Takase River: The Almost-Lost Cherry Blossom River (1) 🌿

📚 Before setting off, do some homework so you can not only capture great photos but also have stories to share! 🌇 🌺 Today, I'll introduce you to a truly storied and enchanting river in Kyoto—Takase River! Just a stone's throw away from the Kamo River, it's hidden in the narrow alleys of Kiyamachi-dori. 🌸 During cherry blossom season, it's breathtakingly beautiful. But did you know? A few hundred years ago, it almost became a road! 🌸 🚢 400 years ago, the Japanese merchant Kakuemon Tsunekuni had this artificial canal dug to connect Kyoto and Fushimi. At that time, the river was packed with flat-bottomed boats called "Takase-bune," transporting rice, sake, and timber back and forth, much like a mini version of the Grand Canal of China! 🚢 🚤 In the Meiji era, when the tram tracks along the Kamo River were built, boat transportation quickly declined! The Takase River fell into disrepair, and the merchants of Kiyamachi Street once considered filling it in to expand their commercial area! #Kyoto 🌿