autumn – belleelene

Visit Engakuji: Autumn in Kamakura

Koyo season is upon us, and probably the best location around Kamakura to marvel at the beauty of autumn leaves is the quiet temple of Engakuji (円覚寺). Today, we’ll stroll around the temple complex and discuss some of the history of the Shogunate of Kamakura and Zen Buddhism.

Roadtrip to Narai-juku in Nagano

As the holiday of Culture Day draws near, every year without fail, I’m planning a road trip. And every year, without fail, the planning is going to be so last minute that the most accessible destination from Tokyo is going to be the same: Nagano prefecture. Starting backward, I’m going to describe my latest trip,Continue reading “Roadtrip to Narai-juku in Nagano”

Νοέμβρης [Ινσταγκραμικά]

Η εποχή του μομίτζι-γκάρι (紅葉狩り), δηλαδή της παρατήρησης των κόκκινων φύλλων που πέφτουν απ’ τα δέντρα.

A quiet koyo season at the University of Tokyo

The most characteristic color of November is the crimson red of Momiji (Maple) leaves. The second most characteristic is the yellow of Iccho (Ginkgo) leaves. In all honesty, the vivid golden color of lush branches around this time of the years, is more impressionable in contrast to the remaining greenery or the blue sky. OhContinue reading “A quiet koyo season at the University of Tokyo”

Μια φθινοπωρινή ημέρα στο ιερό Ταμαγκάβα

Μένουμε σπίτι κλπ, κλπ, οπότε η θεματολογία περιορίζεται. Αφού η μόνη ενδιαφέρουσα δραστηριότητα που έκανα ήταν να πάω για περπάτημα μέχρι ένα ναό κοντά στο σπίτι, θα σας μιλήσω γι’ αυτό. Το ιερό Ταμαγκάβα Σένγκεν (多摩川浅間神社) χτίστηκε πριν 800 χρόνια, αλλά κλασσικά ήταν από ξύλο, οπότε έπεσε, κάηκε ή το έφαγαν τερμίτες, οπότε προφανώς ταContinue reading “Μια φθινοπωρινή ημέρα στο ιερό Ταμαγκάβα”

An autumn day in Tamagawa Jinja

[Published on Nov 15th, 2020.] Since we are all trying to ‘stay home’, the themes that I can write about naturally diminish. Since the only interesting thing I have done in a while is to walk to a shrine close to my house, I am going to talk about it. Tamagawa Sengen Jinja (多摩川浅間神社) wasContinue reading “An autumn day in Tamagawa Jinja”