After leaving the cafe Delica, I got off at Shijo-Omiya Station by city bus and took the JR bus to Takao. Although I have visited many places in Kyoto, I had never been to Takao before, so this visit was special. My original plan was to visit Jingoji, Nishimyoji, and Kozanji in that order, but the long stairs at Jingoji were too difficult, so I skipped Nishimyoji and headed straight to Kozanji. Kozanji is known as the temple where the oldest Japanese manga, "Chojugiga," was created. I paid the admission fee at Ishisuiin, where the manga is located, and was satisfied to see the wooden statue of a puppy. Next to it was a tea room where you could enjoy the view of the garden, so I decided to stop by. The snack was a red bean confection from Hozen-do Honten, the operator of the tea house Hozen, which naturally lifted my spirits. It resembled a kin-tsuki but had a more refined taste. After enjoying matcha and gazing at the garden for a while, I headed to my next destination.

I had tea at a traditional Japanese tea house. The sweets were "Tsutsu no Tsuki" with a design of birds, animals, and people, typical of Takayama Temple. The sweet was made of carefully cooked red beans solidified with agar, and it was delicious. The matcha tea was also delicious. Thank you for the wonderful meal today!

【2020.10.18】Today I visited the World Heritage Site, Kozanji Temple. The Ishuidein building is a national treasure. In Osaka, it's often not possible to enter national treasure buildings, but in Kyoto, you can enter them almost always. The tea room is located next to the Ishuidein building. The matcha was delicious. I ordered the matcha set for 700 yen (admission fee 800 yen, entrance fee 500 yen). Thank you for the meal.

The history of Japanese anime can be traced back to the playful and lively movements of animals in Choju Giga, which makes you wonder how far back it goes. Choju Giga is also closely associated with Takayama Temple, known for its stunning autumn foliage. The vibrant red leaves along the mountainside between Kangoji and Takayama Temple create a breathtaking scenery that makes the effort of climbing the mountain worth it. In addition, Takayama Temple is home to Japan's oldest tea plantation, where you can enjoy matcha tea. The tea ceremony at Ishisuiin is a must-try experience, although it can be quite crowded during peak season. The matcha served with a special sweet from Hosuiin is refreshing and the serene atmosphere of the tea room facing the garden adds to the overall experience. Despite the challenging access, a visit to Takayama Temple is highly recommended.

On November 13, 2016, I woke up early to go see the autumn leaves in Kyoto. I arrived at the parking lot of Takao before 9 am, but it was already almost full. The parking lot at Takao Temple is usually free, but during the autumn leaves season, it is paid. I paid the entrance fee from Omotesando and entered. I first visited the Kaizan-do, Kon-do, and Japan's oldest tea garden, then headed to the national treasure, Sekisui-in. I paid the admission fee of 800 yen and tea fee to enter. After seeing the Shoin, Zenya Doji statue, autumn leaves from the south edge of Sekisui-in, and the bird and animal caricatures (replica), I returned to the guest hall and enjoyed matcha and Japanese sweets in a tatami room. The Japanese sweet was from Shimogamo's "Hosen-do" called "Toginotsuki", made with carefully cooked red beans and agar, perfect as a tea snack. The Hosen's Japanese sweets never disappoint. The matcha had a nice hint of bitterness and was delicious. Thank you for the meal. Now, I will go see the early autumn leaves along the popular course in Takao.

On November 13, after a week of traveling to Yufuin where the autumn leaves had just begun, I woke up early with a friend to go admire the maple leaves in Kyoto. We left home at 7:45 am and drove to Kyoto's hidden gem, Takao. We took the Hanshin Expressway from Minamimorimachi, then the Hankyu Expressway and the Hanshin Expressway Kyoto Line to the Kamitoba Exit on Route 162. We arrived at Takanoji Temple parking lot before 9 am after a drive of less than 70 km. The 50-space parking lot was almost full, so leaving early was a good decision. (Parking is usually free, but costs 500 yen in November). Takaozanji Temple, a World Heritage Site located in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto, is an ancient temple believed to have been founded in the Nara period. It is famous for its national treasures, the "Birds, Beasts and People in the Game of Sugoroku" and "Japan's Oldest Tea Garden". We paid the entrance fee and explored the main hall, founder's hall, and the oldest tea garden in Japan. We also admired the white flowers of the tea plant blooming delicately. We then passed through the gate of the national treasure "Sekisui-in" and paid the admission fee to enjoy the autumn leaves from the south edge of Sekisui-in. We discovered the sumo wrestling frogs and rabbits from the replica of the Birds, Beasts and People in the Game of Sugoroku that we remembered from our textbooks. We returned to the guest hall and enjoyed matcha with sweets for 500 yen. The matcha and sweets were served by a young man who seemed to be a university student working part-time. The matcha was slightly bitter and made from tea leaves not from the temple's garden, but it still had a special taste. Drinking matcha in the spacious tatami room with sunlight streaming in and viewing the hanging scrolls and garden was a truly elegant experience. Since there were not many autumn leaves at Takaozanji Temple, we decided to walk 700m to the famous autumn leaf spot, Nison-in Temple. Thank you for the meal!