Tag: Kyoto
Art, Tranquility, and Synth-playing Monks at Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
Kyoto’s beauty and charm cannot be denied. However, it has led to a rather serious case of overtourism, so much so that in order to disperse traffic, the Government has now begun promoting more off-the-beaten-track destinations previously untapped by tourists. While Arashiyama...
Ine Bay Sightseeing Boat: Birds and Boat houses
When most people think of Kyoto, they picture famous shrines and bamboo forests. But the northern Kyoto fishing village of Ine is a quiet contender for one of the most unique places in Japan. Referred to as the ‘Venice of Japan,’ Ine...
Nanzen-ji: Heart of the Five Mountains.
'Temple Fatigue' is one of the most common afflictions affecting foreign visitors to Kyoto. Of course, each and every guidebook claims that any given Buddhist Temple is 'unmissable.' Lacking clear guidance, tourists traipse from one near-identical zen paradise to the next. Eventually,...
The Garden of Fine Arts: Tadao Ando’s Quiet Gift to Kyoto.
There's every chance you haven't heard of The Garden of Fine Arts. Almost secretively, it lies hidden next to Kyoto's sprawling Botanical Gardens in the northeast corner of the city. However, if you fancy wandering through a project created by the same...
Sanzen-in: a Place Among The Pines
Ohara village is one of a number of satellite settlements nestled in the rolling mountains surrounding the basin of Kyoto city. Idyllic rural villages are abundant in Japan, each being a patron of its own localised culture and traditions. However, Ohara's most...
Follow Arashiyama’s Kimono Forest to a Relaxing Foot bath
Arashiyama is perhaps best known for its Bamboo Grove, but there's another forest by the station that’s eye-catching in an altogether different way. During renovations of the Arashiyama Randen Station in 2013, artist Yasumichi Morita was tasked with creating an art installation...
Visiting Koke-Dera, Kyoto’s Moss Temple
Formally known as Koinzan Saiho-ji, or Saihoji for short, this Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple is located in Matsuo in the western part of the Kyoto city area. With over 120 varieties of moss present in the two-tiered...
Kyoto City Walking Tour – Gardens, Gates and Geiko.
View Full Tour on Google Maps
As tourism in Japan rises almost exponentially year-on-year, it's becoming harder to find secluded spots to enjoy. Luckily, a Kyoto City Walking Tour is the ideal solution to coach tours, overloaded city...
Kyoto’s Botanical Greenhouse: The Perfect Winter Warmer
Kyoto city sees its highest visitor numbers in spring, at the peak of cherry blossom season. Following this, the second-highest influx comes in autumn, just in time for fresher air and the magnificent red foliage. Most winter visitors to Japan come to...
Choraku-ji and Anyo-ji: Hidden in the Hills, Lost in Time.
Kyoto is abundant in micro-temples which atmospherically melt into forests and hills. Naturally, they're a perfect antidote to the more popular and all too often overcrowded temples and shrines in the city. Two such temples in Kyoto city lie hidden in Higashiyama's...
