Please come to Okazaki in autumn,which meets  your needs to know information regarding Japanese culture.

09.15.2014

Okazaki

EAST

Okazaki area which is located in Sakyo ward, Kyoto city, is a cultural and art district where a library and art museums are situated. Various kinds of events and ceremonies such as Jidai Festival in autumn are held. In the 11th-century, there are a lot of buildings of a temple where retired emperor Shirakawa became a monk; however, he retained political power and took over the reins of government ruling from the temple. Later Okazaki became the center to revitalize Kyoto. Some programs such as constructing a canal took place in the area. Okazaki is interesting for a variety of fascinating things such as: history, events, historical sites, and gardens for peoples' enjoyment. Why not take a walk around Okazaki in a pleasant autumn season which has refreshing cool winds.

Course

map

1Murin-an

Murin-an is a villa once lived in by Aritomo Yamagata who used to be a prime minister in the 19th century. You can enjoy “Maccha” (powdered green tea) with Japanese sweets (priced at 300 yen) while enjoying a view of a garden with a lot of green seen from the main wooden building.

2Usagi-no-Ippo

Usagi-no-Ippo is a tea house with a garden in traditional Japanese-style. You can enjoy Kyoto-style home cooking or have a relaxing time over some soft drink and sweets.

  • Address:91-23 Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto city
  • Open:12:00〜20:00
  • Closed:Every Wednesday
  • Access:A few minutes walk from the bus stop of Kyoto city bus, “Jingu-michi”4 minutes walk from the bus stop of Kyoto city bus, “Okazaki-koen bijutsu-kan・Heian-jingu mae”
  • Website:http://www.geocities.jp/usaginoippo/

3Namikawa Cloisonne Museum of Kyoto

The museum is the house of Yasuyuki Namikawa who was a cloisonne artist of the 19th and early 20th-century. It has fineness and graceful cloisonne pieces on display (an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects) which are very popular overseas. You can see the house and a garden from which you can imagine and ponder over his life.

  • Address:368 Horiike-cho, east from the corner of Sanjo street and Kitaura-shirasawa-suji, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto city
  • Open:10:00〜16:30 (the last admission)
  • Closed:Every Monday and Thursday (When a holiday falls on Monday or Thursday, it is open on the day but closed the next day.) It is closed on summer and winter holidays. It is also closed when the museum sets up a new exhibition.
  • Access:3 minutes walk from the subway Tozai line station, “Higashi-yama”.
  • Website:http://www8.plala.or.jp/nayspo/

4Sanmikou-an

Sanmikou-an is a traditional Kyoto-style house facing the Shirakawa river. It has a space where you can dine and enjoy drinking tea. It is not necessary to make a reservation for lunch.

  • Address:393 Sekisen-in-cho, west from the corner of Sanjo street and Kitaura-shirasawa-suji, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto city
  • Open:selling souvenirs, 10:00〜18:00 / Dining, 11:00〜14:00 (last order) / Cafe, 14:30〜17:00 (last order)
  • Closed:every Monday, but when a holiday falls on a Monday,(it is open on that day but closed the next day.)
  • Access:a few minutes walk from the subway Tozai line station, “Higashi-yama”.
  • Website:http://www.sanmikouan.co.jp/

5Gion Manju

The factory looks like a traditional Japanese-style house from its appearance and it reminds many of the past good old days. The “Shinko” is popular sweet and it has three different tastes; cinnamon, plain and maccha.

  • Address:102 Ohide-cho, west from the corner of Sanjo street and Shirakawa bridge, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto city
  • Open:10:00〜17:30
  • Closed:it is usually closed every Thursday
  • Access:a few minutes walk from the subway Tozai line station, “Higashi-yama”.

This information is correct as of July, 2013.