Japanese Culture in New York - Chopsticks NY

Japanese people go to Kyoto to realize the tradition they cherish in the modern age. Foreign tourists visit Kyoto for astonishing beauty that is brought by the mixture of culture and nature. When the quiet winter touches Kyoto, the city becomes a tranquil cultural and historic center of Japan. After the successful three years of winter tourism campaign, Kyoto is bringing its Winter Special campaign back in this winter. Starting from December 1, 2009, this four full month campaign is offering several time-limited exhibitions, displays and other events all over Kyoto.

Restaurant Winter Special

As the steady increase of Japanese culinary popularity all over the world, Kyoto cooking has been carefully preserved in Japan along with their tradition and season-oriented lifestyle. The 2010 Kyoto Winter Special adds this new segment in the campaign this year, dedicating the entire month of February for a special culinary experience with Kyoto’s historic, famed and established restaurants that are usually relatively limited to the locals and regulars. This one-month Kyoto Restaurant Winter Special will introduce Kyoto’s most superior traditional meal to those who look for the special Kyoto experience and authentic Japanese essence that has been preserved in Japan. More than 100 local restaurants are participating in this campaign, and enjoy their venerable cuisine in their prix fixe menus at about $55 for lunch and $120 for dinner.

Hanatouro (the Flower Lantern)

Although winter is not the high season in Kyoto, the most visual and picturesque view may be captured in this event. Hanatouro, the flower lantern event specially organized by both the City government as well as local volunteers, Hanatouro has been the most popular in the Kyoto Winter Special campaign. Lanterns that are specially designed with Kyoto’s traditional materials such as limestone, bamboo and lacquered wood, are installed along streets, gardens and historic landmarks in Kyoto’s two major districts. The lanterns will be lit up from December 11 through 20 in Arashiyama, Kyoto’s western woody quiet area that house several Zen meditation temples including the famous Rock Garden. Hanatouro in Arashiyama displays the mystique scenes of century-old natural beauty that has cohabited with the human society to this day. On the contrary, the second part of Hanatouro shows more colorful and glamorous Kyoto: the lanterns light up Higashiyama District, the ancient city center where teahouses and restaurants line up, geishas passing by for their busy performance schedule. The city’s several landmarks also gather in this area including the World Heritage site of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, narrow alleys with traditional houses along side, all of which are lit up with chic lantern lights from March 13 to 22.

Time-Limited Public Viewing

The city’s largest effort for the Kyoto Winter Special campaign is the special public viewing at historic facilities that are usually closed for preservation purposes. Kyoto has developed and preserved many historic artworks, interior decorations, religious materials and others, and the places that house all those are also irreplaceable. However, they also show many aspects of past life in Kyoto and historic treasures, and the value of these pieces should be shared with the general public during the less busy winter season. This winter, the city opens 11 temple facilities, art pieces and crafts that illustrate Japanese art magnificence. The special public viewing is available from January 9 through March 22, 2010 at 600 yen admission fees (300 yen for children under 12 years old).

Kyoto’s Tea Party

Geisha is almost the icon of Kyoto’s cityscape, because they are professional entertainers for traditional tea parties at many tea houses in Kyoto. During the Kyoto Winter Special campaign, the tea party with geisha is offered at a special affordable rate to visitors. The special tea party event will be from 2:30pm to 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (excluding Japanese national holidays) from December to February. The ticket is available at 500 yen per person for the 30 minute performance at the Tea Ceremony Classroom, Yasaka Kaikan Hall 2nd Floor.

Side Trip

Flea Market at Toji Temple: The Kobo Market is a monthly flea market taken place on the 21st of each month at Toji Temple with Kyoto’s iconic five-story pagoda. This market has begun in 1239, commemorating a famous Buddhist monk, Kukai, who came to this Temple on March 21. Since then, the locals ran a market at this temple on the 21st of each day, which was believed that the market in the temple connects gods and people. The attendance to the market kept growing and the stores became more varied, and there are over 1200 stores lined up attracting about 200,000 visitors. Toji Temple is 10 minute walk south from Kyoto station.

For more information and details on the campaign,
go to www.kyotowinterspecial.com.

——– Nori Akashi : Public Relations Manager at the New York Office of JNTO

Japan National Tourism Organization New York Office
11 West 42nd Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10036
TEL: 212-757-5640
www.japantravelinfo.com