My Kyoto

Today is exactly one year since I moved to Kyoto and started working at J-Hoppers.

To be honest I didn’t want to live in Kyoto that time. For me it was just a big tourist place, which is incredibly hot in summer. Which is, actually, true.

But after one year spent here I can say that I am lucky. I was lucky to enjoy Japanese momiji in a small rock garden not far from Tofukuji, Komyoin. On my own, with no people around. Just red maple leaves, rocks and sounds of stream. Discovering Kyoto by bike was even more exciting. Somehow this city preserved purity and beauty of nature in particular its northern part around Kurama and Kibune.

Spring in Kyoto gave me a charming evening walk along Shirakawa in cherry blossom. I was amazed by just married couples, which were making their wedding photo shoots in tuxedo and white dresses under sakura trees.

Humid and hot Kyoto summer I spent in Nanzenji with its green spacious park and amazing huge gates and sometimes drinking coffee at Kamo riverside near Shijo bridge with couples sitting every 3-5 meters along the river.

My winter in Kyoto was incredibly cold. Even oden and cocoa could not help. By the beginning of January I was stressed and tired, but Kyoto gave me another gift. When I woke up on 1 January and look through my window outside, the entire city was white. Snow covered streets and roofs of old temples. And it was so magical! In my memories Silver pavilion will always be covered with snow!

This city gave me so many memories. Some of them are very intimate like in Shimogamo shrine, which I hope will be special for me and one more person I love. Some of them are sad, like starbucks not far from home where I was hiding from winter cold with a book. Some of them are awkward, those I am not going to disclose now.

Kyoto is a great place. Every time I come back from somewhere and walk from Kyoto station through Honganji temples a feel this amazing smell of wood and Buddhist candles. And it makes me feel home.