boys?
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In Kyoto, the "plum blossoms" that bloom on the plum trees that make you feel the change of seasons from winter to spring are about to be in full bloom.
KOTO's neighborhood "Kitano Tenmangu Shrine" is also known as a famous place for plum blossoms
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is the head shrine of approximately 12,000 Tenmangu Shrines and Tenjin shrines nationwide that enshrine Michizane Sugawara. It has long been known as "Kitano no Tenjin" and is widely worshiped as a shrine for entrance exams, academics, arts and culture, and disaster prevention.
The Plum Blossom Festival is held on February 25th.
The plum blossom festival is held on the anniversary of Lord Suga's death, and has a history of about 900 years. A special dish called "kodate", which is cooked on two large and small tables, and "kodate", which is a twig of white plum and red plum, are served in memory of the virtue of Imperial Prince Kan. At the commendation office, the brown rice used for Japanese paper is awarded as "yakuyoke brown rice".
Click here for a detailed introduction to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine⇒★★★
If you come to Kyoto in spring, please take a look at the plum blossoms!
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Today is the Kyoto Marathon!
The course starts at TAKEBISHI Stadium Kyoto(Nishikyogoku Athletic Park)and finishes at a point near Heian-jingu Shrine. Passing by seven UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites, runners can fully enjoy the attractions of Kyoto's picturesque scenery, including spectacular views of the five mountains on which huge bonfires are lit during the Gozan no Okuribi summer festival.
Located along the course are the seven UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites of Tenryu-ji Temple, Ninna-ji Temple, Ryoan-ji Temple, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kamigamo-jinja Shrine, Shimogamo-jinja Shrine, and Ginkaku-ji Temple, as well as many other tourist attractions including Umenomiya-taisha Shrine, Matsunoo-taisha Shrine, Seiryo-ji Temple, Daikaku-ji Temple, Hirano-jinja Shrine, Wara-tenjin Shrine, Daitoku-ji Temple, Imamiya-jinja Shrine, and Heian-jingu Shrine. Other landmarks along the course include famous works of modern architecture such as the recently renovated ROHM Theatre Kyoto and Kyoto City Hall.
Runners follow a course along the Katsura River with a view of Togetsukyo Bridge in Arashiyama, and then pass through the picturesque Sagano area and Hirosawa-no-ike Pond. The course then leads to Kinukake-no-michi Road, which has been famous for its scenic beauty for over 1,000 years, passes through the Kyoto Botanical Gardens, extends along the Kamo River, a symbol of Kyoto, and then takes the runners on a trip through history in the verdant Kyoto Gyoen National Garden(Kyoto Imperial Place). Yet another major thrill of the Kyoto Marathon is the view of the five mountains that are the focus of the Gozan no Okuribi festival. During the festival, huge bonfires are lit on the mountains to form the Chinese characters "大" (meaning "large" or "great") and "妙法" (meaning “Buddha’s teachings”) and two familiar shapes (a torii shrine gate and a boat).
Enjoy sightseeing in Kyoto while running the marathon.
If you are good at marathons, please join us!!
For more information, please visit this site⇒★★★
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Today, we'd like to talk about the celebration of children.
In Japan, we have various celebrations according to the growth of children.
"OMIYAMAIRI"," OKUIZOME", "SEKKU","SHICHIGOSAN" and "JYUUSANMAIRI", etc...
Among them, there are "HINAMATSURI" = "Momo no *Sekku( Girl's Festival)" on March 3rd and "Tango no Sekku( Children's Day) = Boy's Festival" on May 5th. *Sekku is a seasonal festival,
Today, we'd like to briefly introduce HINAMATSURI.
We will introduce about Children's day (TANGONOSEKKU) on another occasion.
HINAMATSURI is the Girl's festival on March 3rd, a day to celebrate girls.
We pray for the healthy growth and happiness of girls.
Families with girls, they display beautiful traditional dolls called HINA dolls in their homes. HINA dolls are said to ward off misfortune and have the meaning of "substituting for daughters' illnesses and misfortunes."
HINA dolls symbolize the wedding of the Emperor and Empress, and they are displayed to wish for the health and happiness of the girls. Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress are dressed in Heian period costumes and are displayed on the altar.
Recently, there are many small HINA dolls.
If you have a daughter, why not decorate your home with HINA dolls and pray for her health and happiness?
We also sell Hina dolls that are cute and easy to decorate at our online shop.
Please take a look at here⇒★★★
End then, "HINA Arare = Sweet rice crackers" is displayed, then we eat them at the day of Doll's Festival.
Hina-Arare have two types small sweet rice crackers that a sweet one is puffed rice (popped rice) coated with suger, and another one is small okaki (sweets made from glutinous rice) seasoned with salty soy sauce.
In Kyoto, we eat hina arare rice crackers.
Hina arare comes in pink, white, and green colors, and each color has its own meaning.
・Pink…Life
・White…Snow Country
・Green…Sprouts of trees
It is said that by eating these three-colored chicks, you will get natural energy and grow up healthy and strong.
There is also a custom to eat chirashizushi and amazake on the Hinamatsuri.
Chirashizushi is the most popular food during Hinamatsuri.
Chirashizushi is a traditional Japanese meal of vinegared rice topped with ingredients such as vegetables, thinly-baked eggs, and seafood.
There is also a pack that allows you to easily make chirashizushi by simply mixing it with rice.
Please try to taste it at home!
Click here for details⇒★★★
It's very simple, but I was able to introduce "Hinamatsuri", a girl's celebration.
Next time, I will introduce the Boys' Festival, so please look forward to it♪
Anyway, I sincerely hope that my children will grow up healthy and happy.
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Today is SETSUBUN on 3rd Feb.
Setsubun (節分) is one of these traditional Japanese events. Setsubun involves a lot of bean eating and bean throwing to ward off evil spirits that bring disaster, misfortune and bad health and marks the end of winter.
Setsubun literally means “division of seasons,” but now we Japanese call only the division of winter and spring “Setsubun,” and it usually falls on February 3.
It all depends on where you’re from or you currently live, but on Setsubun day, people normally do Mame-maki, or throw roasted soy beans inside and outside our houses while saying, “Goblins, get out! Happiness, come on in!” Then we eat the remaining beans as many as our own age.
Many people eat Sushi-roll called “Ehomaki”, too, and we’re supposed to eat it while facing the lucky direction of the year.
By the way, the direction of this year (2023) is south-southeast and slightly south.
Also, some people eat grilled sardine and decorate its head with a holly branch outside their front door.All is meant to wish for good health and happiness and to keep away bad luck.
You can easily celebrate Setsubun at home.
Please try it!
Well, today we’d like to introduce “ A special Kimono”.
There are few kimonos of this era, and among them, kimono shops are so valuable that they don’t want to sell them.
We will introduce it on the blog, but we will not post it on the EC site because it is valuable. If you would like to see it, please send us a message individually and we’ll inform you of the details.
First of all…,
A very bright green kimono.
If you look at the hem, do you see that it is doubled?
This kimono is usually worn by brides at weddings. The sleeve length is also longer than the normal kimono, and it is called “Furisode”, which is usually worn by unmarried women.
And one more,
A very bright orange kimono.
The color of the pattern is also very fancy.
Both kimonos are vintage and they will be one-of-a-kind.
If you are interested, we look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
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Happy New Year.
Thank you for your continued support this year.
this is KOTO Kyoto.
Last year, KOTO's site was accessed from all over the world, and we were able to make connections. thank you very much.
There are many things I haven't been able to tell you yet, and there are many things that are confusing, and I apologize for the inconvenience, but I will do my best to help you, so please continue to support me this year. .
If you have any questions or requests, feel free to send us a message.
In addition, we post new information about three times a week on Instagram.
I would be happy if you could press the like button and subscribe ♡
Well, how did you all spend your new year's day?
At the end of the year, I enjoyed a hot spring trip in Kyushu, and at the beginning of the year, I spent the New Year leisurely at home while eating New Year's dishes.
Ingredients and menus for OSECHI RYORI are filled with wishes for a bountiful harvest, good health, and prosperity for descendants.
In addition, it is made in a square box called a JUBAKO, which means "pile up happiness", and the contents of the ingredients to be put in the JUBAKO are decided.
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And like OSECHI RYOR, OZONI which is eaten at the beginning of the new year, is made from rice cakes, agricultural products, and marine products that were offered to the god of the new year, which is said to bring good harvest and happiness for the year. It started with the water "WAKIMISU" stewed with the first fire of the new year.
The contents (ingredients) and taste of OZONI, the shape of mochi, and how to cook mochi vary from region to region in Japan.
By the way, in Kyoto, taro, Zoni daikon, Kintoki carrots, and round rice cakes are grilled and put in white miso zoni.
When you visit Japan for the New Year, please try various local OSECHI and OZONI. Well, thank you for your continued support in the year.
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The peak of the autumn leaves season in Kyoto now.
We can see really beautiful autumn leaves in various places.
After the relaxation of immigration restrictions to Japan from mid-October, many tourists come to Kyoto from foreign countries. Now, Kyoto is crowded with them.
We also went to see the autumn leaves last week.
We visited to,
"Eikando" ⇒ "Nanzen-ji Temple" ⇒ "Heian Jingu Shrine"
Those who love Kyoto know that these places can be visited on foot in one day. It takes less than 5 minutes to walk from "Eikando" to "Nanzen-ji Temple."
We think one of the charms of Kyoto is that it is packed with tourists spots.
Especially, "Eikando" is a famous place for autumn leaves.
The autumn leaves garden is so beautiful.
The bright red leaves are so beautiful.
Looking down,
it looks like a carpet of autumn leaves.
It's not just the garden that's great.
It can also visit the precincts and see many cultural propertied there.
Please stop by when you will come to Kyoto.
They are waiting for such a cute Kannon.
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The Spring Equinox day varies each year, but it is usually on the 20th of March or the 21st of March. On the Spring Equinox day, day and night have the same length.
It is said to be a day to praise nature and benevolent to living things, in Japan, it became a national holiday enacted by the "Law Concerning National Holidays" that came into effect in 1948 after the war.
We had business talks with Russian customers by online in January and February.
In ZOOM, we talk face to face with each other, they liked Japan and the products we introduced so much that they were planning to exchange emails and send sample to prepare for import and export.
This situation has come just before we are ready to send samples.
We felt indescribable.
People of various races with various cultures live in the world.
We hope the day to come when we can understand each other and get closer to each other.
KOTO's products are manufactured with such a wish.
We are all equality no matter where we live.
May the day come when you can freely move around the world...
No matter where you are on the planet, with a wish on a day when day night have the same length.
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In March, the daylight hours in Kyoto gradually increased, and it's getting to feel spring little by little.
Hinamatsuri is celebrated each year on March 3rd.
Hinamatsuri is often called "Doll's Festival" or " Girl's Festival" in English. It is a day to pray for the health and happiness of young girls.
Most families with girls display dolls for the Doll's Festival called Hina-ningyo. Today, we eat traditional dishes like Scattered sushi (chirashi-sushi), cherrystone clam soup, sweet white sake (shirozake), rice cake cubes (hina arare) and diamond-shaped rice cakes (hinamochi) for the Girl's Festival.
If you are interested in Japan, you may often hear about Hina-ningy, then do you know why we eat cherrystone clam soup for this festival?
Since the shells of cherrystone clam did not change their partner, they became a symbol of harmony between married couples. So, parents prepare cherrystone clam soup for the Girl's Festival hoping their daughter will come across a good partner.
If you have a daughter in your family, please try to celebrate the Hinamatsuri in the hope of their growth and happiness.
We hope spring will come soon from Kyoto...
Let's have a wonderful Hinamatsuri!!
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We hope you'll stick with us for this year as well, everyone.
KOTO want to cherish the relationship between people again this year, we went to the biggest shrine "Izumo-Taisha" in Japan. Izumo Taisha enshrines Okuninushi no Okami, the deity of marriage. Marriage refers not only to men and women, but to all the ties that surround people.
A grand property, the best part...
This shimenawa rope.
At Izumo Taisha, it has been customary to place the left side at the top and the right side at the bottom, so it is also characteristic that the way to hang shimenawa is the opposite of that of a general shrine.
We also prayed for KOTO's bracelet.
This should have increased the power.
We will continue to deliver wonderful ties from Kyoto, Japan this year.
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Anyway, we think that your country also has the taste of mother’s home cooking.
In Japan, one such thing is “Umeboshi”.
Have you eaten it?
Umeboshi is a Japanese pickled apricot and it is a traditional Japanese food that has been passed down since ancient times.
It is used for rice balls(Onigiri) and lunch boxes, and we also use it to prevent sickness, so we always bring it with us when traveling.
We will briefly introduce how to make Umeboshi.
First, wash the ripe apricot around June and remove the part of the shaft called Oheso, and then, wipe off the water thoroughly and salt it.
If they put a heavy stone on it and salt the Umeboshi, they will get a clear soup like this. Rub this soup into red perilla.
If they became this condition, next, pickle the Umeboshi in this red perilla.
Place red perilla and apricot in order and cover the apricot with red perilla.
then dry for 3 days and 3 nights.
They will be such a beautiful red!
After drying, reattach it to red perilla(pickled) and it’s done.
At my home, I don’t return to perilla at this time, but pickle it with dried bonito and honey.
We have various methods depending on the home.
Finally, the Umeboshi are completed.
Umeboshi made with such time and effort.
The EC site sells Umeboshi made from chemical-free Ume(apricot).
chemical-free Ume →★★★
chemical-free Ume with honey →★★★
Eating two to three Umeboshi a day will restore your appetite and prevent summer heat fatigue.
It’s very good for your body, so please give it to try!
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Hello, this is Koto Kyoto,
the Tokyo Olympic Games celebrated its closing ceremony yesterday.
It was controversial but we think we made a lot of dramas and we got a lot of power.
A dance called “Bon Odori” was performed at such a closing ceremony. Did you see it?
As the name suggests, “Bon Odori” is a dance that is performed during the “Obon” (like Halloween).
By the way, the Obon generally refers to 13th to 16th August. It is a religious event that started as a memorial dance to welcome the spirits of the ancestors who returned to Obon, and it is a dance that anyone can participate in and to give a memorial service to their ancestors.
There are three major Bon Odori dances in Japan; Awa Odori, Nishimonai Bon Odori, and Gujo Odori, especially Tokushima’s “Awa Odori” is famous as the largest Bon Odori dance in Japan with national recognition, and they dance in a slightly different way depending on the region.
The origin of Awa Odori is the Edo period 400 years ago.
It is a very lively dance where various teams compete for dance and teams suddenly start dancing all over the town.
You can experience it not only during the festival but also at the Awa Odori Hall in Tokushima.
GujoOdori is an event held in Gujo Hachiman Town, Gifu Prefecture, and it is a popular festival that continues to dance all night from 13th to 16th August and is visited by about 250,000 people in four days.
*I borrowed all the photo.
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Now, the Gion Matsuri celebrated the Yamahoko float procession day on 17th July. Unfortunately, they couldn't it this year due to the influence of a pandemic.
Do you know what means “Yamahoko float procession” is?
Many people think that the Yamahoko float procession is the highlight of the Gion Festival, but the real highlight is yet to come.
The Yamahokofloat procession loads the evil spirits in the city into the floats and exterminates the evil spirits.
Therefore, after them, the Yamahoko floats are dismantled immediately to eliminate the evil immediately
And then, from Yasaka Jinja Shrine, the gods are seated on three Mikoshi (portable shrines) who will come around to the Otabisho in the city.
Men assists carrying a portable shrine on their shoulders. And they will return to Yasaka Shrine from Otabisho a week later.
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The Yamahoko floats will start on 10th July every year. It is built by a technique called “Nawa(rope) garami”, which is built only with wood and rope without using any nails.
The best part of see the finished floats, but it's also quite spectacular to observe the work of this assembly.
The highlight is the “Naginata-boko”.
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In July, we have entered the second half of 2021. We can’t believe it’s already July. Doesn’t time fly?
Live each day to the fullest.
Now, talking of July in Kyoto, the “Gion Matsuri(festival)“ is one of the biggest festivals which takes place over the entire month of July.
This festival of Yasaka Shrine in the center of Kyoto, when epidemics including Kyoto are prevalent in Japanese various places in 869, it is the origin for it to have been connected with the number 66 nation of a country of those days, saying “This is a curse of Gion”, to have stood 66 arms, to have deified God of Gion, and to have prayed removal of a calamity. The Gion festival hold from “Kippu-IRI” on 1st July to “Ekijinjya-nagosisai ”on 31rh July and various kinds of divine work and events develop over one month.
Out of all them, the highlights of the festivals are the “Mikoshi-Watari” on 17th July and the “Yamahoko-cruise“(33 festive floats cruise) on 24th July.
With a history of more than one thousand years, the “Gion Matsuri” and “Yamahoko-cruise” are recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
in a fixed place in the center of the city.
From the Yama and Hoko floats, a unique fushimawashi(intonation) of “Konchikichin♪”, the festival music known as Gion bayashi is heard. It signals the arrival of summer in Kyoto.
This month, we will talk about the wonderful things about our favorite “Gion Matsuri” little by little.
See you next time!
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