Term archive
投稿タイプ：sightseeing
Hanayagi Farm
Opened in 2003 in the south of Kyoto Prefecture, Hanayagi Farm is a place where you can pick your own strawberries and edamame (young soy beans). From winter to spring you can enjoy picking and eating your own freshly-picked, sweet and juicy strawberries where it's possible to eat as much as you like for 40 minutes. In the spacious greenhouses, the "Akihime" and "Benihoppe" strawberry varieties grow in beautiful clusters. The garden beds are elevated, which means you can pick the strawberries without having to bend down, and the rows are well-spaced so that those with baby strollers and wheelchairs can also access the area and participate with ease. Hanayagi Farm also makes a strawberry sorbet and strawberry gelato sold onsite using the fresh strawberries from the farm. From mid-late October, you can also experience picking your own edamame. In this part of Kyoto Prefecture, the Chubu Tamba region, you can also find the famous "Shintambaguro" variety of black soy bean, which is also available to buy at roadside produce stalls. All harvesting activities require advanced bookings, which can be made either by phone or website.
投稿タイプ：sightseeing
Byodo-in Temple
Byodo-in Temple, which shows the historical glory of the Fujiwara clan, was once a villa on the west bank of the Uji-gawa River. It belonged to Minamoto no Toru but was given to Fujiwara no Michinaga. His son, Yorimichi, converted it into a temple. The Houou-do (Phoenix Hall, a National Treasure), which is surrounded by the Aji-ike pond, demonstrates elements of the gardens of the Heian period (794-1185). The influence of the Heian aristocracy, who dreamt of entering the Pure Land of Amida Buddha, can be seen in the building. Byodo-in Temple is depicted on the 10-yen coin and is a familiar sight in Japan.
Meanwhile, the Byodo-in Museum Hoshokan exhibits precious items owned by the temple, such as the National Treasures of a Gilt Bronze Phoenix, "Unchu Kuyo Bosatsu" (Buddhist saints holding a mass in the clouds), and Bonshou (temple bells). Reproductions that made with computer graphics utilizing state-of-the-art digital technology can also be enjoyed in the museum.
