July 3, 2025 - Water Lilies Extraordinaire

In another attempt to beat the heat and the crowds Rusty and I hopped on a bus to see the Arishyama Bamboo Forest (Yosiell opted to sit this one out and find a cafe to draw in). The bus and train system in Keyoto (and for that matter in Japan) is excellent. We did manage to beat the heat and most of the crowds, but the increasing heat and humidity reminded us the Japanese summers can be brutal.  The bamboo is truly impressive, beautiful, tall, and dense.  

Success! Very few tourists this early in the morning! 

A very beautiful forest, the bamboo has reached impressive heights. 

The heat of the day is evident from my flushed face, but sill hard to complain about the heat with the surrounding beauty. 

Fun times on the bamboo forest trails. 

There are many sites near the bamboo. One shrine had a huge pond with the most beautiful (and largest) water lilies I’ve ever seen.

A statue dedicated to a woman considered the mother of Arishyama for her commitment to the community.

A very large pond filled with the largest water lilies I have ever seen.

Hidden in the trees is a shrine and small temple.

A white water lily among all the pink.

So large but so delicate, one of many pink water lilies.

There are quite a few temples in the area, but laundry called, we opted to return to our Ryoken and go to a local laundromat. After a light dinner, Rusty wanted to find a Jimbei (Japanese lounge/sleep wear), so back to Gion to find a reasonably priced one and a quick visit to the Azure, the mini gay bar for a few quick drinks and getting back to prep for another travel day.