Everything is bathed in green breeze!

Now, Nara Park is amid the whirlpool of lush verdure of young leaves. The sunlight goes through the fresh leaves and flickers them.

I especially love young leaves of maple.

Camphor trees are shedding old leaves and growing new ones.

Not only leaves but also grasses are gorgeous. Here, people come to enjoy doing nothing.

a day in Nara (May)

I went to Nara today.

A fine day it was in Nara.  Looking up, sky is clear and blue.

Glancing at a pond by Kofukuji Temple, turtles are taking sun bath.

 From the pond, I can see a wooden pagoda peacefully standing among fresh greens of spring.

Walking up stairs and entering Kofukuji Temple, I met deer taking a nap.

Purple clusters of wisteria decorated one of Buddhist halls of the temple.

From where I saw wisterias, I looked back at the pond downstairs.  People were walking around and enjoying a day in Nara.

(Pictures are all taken on May 8, 2011 around Kofukuji Temple)

Sue
-NARAWALK guide

After Cherry Is Wisteria

Kasuga Grand Shrine has a over 700 years old wisteria tree. Every year from late April to early May, fragrant purple clusters droop from the wisteria tree.

Around the same time, Bonsai Wisteria Tree Exhibition is held at Nara International Seminar House near Nara National Museum. This is the fifth year of this exhibition. (for pictures of the exhibition click here)


Duration: 2011, April 18 ~May 3
9:00~16:30
Admission: Adults 400yen, Elementary School Students 200yen, Children 5 and under are free.
Access: Nara International Seminar House

*You can also enjoy a bonsai wisteria tree at former JR Nara station building which is now used as one of the Nara City Tourist Information Center. The center is located next to the current JR Nara station building. Gorgeous aroma of wisteria fills the whole center.

Sue
-NARAWALK guide

Sakura In Full Bloom

Sakura, cherry blossom, in Nara Park area are in full bloom. Beautifully falling petals, grounds decorated with pink fallen petals, deer eating cherry blossoms, people enjoying picnic under cherry trees ... are what you can see in Nara now.

(^ photo taken in Kofukuji Temple)

(^ photo taken in Jokyoji Temple on Sanjo St.)

(^ photo taken on Sanjo St.)

(^ photo taken on Sanjo St. near Sarusawa Pond)

(^ photo taken near Kintetsu Nara Station)

A sight of fresh young leaves are very refreshing too.

All pictures are taken on April 10.

Sue
-NARAWALK guide

May Happiness Be With You

Red and white, when used as a set, signal a happy occasion in Japan. In that sense, I saw a very happy tree in Yakushiji Temple in Nara.

Red and white ume plum blooms are blossoming on a single tree.

Those pictures were taken on March 18, but the last blooms of plum are still beautiful in Nara.

May happiness be with you!
Sue
-NARAWALK guide