Horikawa Kyoto Illumination

京の七夕堀川通り

Along the Horikawa River - it is more of a narrow canal and landscaped park - there will be an illumination to celebrate Tanabata according to the old Kyoto calendar.

Tanabata is the Japanese star festival that celebrates the once a year meeting of Vega and Altair.

The Milky Way, according to Chinese legend, separates the two lovers for 364 days of the year. On one night, July 7, they are permitted to meet.

This takes place on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. Following the Gregorian calendar, that date is July 7. However, according the older Japanese reckoning, it would be in August.

Kyoto celebrates both dates, but the illumination takes place only in August.

After a brutally hot day, a cold beer under the stars as you enjoy illumination...is about as good as it gets.

There are also events at Nijo Castle and Kamogawa Kaikan.

Information

August 4 - 13
Along Horikawa Dori (below ground)
7 pm - 9:30 pm
Free


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Oldest Example of Complete Katakana Script Found on Plate in Kyoto

いろは歌、最古の「全文」土器の墨書確認　中京・堀河院跡

The Kyoto City Archaeological Research Institute on Friday announced that an artefact dug up in 1983 was discovered on reexamination to have nearly all of the hiragana characters written on it.

The small plate was discovered in the grounds of the ANA Crown Plaza Hotel thirty years ago at the ruins of the Horikawa Imperial Palace. That is across the street from Nijo Castle.

The piece dates from the end of the 12th century to the early part of the 13th century. On it is penned in charcoal the poem known as Iroha, which is thought to have been written in the Heian Period (794–1179 CE).

This makes it the oldest extant example of hiragana.

The plate is 9 cm in diameter and 1.5 cm tall. There are 47 characters on the plate.

It will be on display at the Kyoto City Archaeological Museum from June 29 until July 28.

Photo©Kyoto Shinbun

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自転車で京都堀川通りの横へ

自転車で京都堀川通りの横へ

日本語ご希望の方。

This Kyoto cycling route is short, sweet and, if you look down, scenic.

Horikawa, a large north-south boulevard in Kyoto, has had a canal running parallel to it for hundreds of years.

By the 1950s, the river/canal had become a bubbling polluted slow-moving body of water. The culprit(s) was dyeing. Workers from nearby Nishijin, the center of Kyoto's weaving industry, used to use the river to rinse dyes from cloth in the river.

The river has been cleaned up and planted.

For cyclists though the real attraction is the road that runs above and to the east of it (to the left in the photo), which is smooth sailing from Imadegawa all the way down to Oike. Few cars use this road.

Ride Horikawa Kyoto ride.

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Kyoto News Horikawa Tanabata Light Up

「光の天の川」京の七夕が開幕　堀川・鴨川で

In the former canal that runs alongside and below Horikawa Dori will be the third annual Tanabata festival of light from August 3 - 13.

The once concreted over canal is now a lovely path with grass, plantings, and a small river.

This year there will be also be lighting along the Kamo River as well.

For those heading to Horikawa, the lighting will be set up from Shimodachiuri to Demizu streets. There will be an arch made of bamboo and 85,000 LED lights under which you can stroll.

Tanabata, or "Evening of the Seventh," is the Japanese star festival. Once a year, the stars Vega and Altair "meet" or cross in the heavens. According to Chinese legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers for the rest of the year.

Thus, on this one night only are they are allowed to meet - on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

In most areas of Japan, this is celebrated on July 7, following the Gregorian calendar, but the Horikawa light up has followed the lunisolar calendar and thus it is later.


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Small Girl Cycling on Horikawa Dori Kyoto

堀川で自転車乗っている小さい京都女の子

Along the arcaded sidewalk on Horikawa Dori, a young girl was pedaling furiously.

No training wheels.

Few bangles or decorations.

She meant business.

When I passed her, slowly, she put her head down and picked up her pace, passing me in no time.

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Cycling Horikawa Kyoto Near Nijo Castle

自転車で京都二条城と堀川

On a blustery early April morning, a trio of tourists headed south on a north-south side street separated by the Horikawa River from Horikawa Dori (street).

The cherry trees were not out - they can be seen at right, across the street from Nijo Castle - as winter was long and cold.

Die-hards have been braving the cold nights along the Kamo River, reveling under the buds.

Early next week should see the trees come into full bloom, and more placid evenings in which to enjoy sake, song, and yes the blossoms.

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Bike Symbol Kyoto

新しい自転車マーク

At the corner of Gojo - Horikawa in Kyoto is a tight curve that leads to a tighter situation.

After leaving the bike lane on Gojo - from the Kamo River to Horikawa - cyclists are thrown instantly back to the reality of Kyoto cycling.

First you cross a small street. Watch out for taxis and trucks.

Having crossed that, there is now a bike "lane" painted on the sidewalk and a smart little bike symbol. No problems here.

However, having enjoyed the three-second lane, the foot of a pedestrian overpass awaits.

It is narrow, and there will be pedestrians coming down the steps and from he opposite direction, on Horikawa. A cyclist may also be coming barreling down from Horikawa.

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Kyoto Bicycle Lane Horikawa

自転車専用レーン京都堀川

Kyoto is slowly, ever so slowly, improving its infrastructure for cycling.

The bike lane on the sidewalk of Gojo Dori - for the most part it completely separates pedestrians and cyclists on a very wide sidewalk - is a move in the right direction.

It contrasts with the older, completely useless, bike lanes.

One such example is on Horikawa Dori.

The bike "lane" is different colored paving - that's it.

Pedestrians and cyclists weave in and out of the gray area designated for people walking, the reddish area for bikes.

Moreover, the bike lane runs right through bus stops where, surprise, people congregate and wait for buses.

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Bike Lane Horikawa Dori Kyoto

自転車専用レーン堀川通り

Pictured at right is one of the bike lanes Kyoto has created on sidewalks of wide boulevards.

It doesn't take a city planner or a transportation expert to realize the many problems inherent in this set up.

First, there is nothing separating pedestrian traffic - the left side of the pavement, which is grayish patterned brick - and the bike "lane" at right.

Second, vendors have set up tables in the lane.

Third, the local Fresco supermarket encourages customers to park in the lane. Several of those bikes can be seen; however, just behind this 15 - 20 bikes were lined up and parked in the purple lane.

Last, as a result of all of this, cyclists will and do ride on the pedestrian part of the sidewalk.

In better news, only two days until CycleKyoto.com debuts!

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