'Myōren-ji Tsubaki' (妙蓮寺椿) is a species of scarlet camellia, particularly popular in the Muromachi period. Tea masters favoured the flower, and Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康) adored the camellias so much he praised them in poems.

It's common to see rows of cherry trees planted along the banks of rivers (even when the waterway has been 'river managed' to within an inch of its life).

The kilometer stretch of Tenjingawa from Shijō-dōri (四条通) to Gojō-dōri (五条通) is filled with sakura

Last summer Nao-san planned to enjoy 'nodate' (野点 'outdoor tea ceremony') in each of the 4 seasons, and finally that dream came to pass

Nichizō soon won over and converted Yanagi-ya Nakaoki (柳屋仲興), the widow of the store's owner. She gifted him the store and its numerous buildings to create a Nichiren temple.

At first Nichizō bestowed on it the name 'Yanagi-dera' (柳寺), after the original shop.

The temple's history began with the arrival of Nichizō (日像) in 1294.
Charged with converting Emperor Fushimi (伏見天皇) to Nichiren Buddhism (日蓮系諸宗) by Nichiren on his deathbed, Nichizō found lodgings at the Yanagi-ya (柳屋) saké store at Nishinotōin Gojō.

There is a tradition at the temple that if you collect a handful of white, fallen oeshiki-zakura petals (naturally after praying) and return home with them, then a wish for love will be fulfilled.

Although the story sounds miraculous, oeshiki-zakura in fact blooms over an incredibly long (6 month) period.

While the flowers become evident in October, it's not until April 8th (Buddha’s birthday) that the blossoms reach their peak (with the other sakura).

A tree close to the main hall of Myōren-ji unseasonably began blooming on the 13th day of the 10th month, the anniversary of Nichiren's (日蓮 1222-82) death.
Because of this it became known as 'Oeshiki-zakura' (御会式桜 'Memorial to Nichiren Sakura').

A pretty stroll to lunch...

The left-hand mouse carries a drinking bowl (水の器), representing abundant harvests, protection from illness and success in conceiving.
The right-hand guardian carries a scroll (巻物) to symbolise academic achievement and knowledge.

THE MICE SHRINE

Abandoning her tea and sweets to the god of wind, Nao-san took refuge at nearby Ōtoyo-jinja (大豊神社). Thanks to two cheerful rodent statues, the shrine is more familiarly known as 'Nezumi-no-sha' (鼠の社).

What the photos do not capture is how windy it was...sudden gusts threatened to carry the sweets away, and whisking matcha with a tree trunk as wind break was not the most elegant of experiences

Nao-san (and a number of cats) enjoyed an outdoor tea ceremony beside the blossom-festooned Philosopher's Path (哲学の道).

blown to the big river
floating away...
cherry blossoms
大川へ吹なぐられし桜哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1804.
Trans. David Lanoue.