Miao’s Kyoto Diary (Part 1)

Sunday. It’s still drizzling.I strolled out with an umbrella in hand to visit the flowers nourished by the gentle rain.When I looked up, my eyes were naturally drawn to the mist drifting from the mountaintop down the hillside.

Walking toward the cloud-covered mountain, I encountered small surprises along the way:The four o’clock flowers (Mirabilis jalapa) released a faint fragrance.A bird’s nest rested steadily on the bare branches of an old cherry tree.Tiny wildflowers stretched across morning glory leaves, like little crimson lips — tender and lovely at first sight.Two green katydids were lying around, either stretching or resting freely.Scarlet red spider lilies glistened with raindrops, blooming wildly like a fire on the grass.The gray heron by the water, the hazy distant mountains, and their reflections on the river surface merged into a single breathtaking scene — like a fairyland.

Just a moment ago, it felt as if I were walking in the poetic realm of “In this mountain alone, lost in the deep clouds.”Then the rain stopped. The mist, like flocks of sheep roaming the hills, was called back by the shepherd to rest quietly in the valley.Suddenly, the view cleared, revealing a “clouds gone, the mountain like a painting” landscape — pure and transparent.

Van Gogh once said, “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”I couldn’t agree more.

October 5, 2025