Tag: Kyoto
Backpacking Through Japan – An Overview
In the spring of 2019, my fiancée and I spent three weeks backpacking from Tokyo to Okinawa. Traveling over 2000 kilometers using a mix of almost two dozen local trains, five buses, and one boat, we managed to traverse more than half...
The 10 Best Foods to Eat at Nishiki Market, Kyoto
Food lovers rejoice, the Nishiki Market in downtown Kyoto is a mecca for all kinds of edible goodies. Whether you’re a sweet tooth or a savoury savant, you’ll be absolutely spoilt for choice. And, even if you’re full, you can let your...
Bathing in the Buff At Kurama Onsen’s Open-Air Bath
Tired body? Looking for a break from the tourist crowds of Kyoto? A day trip to Kurama Onsen might be just what the doctor ordered. Located less than an hour from the city, Kurama is a rural, mountainous retreat, lush with cedar...
Cool Down With Green Tea Soba, Perched Over A Flowing River
Uji is all about green tea; it's past, present and future are deeply rooted in tea culture. A quick stroll through town is enough to clue you in, with celebrity-status tea houses and green coloured foods everywhere you turn. For matcha lovers...
Kifune Shrine: One of Kyoto’s Most Instagrammable Shrines
In a stroke of genius, I decided to make the journey into the mountains north of Kyoto, where the rushing river and shaded streets would offer respite from the summer heat. Even though it was the rainy season, it had been dry...
Check out Asahiyaki: Hidden Gem Pottery Class in Kyoto
As I stared over the Asahiyaki instructor’s shoulder during the pottery wheel demonstration, I thought of that scene from Ghost. You know the one; the one every potter secretly prays won’t be mentioned as they don their apron each day. The one...
Exploring The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Arashiyama is a lush, scenic district west of Kyoto which translates directly to ‘Storm Mountain’. During spring and autumn, the titular mountain becomes blanketed in cherry blossoms and autumn foliage respectively. When the wind blows, the dying petals and leaves are whipped...
Chion-ji Handicraft Market Kyoto: Handmade Craft Heaven
Love handmade goods? Have a taste for local crafts? If you’re looking to snag some unique souvenirs from Kyoto, one of the best places to hit up is the Chion-ji handicraft market at Chion-ji Temple. It’s held once every month on the...
The Kyoto Scramble: Tokyo to Okinawa Day 3
With approximately 1600 temples (Silver Pavilion etc), 400 shrines (Yasaka Shrine), 5 castles (Nijo Castle etc), and numerous other picturesque sites, Kyoto offers enough to keep sightseers occupied for weeks. If you’re on a tighter schedule, however, it’s also possible to tackle...
Beat The Heat With These Three Kawadoko River Dining Spots in Kyoto
Summers in Kyoto can be surprisingly hot and humid. Luckily, the pragmatic ancient locals realised long ago that the river's surface, with its lower air temperature and higher velocity breeze, had serious cooling potential. With a little ingenuity, kawadoko river dining came...
