Camellia Tea Ceremony🌄🚃THE GOLDEN WEEK⛱️😎
April 29th is the start of 'Golden Week' (ゴールデンウィーク), a series of national holidays that follow in short succession.
We begin with 'Shōwa-no-hi' (昭和の日 'Shōwa Day'), the birthday of Emperor Shōwa (昭和天皇 aka Hirohito 裕仁 1901-89).
Already a holiday during the emperor's lifetime, it remained so after his death...rebranded first as 'Greenery Day' (みどりの日).
Nowadays 'Shōwa-no-hi' is considered a time for reflection of the past, especially for the turbulent events during the reign of Emperor Hirohito.
In 2007 'Greenery Day' (みどりの日 'Midori-no-hi') was moved to May 4th and April 29th was re-rebranded as 'Shōwa Day'.
Golden Week, aka Ōgon Shūkan (黄金週間), is one of the most popular times for travel in Japan...but it will be off to a rather damp start here in Kyōto☔️
fresh new leaves-
the cat and the crow
quarrel
若葉して猫と烏と喧嘩哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1821.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.
Jōjakkō-ji (常寂光寺) is the realm of Kurobee (くろべえ), a gorgeous black cat that lives in the ticket hut.
The rain goes by many names at this time of year...
🌧️Saikau (催花雨) = spring rain that hastens the blooming of flowers
🌧️Kokū (穀雨 April 20ish) = "grain rain"
🌧️Zuiu (瑞雨) = rain that helps grain crops sprout
🌧️Kanu (甘雨) = rain that falls at the right time to moisten plants
