day 253 - ROYGBIV - indigo / murasaki

OK, so maybe it's a bluebell trying to be indigo... The insect liked it. (You might have to double-click the image to see the insect.)

Kushiro Marsh, Hokkaido

Wildflower.

Asahidake, Hokkaido.

Wild Swamp Iris.

Kushiro Marshlands, Hokkaido.

Peaflower, Asahidake.

I've never really got the whole indigo/violet thing. They're all purple to me, so please don't send in comments about my faulty differentiation between the two. They're all just pretty purple pictures of Nippon. (Like the alliteration?)

Actually the dye indigo was very important in the Edo period. Commoners couldn't use silk, and indigo (from the leaves) was about the best natural dye around. Even today it's still a very popular colour for the yukata (summer kimono.)

day 211 - Arashiyama

Just to confuse the tourist, the Togetsukyo Bridge 'divides' the Hozu River and the Katsura River.

The english word 'rickshaw' is a really bad attempt at the japanese jinrikisha (jin= human, riki= strength, power, sha= vehicle.) The forest across the Togetsukyo is the base of the Mount Arashiyama.

"Fireworks Cause Fires and Burn Monkeys' Asses" (Loose translation.)

If your pockets are deep, you can dine on the river and watch the cormorant fishing later.

More people seem to wear traditional clothing around Kyoto, particularly the yukata in summer.

The boats on the other side of the river are for tourists to watch ukai at night.

Our weekend in Kyoto was so busy that we need a week to show you the photos... 

Last Saturday afternoon we went to Kikunoi Restaurant, just off the Shijo-dori. It was one of the best kaiseki meals we've had. Thanks to our community english student Yumiko. Unfortunately we were too busy eating to take photos. Then we took a local train to Arashiyama, also one of our favourite places, to see ukai, traditional night-time cormorant fishing. We'll post the photos of the fishing tomorrow.