The "Moon Viewing Evening," a celebration of the autumn harvest moon, began on September 15, 2024, at Daikakuji Temple in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City. The light of the moon floating behind thin clouds swayed on the surface of the pond, and visitors were intoxicated by the elegance reminiscent of a royal picture scroll.

Moon viewing at Daikakuji Temple is said to have begun when Emperor Saga, who built a villa in the Heian period, floated a boat on Osawa Pond and held a moon-viewing party with aristocrats. In recent years, aquatic plants have proliferated in the pond, so temple staff have been working hard to cut them down to maintain the beauty of the water's surface.

A pleasure boat sails gracefully across Osawa Pond as the moon peeks out from between the clouds (September 15th, Daikakuji Temple, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City)

When a bright moon appeared in the southeastern sky just after 6 p.m., tourists gathered by the pond cheered. Two pleasure boats shaped like dragons and the mythical bird "geki" slowly sail across the pond in the moonlight, while passengers enjoy the lingering heat of the autumn nights in Sagano.

Passengers on a pleasure boat enjoy the moon floating behind thin clouds (September 15th, Daikakuji Temple, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City)

Open until September 17th (5:30pm - 9pm), the mid-autumn festival. Admission is 500 yen. There is a Shinobue (bamboo flute) concert on September 16th.