Tag: Kyoto
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...
Nison-in: Busy Arashiyama’s Secret Mountain of Fire
Visiting Arashiyama in autumn will be one of two things: incredible, or infuriating. Unfortunately, Arashiyama's exceptional autumnal beauty makes it a victim of its own success. Recently, the area has become so crowded that people cannot walk from one part of town...
Myoshin-ji Temple and Taizo-in’s Garden: Kyoto’s Past, Perfectly Preserved.
Although much of Kyoto city's architectural and cultural history has skyrocketed in popularity in the last five years, many almost 'undiscovered' sites also exist. The lack of visitation creates a tangible atmosphere of living, breathing history. The vast temple complex of Myoshin-ji...
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,...
