The wonders of north-western Kyoto Prefecture Ancient culture, spring flowers & festivals, and a great hot spa!
Taki-no Sennen Tsubaki Festival
Kaya Town’s Taki-no Sennen Tsubaki Park has a magnificent 1200-year-old camellia tree, one of the oldest in Japan. The tree’s huge trunk is 3.26 meters wide! When the tree is in full bloom the flowers create an amazing wine red and dark green tapestry. The park has a unique museum that is all about camellias. On April 6, at the peak of the tree’s flowering, a festival, featuring local food and craft stalls, will be held in the park. Access: Take the Tango Discovery Express from Kyoto station to Nodagawa Stn.; from there take a local bus to Taki (30 min.). Information: 0772-43-2161
Kayadani Festival
Kaya-cho holds a number of interesting local festival every April. The Kayadani Festival is the largest of these festivals. During the festival, each shrine holds various ceremonies and rituals such as the Tachi-furi (swing swords) performance of bravery, and the carrying of portable shrines up steep flights of stone stairs and then down again. Child kabuki will be performed on a stage in the style of the Gion Festival, influenced by the ancient rerationship between the Nishijin textile area (Kyoto City) and the chirimen weavers of Kaya-cho. Access: From Nodagawa station to each area. Information: 0772-43-2191
Chirimen Kaido In the same way as the Silk Road that runs through Central Asia, the Chirimen Kaido (“main road or highway”) was used from the 16th century until the Kaya railroad was completed in 1925 to transport a particularly fine type of kimono silk known as chirimen. Tango chirimen is a tough material that is hard to wrinkle. This influences the dyeing process and is the reason the dye colors are so strong. In the old days, in the local towns, both sides of the highway were lined with all kinds of shops, and the streets were busy with rickshaws, creating an exciting, bustling atmosphere. Today, a number of the old homes and shops that remain along 1.3 km-long preserved section. As you pass along this street, you can still hear the soothing sounds of 7 chirimen weaving rooms. Walking here is easy to imagine the charming culture of Kaya Town’s colorful past and how people lived in those days. Despite the great changes of modern times, local people continue to study new textile styles as they protect and preserve this exquisite traditional industry. The Kaya-cho Dye Work Center offers weaving tours and classes on a regular basis. Access: From Nodagawa station to Kaya-cho Yakuba-mae bus stop (20 minutes.). Information: 0772-43-2191
Rifure Kaya no Sato Spa
This spa is really more like an amusement park for people interested in health, especially herbal therapies. The spa has all kinds of baths—a Jacuzzi, an herbal bath, an herbal sauna—excellent for rheumatism, pain, poor circulation, and other health conditions. After or before bathing, guests can enjoy herbal cuisine, shop for high quality herbal goods, tour the on-site botanical gardens, or check in to the spa hotel and relax for a bit longer. Access: From Nodagawa station to SL Hiroba bus stop (10 min.). Information: 0772-44-3111.