Afternoon in Kyoto

A few weeks ago I met some very friendly Japanese women at an Okonomiyaki party that they hosted. One of them was on the brink of moving to Kyoto and I told her that when I got back to Japan, it'd be great to visit her.  So today several of us enjoyed a really wonderful afternoon in her presence and the beauty and endless variety of Kyoto.  It never leaves me down, that city.  Always more to discover in the crevices of its streets, the beauty of its nature, and the way it hosts the passing of time.

Kitchen supply store–shape cutters for vegetables;
Japanese knives in the cases and on the walls

Lunch at Kuromame Cafe–the secret ingredient is Japanese black beans:
miso soup, rice, natto tempura, tofu, sake

Bride posing for her wedding pictures at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

Flowering at Shisen-dō

Viewing room at the Shisen-dō–
Why look at a painting when nature is so beautiful?

Outside the viewing room, looking in

Groundskeeper

Matcha and the curiosity of an azuki mochi "pie"– verdict: it was good.