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The Mainichi
4 days ago
- General
- The Mainichi
Earmarked as important cultural properties, Lake Biwa Canal facilities blend into Kyoto
KYOTO -- Multiple structures of the historic Lake Biwa Canal here are set to be designated as national treasures and important cultural properties. While they were constructed over a century ago, 20 of the 24 sites set for designation remain in use, blending into the city's landscape. In Kyoto, a city rich in historical architecture, the structures are indispensable cultural assets. One of the structures is the Nanase River water discharge facility, part of the First Canal completed in 1890, in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward. In fact, it blends into the landscape so well that this reporter had trouble finding it, and it proved elusive even in an internet search. After wandering along the babbling Nanase River and giving up, I headed south from Keihan Railway's Fujinomori Station along the Kamogawa Canal. It was only after passing Gokuraku-bashi bridge, built in 1922, and two more bridges, that I finally found it. Peeking out above the flowing water, red bricks could be seen. According to the Kyoto Municipal Government, this facility, built in 1911, was designed to discharge canal water into the intersecting Nanase River. While the Kamogawa Canal is known for cherry blossoms in spring, on late afternoons in the season of green leaves it sees leisurely passersby, including people walking their dogs and high school students returning from club activities. Although I walked along the canal daily during my junior high and high school years, I never realized the presence of something that would become an important cultural property. Following the First Canal upstream, I reached the Anshukawa aqueduct bridge in Kyoto's Yamashina Ward. This aqueduct bridge carries the canal water over the small Anshoji River. The guide on the Lake Biwa Canal Cruise boat pointed it out, but it wasn't visible from the boat. The local landmark is Kyoto Prefectural Rakutou High School. A path extends beside the school, offering a view of the bridge nestled quietly among greenery across the water. Here, too, I passed people enjoying walks and runs. Downstream, the canal water is still used for power generation. The Second Canal, constructed alongside the First Canal at the end of the Meiji era (1868-1912), supplies 99.5% of Kyoto's drinking water after passing through a water purification plant. (Japanese original by Yoko Minami, Kyoto Bureau)
The Mainichi
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Horseback archery ritual held to pray for safety of iconic Kyoto festival
KYOTO -- A "yabusame," or horseback archery, ritual was held at a Shinto shrine in this ancient Japanese capital to pray for the safety of the famed Aoi Matsuri, one of Kyoto's three major festivals. The thrilling May 3 event captivated a large crowd of spectators who gathered in the verdant Tadasu no Mori forest on the Shimogamo Shrine grounds in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward. The ritual marks the beginning of the Aoi Matsuri and is dedicated to praying for peace. According to Shimogamo Shrine, while "yabusame" is known as a samurai event, it originally derived from an event for court nobles, which is why horseback archery is conducted in both court and samurai attire. Approximately 1,500 seats were prepared on May 3, and the shrine reported that around 20,000 people gathered. Twenty archers on horseback dashed through a roughly 400-meter-long course, with three targets set at 100-meter intervals. Each clanging sound that accompanied a successful hit elicited loud cheers from the audience. The Aoi Matsuri will culminate on May 15 with the "Roto-no-gi" procession through the city, featuring the festival's heroine called "Saio-Dai" and others in splendid period attire. (Japanese original by Saki Hidaka, Kyoto Bureau; video by Hiroyuki Ota, Kyoto Bureau)
The Mainichi
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Kyoto Aoi Matsuri's heroine undergoes purification ritual ahead of festival
KYOTO -- The Aoi Matsuri festival's heroine "Saio-Dai" underwent a purification ritual on May 4 at Kamigamo Jinja shrine in Kyoto's Kita Ward as the fine weather attracted many families and tourists to the sightseeing spot amid Japan's Golden Week holiday period. This year, Aya Yamauchi, a second-year graduate student at Tokyo University of the Arts, and a native of Kyoto's Sakyo Ward, serves as the 67th Saio-Dai. The 25-year-old entered the shrine grounds on May 4 clad in a "junihitoe" 12-layered ceremonial kimono. She was accompanied by a procession of about 50 women, including "warawame" (young girls) and "uneme" (court ladies), all dressed in vibrant traditional attire. Amid the sounds of ancient court music, she purified herself by dipping her fingertips into the Mitarashi River, then blew onto a wooden human-shaped doll and set it afloat in the clear stream to cleanse away any impurities. Yamauchi said, "The 'junihitoe' dress carried a lot of weight. I feel solemn." The Aoi Matsuri, one of Kyoto's three major festivals, is an annual celebration jointly held by Kamigamo Jinja shrine and Shimogamo Shrine, featuring a procession of participants dressed in Heian-period (794-1185) court attire, starting from the Kyoto Imperial Palace and visiting both shrines. The festival will be held May 15. (Japanese original by Yuki Ohigashi, Kyoto Bureau)
