A record of photographing Kyoto on November 22, 2025.
From late-blooming roses at the Kyoto Botanical Garden to cultural scenes at Kamigamo Shrine, including the Yoroi Festival and Shichi-Go-San, the narrative concludes with a dramatic return of sunlight at the shrine’s iconic autumn foliage spot.
A quiet yet profound moment that captures the spiritual presence of late autumn in Kyoto.

November 22, 2025.
The weather forecast said today would be a clear day.
I have been photographing Kyoto for more than twenty years.
This morning, I was talking with a close friend.
When the autumn leaves reach their peak, weekends often become perfectly clear with not a single cloud in the sky.
It feels as though heaven rewards the good men and women who worked hard during the weekdays by giving them a beautiful clear weekend.
I headed to Kyoto early in the morning.
My plan for today was the Kyoto Botanical Garden, then Kamigamo Shrine, and finally Eikando—one of the “Three Grand Yokozuna of Kyoto Autumn Leaves.”
Even I felt excited about such a plan.
However, the moment I began photographing at the Kyoto Botanical Garden, the sun was covered by clouds.
I wondered what to do, but while walking and photographing camellias and other flowers, I arrived at the rose garden.
I was astonished.
Even though it was already November 22, roses were still blooming beautifully in the Kyoto Botanical Garden.
How fortunate it is to be able to smell roses at this time of year.
The fragrance of the variety called “French Perfume” was indescribably wonderful.
As regular readers know, I love the scent of roses.
When I checked the weather forecast again, it said that the sky would clear after 1 p.m.
So I had a slow lunch at a familiar nearby restaurant and then took a bus to Kamigamo Shrine.
The sun still did not appear, but I could sense a faint sign of light preparing to break through the clouds.
Kamigamo Shrine is always wonderful.
There is something here that makes one feel that way.
Today, with Shichi-Go-San celebrations, the atmosphere was especially pleasant.
Just as I entered the shrine grounds and began photographing, a procession led by a Shinto priest appeared.
Some people were taking photos.
When I asked what the procession was, I was told it was the “Yoroi Festival.”
Inside the shrine grounds, I continued photographing.
The river and the bridge—both are treated as sacred.
As I walked and photographed while looking at such things, I suddenly felt a powerful spiritual presence in one particular place.
“Ah… this shrine is incredible.
I have felt this before.”
Once again, I continued pressing the shutter with the feeling of visiting for the first time.
While doing so, I reached the place known as the iconic autumn foliage spot of Kamigamo Shrine.
It was at that moment.
The sun suddenly began to shine brightly, as if illuminating all three thousand worlds.