The sun came out !!

Since I have arrived here almost a week ago it's been alternating between rain and periods of overcast. Much like Vancouver in the winter you might say... But today, for a glorious few hours, whatever kami are responsible for the weather have been kind. The sun came out :-)

Well, this was not an opportunity to be missed, so I put on my boots and headed uphill.


I followed a little nameless (at least to me) tributary of the Takanogawa, and very soon I was out of the city and heading up a deep ravine into the mountains. In another 15 minutes or so, I came to a series of small dams, which, because of the recent rain, were in full action holding back little lakes of water. Suprisingly, for a Sunday, there were very few people out, so I had the trail mostly to myself. Soon I was rewarded with beautiful views of Kyoto down below and blossoming cherry trees up above. While in most of Kyoto the cherry blossom season is coming to a close, here, at a marginally higher elevation, things are still in action.






The trail did not continue much longer - it came to an end at one of the larger dams which proved to be unscaleable. But even that end was not without its reward: in the corner of a rockface a little foot-tall Buddha was contemplating the world...


I think I am beginning to like my location here in Shugakuin. Close to the city, but with good walking within easy reach. I am looking forward to many more short-notice hikes.

The sun came out !!

Since I have arrived here almost a week ago it's been alternating between rain and periods of overcast. Much like Vancouver in the winter you might say... But today, for a glorious few hours, whatever kami are responsible for the weather have been kind. The sun came out :-)

Well, this was not an opportunity to be missed, so I put on my boots and headed uphill.


I followed a little nameless (at least to me) tributary of the Takanogawa, and very soon I was out of the city and heading up a deep ravine into the mountains. In another 15 minutes or so, I came to a series of small dams, which, because of the recent rain, were in full action holding back little lakes of water. Suprisingly, for a Sunday, there were very few people out, so I had the trail mostly to myself. Soon I was rewarded with beautiful views of Kyoto down below and blossoming cherry trees up above. While in most of Kyoto the cherry blossom season is coming to a close, here, at a marginally higher elevation, things are still in action.






The trail did not continue much longer - it came to an end at one of the larger dams which proved to be unscaleable. But even that end was not without its reward: in the corner of a rockface a little foot-tall Buddha was contemplating the world...


I think I am beginning to like my location here in Shugakuin. Close to the city, but with good walking within easy reach. I am looking forward to many more short-notice hikes.