Sunday was a beautiful sunny day. We got up early and headed to Nagaoka-tenjin. For the past several years, we have gone to Aokomyoji to see their fall colors. This year, the leaves weren't as red as the very first time we visited in 2002, but they were still beautiful. I noticed that only the tops of the trees, the parts that were touched by the sun, were the leaves that changed to reddish-orange.We also saw their rock garden for the first time. It was beautiful and there weren't many people in the garden area.
From Hankyu Nagaoka-tenjin, we went two stations and got off at Higashi-mukoo. From the Higashi-mukoo station, it was about a 30 minute ride up a skinny winding road into the mountains of West Kyoto to Yoshimine-dera. At times the bus had to pull on the side to let cars go up and vice versa.Yoshimine-dera is also called Matsu no dera because they have Japan's greatest pine branch. 54 meters (about 177 feet)...and it is 600 years old! (though they had to trim 15 meters of it due to bugs eating it..so it is now only 39 meters)
The bus dropped everyone off on a slope and we had to continue
But, it was all worth it. The views were spectacular and the property huge! Lots of beautiful maple trees. They don't allow bentos (boxed lunches) or smoking on the property--(when you see the size of the property you will understand why, it is too big for them to pick up after irresponsible litterings.)
The fall colors should be around for the next week or so. Hopefully we'll be able to check out a few more places before the leaves fall off the trees.
Aokomyoji (sometimes called Komyoji)
Bus number 20 or 22 from Hankyu Nagaoka-tenjin
Bus fare: 170 yen one way
Temple entrance: 500 yen per person
Phone: 075.955.0002
Yoshimine-dera (Matsu no dera)
Bus number 66 from Hankyu Higashi-mukoo
Bus fare: 340 yen one way
Temple entrance: 500 yen per person
Phone: 075.331.0020
Open 8:00-17:00
