'Sagano' renowned for 'Chikurin-no-michi', the pass across bamboo grove, has long been loved by many people.

Sagano, located northwest of 'Arashiyama', is a historical place for the holiday homes and hermitages of the aristocrats in Kyoto in the Heian period in the 9th-12th century. This area is still dotted with the old villas and hermitages from those days. It is recommended to trace the vestiges back to those days while strolling on the pass along this bamboo grove. The picture shows 'Chikurin-no-michi' running from 'Nomiya Jinja' shrine to 'Okochi Sanso' villa.
With the refreshing fragrance of bamboos wafted by a breeze, as well as with the sunshine filtering through the branches of them, the pleasantness harmonizing with the surrounding nature can be felt.
It is better to visit here on weekdays or early in the morning, since this narrow pass gets packed with many sightseers on weekends.

Licensed tour guide/travel assistant,
Masahisa Takaki.

'Nijo-jo' Castle, the old base in Kyoto of the Tokugawa Shogunate, was the setting of the opening and closing of the Edo period, ruled by the Tokugawa family.

Tokugawa Ieyasu who chose Edo, present Tokyo, as the de facto capital in Japan in 1603, built Nijo-jo Castle in Kyoto, the Emperor's capital, in the same year. He intended to use this castle as his accommodation in Kyoto, and conducted surveillance over powerful feudal lords as well as the Emperor. At this castle, he received an official appointment of the post of 'shogun', the highest-ranking samurai from the Emperor, then Tokugawa Yoshinobu,the last shogun returned the political power to the Emperor in 1867.
'Ninomaru Goten' in the picture is one of the rare buildings of residential architecture in samurai style that include a 'tokonoma' alcove, which still remain. Furthermore this is designated as a national treasure, as well as World Heritage, featuring 'uguisu-bari' nightingale floor, paintings on 'fusuma' paper sliding doors by the painters from 'Kano' school and 'Ninomaru' Japanese garden by 'Kobori Enshu' a well-known landscape designer.
Ninomaru Goten, made up of six buildings and thirty-three rooms, conveys the first-class essence of Japanese art of the day.

Licensed tour guide/travel assistant,
Masahisa Takaki
通訳案内士　高木聖久

'Sanjusangen-do' in Kyoto is the world's longest wooden structure with a length of 120 meters.

This Buddhist hall was originally built by then emperor in 1164, however was reduced to ashes soon after its completion. The present building was rebuilt in 1266 and has undergone four major repair works since.
Centering on ‘Senju-kannon’ seated figure created by a noted sculptor ‘Tankei’, well-known thirty Buddhist images standing in the front row are all designated as national treasures. Besides these splendid images, 1001 ‘Kannon’ standing figures, designated as important cultural assets and found around the main image, are very graceful. This group of the old Buddhist images is the best part of this temple, no other temples can match this. This hall is also known as the place for ‘Toshi-ya’ long-distance archery making the most of the 120 meter long open air corridor as shown in the second picture. During the Edo period, 17th-19th century, Toshi-ya was one of the most popular spectator sports for Kyotoites.