2025.03.10
春の予感。
昨日より軽い上着に替えて、そろそろ見頃かな？と、梅見のお散歩へ出かけました。
嵐山より少し手前の梅津エリア、お酒と子授け、安産の神様を崇敬する梅宮大社へ。
参道では、大輪の椿がお出迎えしてくれます。
盛りをすぎ、散った花びらで一面がピンク色…！
うららかな朝の陽だまり、境内ではあちらこちらに猫ちゃんが。
ゆっくりひなたぼっこをしたいのに、入れ替わり立ち替わり写真を撮られて迷惑そうなお顔。
寝姿が可愛いので仕方がないの。
みんな猫に吸い寄せられていきます笑
拝観料をおさめて回遊庭園へ。
ひっそりした入り口からは、入ってびっくりの広大な敷地。
春は八重桜、つつじ。
夏は紫陽花、菖蒲、かきつばた。
秋は紅葉、冬は椿と梅…と、季節のお花がエリアごとに楽しめるようです。
今の季節はほとんどの草木が葉を落とし、春の訪れに向けて待機中。
もう数週間後には新緑が一気に芽吹いてガラリと風景が変わるのでしょう。
春爛漫に先がけて咲く梅を探しながら、奥へ奥へ。
白、黄、桃色、さまざまな種類の梅の花が、枯れ木色のお庭を優しく彩っていました。
種類ごとに開花時期が違うようですが、まだほとんどが五分咲きといったところ。
ときどきふわっと感じる、うっとりするほど優しい梅の香り。
人工香料あふれる日常から離れ、自然の芳香に包まれる恍惚感はただただ幸せ。
お花に顔を近づけて、ときにはうっかり花粉が鼻についちゃうくらい近づいて、めいっぱい深呼吸。
うぐいすの声に耳を傾け、ゆっくりとお庭をめぐり、最後に美しい猫ちゃんを見かけました。
家の猫は家から出すわけにも行かず。
豊かな自然の中で自由に過ごす猫を間近に見るのは初めてかもしれない。
木の幹で爪をとぎ、飛ぶ鳥に視線をやり、草の上でくつろぐ姿。
思わず「幸せだねぇ」と声をかけていました。
気分はすっかり岩合光昭。
身を低くしてひとしきり写真をとり、奥へと歩いていく背中を見送りました。
梅宮大社をあとにしたら、住宅街をのんびり歩いて松尾大社近くの和菓子やさんへ。
家族へのお土産に松楽さんの「京おはぎ」を選び、今日のお散歩はおしまいです。
のんびりした気持ちで過ごす休日にぴったりの梅宮大社、また季節を変えて訪れたいと思います。
I changed to a lighter jacket than yesterday, thinking it might be about the right time for it, and went out for a plum blossom walk. I headed to the Umenomiya Shrine in the Umezu area, just before Arashiyama, a shrine revered for its connection to alcohol, fertility, and safe childbirth.
At the approach to the shrine, large camellias greeted me. The petals had fallen, and the ground was covered in pink, past their peak bloom.
On this mild, sunny morning, there were cats scattered around the shrine grounds. They seemed a bit bothered by the continuous photo-taking, even though they wanted to just relax in the sunshine. But their sleeping faces were so cute, it was impossible to resist. Everyone was drawn to the cats, laughing.
I paid the admission fee and entered the strolling garden. From the quiet entrance, I was surprised by how vast the grounds were.
In spring, the area boasts double cherry blossoms and azaleas; in summer, hydrangeas, irises, and flags; in autumn, the changing leaves; and in winter, camellias and plums. Each season offers a variety of flowers to enjoy in different areas.
At this time of year, most of the plants had shed their leaves, waiting for spring to arrive. In just a few weeks, new leaves will sprout, and the landscape will completely change.
As I walked deeper into the garden, looking for plums blooming before spring’s full arrival, I saw white, yellow, and pink plum blossoms gently coloring the garden of withered trees.
The blooming periods of the different varieties seemed to differ, but most of the flowers were about halfway open. Every now and then, I caught a soft, sweet plum fragrance that almost made me dizzy. Stepping away from the artificial scents of daily life, the natural fragrance wrapped around me in a blissful haze.
I brought my face close to the flowers, sometimes getting a bit too close and having pollen stick to my nose, taking deep breaths to fully enjoy the moment.
I listened to the sound of the bush warblers, slowly wandered through the garden, and spotted a beautiful cat in the end.
I can’t let my own cat outside, but it was the first time I saw a cat living freely in such rich nature.
The cat scratched its claws on the tree trunk, watched birds fly by, and relaxed on the grass. I couldn’t help but say, “You must be so happy.”
I crouched down, took several pictures, and watched the cat walk away, disappearing into the distance.
After leaving Umenomiya Shrine, I leisurely walked through the residential area and headed to a Japanese sweets shop near Matsuo Taisha. I picked some colorful, cute “Kyo Ohagi” from the shop “Shoraku,” and with that, my walk for the day came to an end.
Umenomiya Shrine, with its relaxed atmosphere, is perfect for a peaceful holiday, and I’d love to visit again when the seasons change.
