Fall foliage is illuminated at Eikando Zenrinji Temple in Kyoto, Japan during a special autumn night lighting. We’ve attended this special event, and will share our experience, night photos of the leaves, and some tips for visiting based upon our observations. With over 3,000 maple trees, this temple is so famous for its fall foliage that it’s […]
Yeah, there are over 1,600 temples and shrines in Kyoto, but did you know there are over 200 ramen shops?! While many tourists make the pilgrimage to Japan’s cultural capital of Kyoto for the temples and shrines, the city’s culinary culture should not be overlooked. There’s no shortage of lists compiling the “best ramen restaurants in […]
Yoshiminedera (吉峰寺) is a Japanese Buddhist temple in Kyoto’s southwestern mountains, comparable to Kiyomizudera or Kuramadera. That’s high praise considering their quality, but this is one of Kyoto’s crown jewels, which is also one of its best “hidden” gems. In this post, we offer info on getting to this off-the-beaten path temple, details about its […]
Katsura Imperial Villa is an exemplar of traditional Japanese architecture and garden design in Kyoto, but can only be visited by joining a guided tour. The good news is that these tours are free (update: from November 1, 2018 there will be a 1,000 yen fee charged per person). The bad news is that advance reservations […]
As promised in our Top 10 Favorite Experiences in Japan (So Far), we are back with a travel bucket list for the country. While we’ve made several trips to Japan and visited most major cities, we have yet to experience the far reaches of Japan. We’ve also yet to eat everything, attend every major festival, see […]
Kyoto National Museum features traditional Japanese art and rich culture associated with the early capital of Japan. In this post, we’ll share tips for visiting this museum, photos from around the museum, and basic info on what to expect from the rotating gallery of exhibits in Kyoto National Museum. If you’re only going to visit […]
Our 1-day Northern Kyoto Itinerary features temples, an imperial villa, hiking, an onsen in the mountains, a scenic railway journey, and more. This touring plan offers strategy for efficiently having a jam-packed day, and a step by step plan of attack for Northern Kyoto that will be almost entirely crowd-free. I was going to title […]
For many visitors, particularly those with the Japan Rail Pass, Himeji Castle is a popular day trip from Kyoto or Osaka. This guide covers the city of Himeji, and offers our tips for things to do, how to get there, and dining tips based upon our trips to Himeji for cherry blossom, fall colors, and other seasons. […]
Kokedera, also known as Saihoji, also known as the Moss Temple, is one of the most spectacular places in Kyoto, Japan. It’s one of the most difficult to access UNESCO World Heritage Sites, not because of remote location, but because of a cumbersome mail-only reservation process. Finally, it has gained some recognition as being Steve Jobs […]
Fushimi Inari Taisha is popular for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which draw more tourists than any other temple or shrine in Kyoto, Japan. However, if you go off the beaten path, you can find a secret bamboo forest that rivals the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and without any crowds. In this post, we’ll share photos […]