In Japanese, bicycling a full loop around Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, is called 「ビワ1」("Biwa 1"), and depending on the route you take, is about 180~200km (112~124mi). It's a concept and phrase well known among cyclists, and even promoted by the Shiga Prefectural government, and that of various cities around the lake.

It's a lovely ride to do on a long summer day, with lots to see and enjoy, as I present in the story about the first time I did it 2½ years ago, in "Bicycle Ride Around Japan’s Largest Lake" (and its Part 2).

Part of what [...]

This past weekend Typhoon #21 of the season ("Lan") blew past, and it was quite the different experience from most. (It was the 21st typhoon in the western Pacific this year, but only the second or third to have much effect on Kyoto.)

It looked like it would make its closest approach to Kyoto late in the evening, so the day leading up to it was blustery and rainy. I find it fun to ride in weather like that, so just as I did a ride in the lead-up to a typhoon in August, I went out for a bicycle [...]

今回は二年前の圓光寺（京都市）の写真です。撮影日は11月17日でした。

It's gotten suddenly chilly here in Kyoto, Japan, reminding me that the fall-foliage season is approaching. So just as with last year's "Looking Ahead To Fall with a few Shots from Last Season" post, this post is to help get me in the mood. All the photos on this post are from the same mid-November 2015 visit to the Enkoji Temple (圓光寺) in northeast Kyoto.

This temple has been featured on my blog many times, so the "nearby photos" link under any photo brings you to other posts from the temple.

The whimsical statue seen at the top of [...]

Here's a wigglegram of Minh and Nghia at the Murin'an Garden in Kyoto. The last photo of "Nghia and Minh in Kyoto, Part 2" is actually part of this wigglegram.

Continued here...

I'd heard that the Kurama Temple (鞍馬寺), nestled on the side of a mountain in a northern suburb of Kyoto, made for a nice visit, but despite riding past it dozens of times since I got into cycling, I'd never actually entered it. This week I finally did.

The main part of this post is about this week's visit, but first let me recount my prior experiences with this temple...

Normally I just ride past and perhaps snap a photo along the way, such as the following shot from my first "real" bike ride 2½ years ago:

Sometimes I [...]