Kyoto Green Tea Ippodo

一保堂京都

Ippodo is mecca for Japanese tea lovers.

Though some fans of tea grown in Shizuoka, near Mt. Fuji, will no doubt object, the center of the Japanese green tea universe is on Teramachi, south of the Imperial Palace and near City Hall.

Ippodo was founded in 1717, when Ihei Watanabe created the now legendary tea shop.

The store sells many types of tea and tea utensils.

It is also possible - and highly recommended - to sit and drink tea in the Kaboku Tea Room.

Access

From Oike Dori, walk north on Teramachi (the small street next on the west side of City Hall) for 6-7 minutes. From the southeast corner of the Imperial Palace, Teramachi Marutamachi, walk south on Teramachi. On the east side in a large traditional building with noren curtains.
075 211 3421　

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Tohoku Earthquake Radiation Levels Okinawa Tokyo Hiroshima Kyoto

大気中放射線の値沖縄東京広島京都など

According to the Ministry of Education, March 25 radiation levels in Tokyo, Okinawa, Hiroshima, and Kyoto are noted below. With the exception of Kyoto, these areas all have US military bases.

Okinawa: 0.021

Tokyo: 0.134

Hiroshima: 0.056

For those in Kyoto, the reading is 0.039.

Results for the entire country can be found here.

Note: there were no results posted for two prefectures: Fukushima and Miyagi.

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Kyoto Myoshinji Temple Drain

妙心寺の下水

While cutting through Myoshinji Temple en route to an area north of Ninnaji Temple, we saw this drain in front of a sub-temple.

Neatly framed by stone, the grated iron is held in place by gray cement.

Two early spring leaves of unknown origin lie on the upper left corner.

The stone of the path itself is large, rectangular slabs. The smaller, rounder stones at the top of the photo differentiates and denotes the entrance to the sub-temple.

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Kyoto Station

京都駅

Kyoto's massive gateway station building looms large on the cityscape.

Hiroshi Hara's Kyoto Station building opened in 1997 to celebrate the 1,200th anniversary of the foundation of Kyoto (Heian) as the capital of Japan.

The 15-story, glass-plated gray space station has been justly criticized as being inappropriate for the fabric of the city. It looms menacingly over a once elegant city.

Kyoto Station boasts a sixty meter tall atrium and is 470 meters from east to west. The total floor space of the building is 238,000 square meters, which includes a department store, the Granvia Hotel, a theater, exhibition space, as well as many shops and restaurants.

It is possible to walk to either Higashi Honganji or Nishi Honganji from the station.


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Cafe Frosch Kyoto

カフェ・フロッシュ京都

Not far from Kitano Tenmangu and the geisha district Kamishichiken is a wonderful cafe known as Frosch.

Great bread, a wonderful renovated machiya (town house), and a homey international vibe make it a great place for lunch or a coffee.

Information

557-7 Higashiyanagi-cho, Itsutsuji-dori, Shichihonmatsu agaru, Kamigyo-ku, Nishijin-Kyoto
Tel: 075 205 2703

Hours


Tue. - Sat. 10:00 - 21:00, Sundays and holidays 10:00 - 18:00, Closed on Mondays

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Dog at Ninnaji Temple Kyoto

仁和寺前の犬

On a warm March day, we met this beautiful white dog posing at the top of the steps at Ninnaji Temple.

He was game and stood still for the photo.

The clouds fluttering by in the background, framed by the wooden pillars, make for a pleasant montage.

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Kyoto Sidewalk Cycling Imperial Palace

京都御所近く歩道で走る自転車

Ah, a lovely spring day for a stroll in Kyoto.

On the left is the 19th century campus of Doshisha University, one of Japan's most prestigious private universities.

On the right is the Imperial Palace, a huge and urban green space.

The sidewalk itself parallels Imadagawa Dori - on which traffic is slowly moving - and is elegant and understated.

Yet here they come, a line of cyclists, ringing their bells.

Riding on this narrow sidewalk - bus stops at intervals on the left, a gutter on the right - is legal.

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