The midsummer event "Pinwheels and Wind Chimes" is being held at Toko-in Temple in Kamienobe-cho, Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture. Visitors seemed to forget the heat for a moment as the gentle valley breeze spun the red, yellow, blue, green, and purple windmills.
This event marks the second part of the "Ayabe Hydrangea Wind Chime Festival," which was held mainly in June. The temple grounds are decorated with a "pinwheel tunnel" made up of 1,025 pinwheels in 10 different colors, 400 flower-shaped pinwheels, and 200 more in the temple's kitchen. Thousands of wind chimes are also hanging from the ceiling.
Toko-in Temple is said to be "a retreat where aristocrats once frequented to cool off in the summer." Head priest Matsui Maki (66 years old) says, "The temperature is 2 to 3 degrees lower than in the city. I hope people can enjoy the coolness."
Open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until August 31st. Closed August 14 to 16. The admission fee is 300 yen for high school students and above.
