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Tofuku-ji Temple: Mirei’s Modernism in the Heart of Kyoto

Japan's abundance of breathtaking gardens makes it a promised land for plant lovers and landscapers alike. The problem is, which gardens should take priority when you only have limited time in the country? Tofuku-ji temple's gardens aren't Kyoto's largest or oldest, but...

Daihikaku Senkoji: The Best Views in Arashiyama!

It won't surprise anybody to learn that Kyoto is becoming the centre of tourist activity in Japan. Kyoto is a small, safe and affordable city, with more culture per square mile than anyone can handle in a one-week visit. However, the well-received...

Tenju-an: Lost in Reflection in Nanzen-ji’s Hidden Garden

Kyoto is awash with picturesque gardens and ponds. Be they dry-stone, botanical or verdant moss or ponds filled with koi, the city offers endless choices. Naturally, each competes for a visitor's limited time. Few travellers visit Tenju-an, an unassuming side garden located...

Love Yokai? Ge-ge-get Yourself to Kitano Ichijo-dori!

Ghosts, monsters and mischievous spirits are a staple of every single human culture that has ever existed. From Bunyips and Babadooks to Shtriga and Succubi, humans create folklore as a means of explaining the darker side of the unexplainable...

Down the Rabbit Hole to Kyoto’s Okazaki Jinja!

When Kyoto feels more than ever like a cedar-floored theme park, it's good to know that there remains a wealth of overlooked places to visit. Dotted throughout lesser-visited areas of the city, small temples and shrines continue to capture the peaceful spirit...

Kyoto Rurikoin Temple’s Green Maple Leaves Are Stunning in the Rain

The Rurikoin Temple Green Maple Leaves June has arrived, and along with it an unusually early rainy season comes knocking at the door. Yet even at this time of year, there are little things in nature from which to...

Shimogamo Shrine: One of Kyoto’s Oldest Shrines

Ask anyone where to go for the “really old stuff” in Japan, and they’ll probably mention Kyoto. Serving as the capital for over 1,000 years, it’s the birthplace of many traditional art forms and aspects of Japanese culture we see today. And,...

Heat, culture, chaos: the real Gion Matsuri.

Kyoto is a city that many consider to be the perfect embodiment of the truest 'Japanese sensibilities.' Refinement, subtlety and a restrained aesthetic create a type of harmony that permeates all facets of life in Japan. Minimalism, restraint and the beloved 'wabi-sabi' are all forms of a distinctly Kyoto-esque identity. Enter the Gion Matsuri: a night of hot air, cold beer and a touch of ancestral transcendence.

Strolling Around the Famed Tenryuji Temple Grounds in Arashiyama

The Bamboo Grove may be the most Instagrammed attraction in Arashiyama, but Tenryuji Temple is without doubt the most important. This World Heritage Zen temple was established all the way back in 1339, and quickly became the top ranking temple of Kyoto’s...

Kiyomizudera: Beyond The Main Hall

As I lower my camera amidst a sea of temple goers at Kiyomizudera, I get the feeling I’m being watched. Sure enough, in my peripheral vision, I spot two school boys, perhaps 14 years old, nervously looking from one another to me...

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