those who caught Memoirs of a Geisha or Sayuri (e Japanese version) might recall e scene where Zhang Ziyi's character was driven in a black car along this path (above, bottom left).
at one end of e bamboo grove is 大河内山荘 Okochi Sanso, a villa belonging to e late silent-movie actor Okochi Denjiro (1898-1962):
emerging from e rather dark & gloomy entrance to e grounds of e villa (above left), you encounter a little 'clearing' surrounded by short maples & carefully pruned shrubs (above middle). as you mill around with other visitors, all wondering what else is there to this place that cost you 1000 yen each to enter, you spy a tiny narrow path (above right) in between the shrubs....
which leads uphill & through a little gate, partially hidden by the surrounding greenery:
passing through e gate, you arrive at a rather plain-looking building that is off-limits to visitors:
still wondering what exactly is there to see....& then you look to your right:
e red maple + yellow ginkgo killer combo again =)) neat wooden benches covered with red felt cloth (above right) have been provided for stunned visitors to sit down, gawk skyward & slowly recover from being overwhelmed by e sight....when all seated facing e tree, e people look as if they're attending some outdoor lecture conducted by e ginkgo =P
e maple up close, with a little stone torii hiding shyly beneath:
ginkgo leaves scattered generously at e maple's feet:
heavenward....
ginkgo branches holding out their hundreds of yellow fan-shaped leaves as they reach for e sun are just so graceful =)
e view across north Kyoto, with Hiei-zan & Daimonji-yama in e distance:
imagine living here, & enjoying this view with a cup of sencha while sitting on e tatami floor of e plain-looking building, listening to e light tinkle of furin (windchimes) dancing in e breeze....& watching e morning sun rise from behind e Higashiyama mountains & bring e city below to life, cloud shadows dance across e hills in e afternoon, & e daimonji burn on e slopes of Daimonjiyama on e summer night of 16 August =)
moving on....
Okochi Sanso has beautiful pines =)
e Higashiyama mountains from e second viewpoint:
nature's gold:
e muted colours of e little Zen garden (above) with e usual green moss, grey rocks & white gravel allows your eyes some rest before e next assault of colour lying just ahead....
here goes:
& there's more:
as your eyes try to recover, Daihikakuji appears in e distance:
& you realise that you are standing in e section of Okochi Sanso that is directly above Kameyama-koen, which explains e people below (& outside e boundary of e villa) enjoying e same view of Daihikakuji & e Katsura-gawa:
e path continues on....
....to e third viewpoint:
Kyoto Tower once again (above), & Hiei-zan (below):
e last section of e villa is a small 'courtyard' of sorts with pictures of Okochi Denjiro taken from his movies:
staff of e villa (below left) frantically whisking up bowls of frothy green tea for visitors to enjoy in e garden (below right):
ending e visit with e green tea & sweet that is served to all visitors:
more Arashiyama coming up....
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