Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
OFFLINE MAP
(
茶道資料館
; 431-6474; Kamigyō-ku, Horikawa-dōri, Teranouchi agaru; admission ¥500;
9.30am-4.30pm; 15min walk from Kuramaguchi Station, Karasuma subway line)
Anyone interested in tea
ceremony should make their first stop the Urasenke Chadō Research Center. Urasenke is
Japan's largest tea school and hosts hundreds of students annually who come from branch
schools worldwide to further their studies in 'the way of tea'.
The gallery located on the 1st and 2nd floors holds quarterly exhibitions on tea-related
arts; call to see if there is a show being held during your stay. The entrance fee entitles
you to a bowl of
matcha
(powdered green tea) and a sweet.
The
Konnichi-an library
has more than 50,000 books (about 100 in English), plus
videos on tea, which can be viewed.
If you'd like more information, contact
Urasenke's Office of International Affairs
(Kokusai Kyoku;
431-3111)
.
| SHRINE
KITANO TENMAN-GŪ
(
北野天満宮
; 461-0005; Bakuro-chō, Kamigyō-ku; 5am-6pm Apr-Oct, 5.30am-5.30pm Nov-Mar;
Kitano Tenmangū-mae stop, bus 50 or 101 from Kyoto Station)
The site of Tenjin-San Market (
CLICK HERE
), one of Kyoto's most popular flea markets, this shrine is a nice spot for a lazy stroll and
the shrine buildings themselves are beautiful. It's particularly pleasant here in the plum-
blossom season of March.
Kitano Tenman-gū was established in 947 to honour Sugawara Michizane (845-903), a
noted Heian-era statesman and scholar. It is said that, having been defied by his political
adversary Fujiwara Tokihira, Sugawara was exiled to Kyūshū for the rest of his life. Fol-
lowing his death in 903, earthquakes and storms struck Kyoto, and the Imperial Palace
was repeatedly struck by lightning. Fearing that Sugawara, reincarnated as Raijin (god of
thunder), had returned from beyond to avenge his rivals, locals erected and dedicated this
shrine to him.
The present buildings were built in 1607 by Toyotomi Hideyori; the grounds contain an
extensive grove of plum and apricot trees, which are said to have been Sugawara's favour-
ite fruits.
Unless you are trying to avoid crowds, the best time to visit is during the Tenjin-san
market fair, held on the 25th of each month - December and January are particularly col-
ourful.
