🎋BRILLIANT BAMBOO🎍
The bamboo groves of Sagano (嵯峨野竹林の道) may be world famous, but there are many -equally gorgeous but far quieter- places to see bamboo forests in and around Kyōto.
Mukō (向日市), a short train ride from the city, has a whole park dedicated to bamboo!
Although bamboo itself does not inspire many traditional sweets, the leaves of the plant make for a handy wrapping or even as a small plate!🎋
Mukō (向日) has long been famed for producing high quality bamboo shoots (for consumption), and in 2000 began a campaign to preserve the natural landscape of bamboo groves. This same year a 1.8km road through the bamboo forest on Nishi-no-oka (西の岡) was opened.
'Take-no-michi' (竹の道 ), a narrow track for most of its length, is flanked by 8 types of bamboo fence:
🎍Takehogaki (竹穂垣 made with dried bundles of bamboo)
🎍Kofungaki (古墳垣 constructed in the shape of ancient burial mounds)
🎍Mozumegaki (物集女垣 named after the local area)
🎍Kaguyagaki (かぐや垣 named after Princess Kaguya)
🤔The Mozumegaki fence takes its name from the area's old title.
🤔The Kaguyagaki fence pattern was inspired by the '12-layered Kimono' (十二単 'Jūnihitoe') worn by Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫) in the 10thC folktale 'Taketori Monogatari' (竹取物語 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter').
The 4 other types of fences:
🎍Raikōjigaki (来迎寺垣 named after the nearby temple of Raikō-ji)
🎍Teradogaki (寺戸垣 named after the Teradō-cho neighbourhood 寺戸町)
🎍Fukadagaki (深田垣 named after nearby Fukada River 深田川)
🎍Kaidōgaki (海道垣 from local road names 中海道/御所海道)
In China the birthday of the bamboo 'tree' falls on the 13th day of 5th month, which is known as 'Bamboo Intoxication Day' (竹酔日). Bamboo is said to be a tricky grass to transplant and so it was thought best to do it when the bamboo was drunk (celebrating its birthday).
Camellia Tea Ceremony
Haryanto, MT.
namakosan