The geiko and maiko of Kyoto, keepers of time-honored traditional dance and music, are concentrated in five kagai(geisha districts) across the city.  Each of the districts performs a large-scale dance for the public once a year, and Kamishichiken district’s Kitano Odori runs from March 25th to April 7th to usher in the spring.  Two performances are held each day, at 13:30 and 16:00, and tickets cost 4,300 yen.  For an additional 500 yen guests can enjoy a cup of green tea and a sweet before the play, which also comes with a commemorative plate.  Tickets can be purchased online for those with Japanese credit cards, procured through travel agents, or reserved with assistance at the Tourist Information Center in Kyoto Station. The Kitano Odori usually consists of three sections: a multi-scene story play, a collection of themed dances, and the ever popular Kamishichiken Serenade finale piece.  With the exception of the finale, other performances change each year.  Recent story plays have included “Enishi no Miya”, a romance ...more

Now we are delighted to announce that we started to sell our welcome tea from, HARNEYS and SONS. at4 th floor reception now.   Peaches & Ginger Our popular black tea blend combines the flavors of fresh peaches with ginger. It contains pieces of real peaches and ginger. Tin of 20 sachets. Each tea sachets brews a 12 oz cup of tea. Ingredients:Black tea, peach flavor, ginger flavor, peach pieces, ginger pieces. Contains natural flavors.(￥2,000+ tax) Pomegranate Oolong We infuse full leaves of premiumTi Quan Yin Oolong with tangy pomegranate to create this complex full-bodied blend that brews into a sweetly fragrant, silky textured cup of tea. Tin of 20 sachets. Each tea sachet brews a 12 oz cup of tea. Kosher.(￥2,000+ tax) Dragon Pearl Jasmine tea Delight in Dragon Pearl Jasmine tea a masterpiece from Fuan, China comprised of little hand rolled tea ‘pearls’ gently infused with floral essences from jasmine flowers. The tea is a beautiful to look at, ...more

Setsubun is celebrated in Japan on February 3rd, marking the day before spring with various traditions meant to drive away evil spirits and bad luck and cleanse the home and family for the coming year. Shrines and temples around Japan hold special festivals for the public to come together and participate as a community, and several of these festivals are quite famous in Kyoto. Yoshida Shrine has been beloved by locals since its establishment in 859 as the guardian shrine of the capital city of Heian-kyo. The Setsubun-sai festival there, which has been held for several hundred years to pray for happiness and peace, is visited by approximately 500,000 people every year. It is held for three days, from February 2, the day before Setsubun, to February 4, the day after Setsubun. With approximately 800 stalls open on February 2 and 3, it is an event where you can enjoy a festive atmosphere.         2nd,FEBURARY(fri)   8:00　before ...more

茶 2018 New Year’s Exhibition Chanoyu Kettles and Related Items —Spotlighting Those Favored by the Generations of Urasenke Iemoto—  Simultaneous Exhibition: The Twelve Animals of the Chinese ZodiacSunday 7 January – Sunday 4 March, 2018Well known is the fact that Japan’s chado, or literally “way of tea,” also goes by the name chanoyu, “hot water for tea” — a name which draws our attention to just how basic and important the act of “putting the kettle on” is in order to prepare tea and to enjoy chado. To begin the year 2018, the Chado Research Center is featuring an exhibition of chanoyu kettles favored by the generations of Urasenke iemoto counting from the era of the family’s founder, Sen Rikyu, in the 16th century. Introduced, also, are many of the range of items related to the use of kettles in chanoyu, including portable braziers, frames for sunken hearths, and charcoal-handling equipment. Further adding to the exhibition’s historical interest is a ...more

Hope you are enjoying winter,Kyoto is also beautiful in winter too. We would like to introduce an exhibition about next year of the dog. Exhibition Title Feature Exhibition; Puppies Galore: Celebrating the Year of the Dog Period December 19, 2017－January 21, 2018 Venue Heisei Chishinkan Wing (The Collections Galleries), Galleries 2F-1, 2 Transportation JR, Kintetsu Railway, Keihan Railway, Hankyu Railway, City Bus / Map Closed Closed on Monday Dec. 25, 2017 – Jan. 1, 2018. *When Monday is a national holiday, the museum will be opened on Monday and closed on Tuesday. Museum Hours Tuesday – Thursday, Sunday: 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (Entrance Until 4:30 p.m.) Friday, Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Entrance until 7:30 p.m.) Admission Adult 520 yen (410 yen) Univ. Student 260 yen (210 yen) (Fees in parentheses are for groups of 20+) *Admission is free for youths of high school age and below. Images from the Exhibit 2018 is the Year of the Dog according to ...more

Kyoto is in full autumn now, please come and enjoy. We are proud to introduce,KINGDOM Organic matcha. Authentic Japanese origin,from KYOTO UJI region. Spring first cultivation,highest quality organic matcha. This is the highest quality used mainly in tea ceremonies and buddhist temples. Stone grind into a powder by granite stone mills. Various nutrition,especially catechin,theanine,caffeine,B-carotene,folate,vitamin k. please enjoy the delicate aroma and health benefits of our best hand picked matcha green tea. PRINCE culinary grade,suitable for cooking purposes(latte,cake,iced tea,muffin) slightly bitter due to using leaves lower down on the green tea plant.             anco web site

FIGARO japon voyage  [Vol.37] FIGARO japon voyage   It is such an honor to be on FIGARO VOYAGE!! Please take a look,now on sale!!        

  We will open the select shop “247 select shop” for 3 days only. Please coming! Something …we like. Made in Japan. You can feel passion. For ex food, clothes,ceramics, crafts, cosmetics, kimono accessories, arts, sundries, bags€  etc. € 2017/11/17(Fri)・2017/11/18(Sat)・2017/11/19(Sun) 10:00-18:00(19th～17:00) At.  Bijuu  4F  SpaceB （Murakamijuu Bld. 194 Sendo-Cho Shijo-Sagaju  Nishikiyamachi-Dori Shimogyo-Ku Kyoto, Japan）   info@qol-777.com / 090-2110-2590 The Quality Of Life & Culture Institute€ Facebook Page          

“Taisei Hokan 150th anniversary ART AQUARIUM CASTLE ~Kyoto, the Dance of Kingyo~” Today marks our grand opening! Let’s have a round of applause! The former imperial villa, Nijo-jo Castle is hosting the “Art Aquarium Castle”, after a two year break, to commemorate ‘the 150th anniversari of the Restoration of Imperial Rule (Taisei Hokan)’ – welcoming its guests in style, on a never before seen scale! Brand new works are on display for this special occasion! We’ll be open nonstop between Wednesday 25th October, and Monday 11th December 2017. We look forward to your visit!   Taisei Hokan 150th anniversary ART AQUARIUM CASTLE ~Kyoto, the Dance of Kingyo~ Period: October 25, 2017 (wed) – December 11 (mon) / Open throughout the period Time: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM (last admission 9:30 PM) Venue: Nijo-jo Castle (Ninomaru Palace Garden, Garden in front of Kitchen, Kitchen) http://artaquarium.jp/en/kyoto2017/

A festival held at the Heian Jingu Shrine, the Jidai Matsuri is one of the three largest festivals of Kyoto together with the Aoi Matsuri – Hollyhock Festival (May 15th) and the Gion Matsuri (July 1st – 31st). The highlight of the festival is the Jidai Gyoretsu (Historic Pageant): a mikoshi (a portable shrine) and a suite of some 2,000 people dressed in costumes representing various eras of Kyoto’s 1,200-year history parade through the city. At noon, the procession departs from Kyoto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace), and parades over a total distance of 4.6 kilometers as far as its destination, namely the Heian Jingu Shrine, arriving there around 2:30 in the afternoon. The line of the parading people stretches over a long distance and it takes more than one whole hour for the entire procession to pass one spot. This is a fine opportunity for taking a close look at the costumes, accessories and fittings which are reproduced with the ...more