The cherry blossom is richly symbolic within Japan – it is depicted on the 100 yen coin and was used as a symbol to stoke nationalism during World War II. Many Japanese believe that the blooming of the trees symbolises the transience of life and is an annual reminder that time is precious. The cherry blossom cycle is seen as a metaphor for life itself – a time to reflect on your achievements and think ahead to your future. Once you have finished philosophising, indulge in some of Japan’s more light-hearted symbolism.
Photos from → Philosopher’s Path
A hagoita is a rectangular board with a handle used for playing a New Year game called hanetsuki. It is perhaps best described as a kind of game hitting badminton shuttlecocks with large ping-pong rackets. The hagoita sold at Hagoita-ichi, however, are not for practical use; they are, in fact, good-luck charms for ornamental purposes, for they are decorated with gorgeous pictures and accessories. The front of the hagoita is designed with images of elegantly made-up Kabuki actors, or popular celebrities, TV personalities, athletes, and anime characters of the year.
Kanji hatsu means first or start in Japanese
Nishijin Ori is the most famous brocade in Japan. The roots of 
Fukujuen is one of the most famous tea companies in Kyoto and has over 210 years of history. Fukujuen has recently opened a new and interesting ‘workshop where you can experience how to make tea. Not brew a cup of tea, but experience the process of preparing fresh tea leaves for brewing tea, first hand, by hand.
Kyoto has been holding the reputation as the birthplace of high quality of tea. The plant is flourishing especially in Uji, which is located on the south in Kyoto, for the reasons below.“Rich nature and environment suited to the cultivation.” There are two rivers running – the Kizu river and the Uji river – through, and morning mist comes up from both rivers gives enough moisture to tea trees. And the property in Uji surrounded by many mountains is suitable for the growing of tea.” Tradition rooted on this area” Until the Kamakura Era, Kyoto was the center of everything; culture, academy, art, architecture, economy, and politics. And the way of tea had been formed and sharpened, and refined by many great pioneers like Eisai or Senno-Rikyu, Tea Master, and its style and thought still remain as the part of Japanese tradition.
The Uji Bridge is one of the main three ancient bridges in Japan. The Uji Bridge is said to have been constructed in 646 at the first time.
The Sagano Bamboo Grove is located in the Sagano Arashiyama area of Kyoto It is a beautiful forest with a path through its heart. It is located right beside Tenryuji, a world heritage Zen Temple and has Mt. Arashiyama as a backdrop.
Built for the retired Emperor Gomizuno ,1596-1680, this site is home to three gardens; the Shimo-ochaya Garden at the Omoteso Mon Gate with its Jugetsukan House and an excursion landscape garden, Naka-ochaya Garden, host to a splendidly decorated room known as Kasumitana while the huge Kami-ochaya Garden has Yokuryu Pond at its center. The view from the teahouse known as Rinuntei is superb. Tours require approval from the Kyoto office of the Imperial Household Agency.
A Japanese bride wearing the traditional white japanese wedding kimono, called shiro-maku. Shiro meaning white and maku meaning pure. The wedding kimono actually consists of two different kimono. The white wedding kimono is worn for the wedding ceremony and an elaborate rich patterned silk brocade kimono called uchikake is worn over the white kimono at the wedding reception.
Shimogyō-ku is one of Kyoto’s eleven wards. First established in 1879, it has been merged and split, and took on its present boundaries in 1955, with the establishment of a separate Minami-ku. Its primary attractions include Kyoto Tower and Kyoto Station. Shijō Street on the northern edge of the area, especially around the Shijō Kawaramachi intersection, is the busiest shopping district in the city.
Kita-ku, meaning North Ward, is one of Kyoto’s eleven wards. Its primary attractions include Daitoku-ji, Kami Kamo Shrine, and Kinkaku-ji, The Golden Pavilion.
Higashiyama-ku, meaning “easten mountain ward,” is one of Kyoto’s eleven wards. It was created in 1929 when split off from Shimogyō-ku. From 1931 to 1976, it also covered present-day Yamashina-ku. It is roughly bound by Sanjō street in the north, and the Jūjō street in the south, the Kamo River on the west, and the Higashiyama mountain range on the east. Its primary attractions include the Gion District and Yasaka Shrine, the stone-paved roads Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka leading up to Kiyomizu Temple, Tōfuku-ji, Kennin-ji, Kōdai-ji, and Sanjūsangen-dō.
Sento Imperial Palace was completed in 1630 for Emperor Go-Mizunoo’s retirement, along with the corresponding Ōmiya Palace for the Empress Dowager Nyoin. Both palaces were repeatedly destroyed by fire and reconstructed until a blaze in 1854, after which the Sento palace was never rebuilt. Ōmiya Palace was, however, reconstructed in 1867 and is still used by the emperor whenever he visits Kyoto. Today only two Sento structures, the Seika-tei and Yushin-tei teahouses, remain. The excellent gardens, laid out in 1630 by renowned artist Kobori Masakazu, Kobori Enshu, are now its main attractions.
Kyoto-eki or Kyoto Station, Kyoto’s most important transportation and Japan’s second-largest train station building, is served by the Tokaido Shinkansen on the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), West Japan Railway Company (JR West), Kintetstu Railways and the Karasuma Line on the Kyoto Municipal Subway. Built on the 1200th anniversary of the capital’s foundation in Kyoto, it opened to the public in 1997 and stands in modernist contract to the traditional image of Kyoto. The futuristic design, conceived by Japanese architect Hara Hiroshi, features an exposed steel beam roof, called the Matrix, and a façade of plate glass over the steel frame. An immense 15-story building rises 70 meters high, stretching 470 meters long, with a total floor area of 238,000 square meters, incorporates a shopping mall, hotel, movie theater, Isetan department store, an art museum and several government facilities in additional to its railway services. A Skyway tunnel allows visitors to walk the length of Kyoto Station, 45 meters above the central hall, starting from the 11th floor.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is named Tsukimi or Otsukimi, moon-viewing in Japan. Celebrations of the festival take place on the 15th day of the eight month of the traditional Japanese Lunisor calendar, usually takes place in September of the solar calendar.
