Cool Japan is an anime and pop culture special event held from January until June each year in Osaka’s Universal Studios Japan. In this post, we’ll share info and tips for visiting, attraction strategy to save you time, and provide our Cool Japan review. Each year, the details and properties featured in Cool Japan, but […]
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of the top sights in Kyoto, Japan, with its dense pathway of bamboo that stretches as far as the eye can see. This post features serene photos of the Kyoto’s bamboo forest and tips for visiting this bucket list destination. In terms of basic background, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove […]
Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所) is the former residence of Japan’s Imperial Family until 1868, when the emperor and capital were moved to Tokyo. In this post, we’ll share photos from inside the palace and the Imperial Park, offer info & tips for visiting, and share our somewhat contrarian perspective on this popular spot in Kyoto. […]
Japan is our favorite country to visit in the world. We’ve traveled to Tokyo and Kyoto more than any other cities, and have fallen in love with Japan’s culture, people, cuisine, beauty, and history. In this post, we’ll share some of our favorite experiences in Japan thus far. It was actually pretty tough to narrow […]
Chion-in (知恩院) is a large, free temple in Kyoto’s Higashiyama area. It is one of the most popular Jodo Buddhist temples in Japan. In this post, I’ll share photos from Chion-in (including of its ongoing construction), history, info & tips for visiting, and thoughts on the current experience at Chion-in Temple. The free grounds at […]
Making a list of the best things to do in Tokyo and narrowing that down to 10 items is a fool’s errand. From museums to theme parks to the bizarre yet awesome, Japan’s capital city has no shortage of excellent things to do. Nevertheless, we are going to narrow this list down, as it’s likely you have […]
Our ideal 1-Day Eastern Kyoto Itinerary offers a touring plan for stops along the Higashiyama Mountains, spanning from Silver Pavilion to Kiyomizudera, and beyond. Our plan of attack emphasizes efficiency while also slowing down to appreciate the majesty of Kyoto, and walking through some of the city’s most charming and historic districts. We wanted to […]
Welcome to the second installment of our ongoing series highlighting the best restaurants in Kyoto. In these posts, we share our favorite dining options from around the city that offer good food at great prices. While we’re big fans of ramen and udon, we also highlight other cuisine like tempura, steak, Matcha, etc. If you missed […]
Today we wandered around Kyoto enjoying the cherry blossoms that are reaching full bloom. Realizing most people aren’t planning a trip to Japan during sakura season, adding even more to our already multi-thousand word Kyoto Cherry Blossom Viewing Guide & Sakura Season Tips post might be excessive. Instead, I thought a photo update might be […]
This post offers a step-by-step itinerary for Central Kyoto, with advice on transportation between temples, museums, and other points of interest recommended in this Japan touring plan. If you’re visiting for 3 or more days, you should dedicate the third day of your itinerary to Downtown and Central Kyoto. In a way, you can think […]