The Ginkaku-ji temple is in the north east Higashiyama district of Kyoto, which means it’s nestled into the eastern hills at the northern end of the Philosophers path. As we were staying at the Hotel Granvia in Kyoto station on this trip and the station…
April in Kyoto is the month of the Miyako Odori; the Dance of the Capital. Several of the Geisha districts in Kyoto put on dance shows throughout the year but the Miyako Odori is performed by Maiko and Geisha of the Gion Kobu and is…
During March and April my Instagram feed is full of beautiful blossoms and I’m constantly trying to pick whether it’s an early cherry blossom (Sakura) or a late plum or apricot bloom (Ume). I’m the same when we’re in Japan in the late winter and…
When you first arrive in the city it won’t be too long before you need to use the Tokyo subway. It’s the most efficient way to get to from A to B within the city in super quick time. You just have to master the…
The first two images I saw of Japan as a young child were of Himeji Castle surrounded by cherry blossom and a Geisha standing on a small bridge. They awakened my fascination with the country, it’s history and it’s culture. From our first visit that…
I’m often asked what my favourite place in Japan is. It’s a question I can only answer with a very long list. I find it a strange question really, it makes me a bit uncomfortable that I can’t provide that single place that they are…
Hie Jinja shrine provides an oasis of nature, tranquility and traditional Japan in the midst of modern Tokyo. Located in Nagatcho, the Japanese seat of government, it sits amongst the sky scrappers and hubbub of the city that has grown up around it. The shrine…
Two things I like to do when I arrive in a new city are to view it from up high and to view it from the water. In Tokyo a range of interesting river boats run up and down the Sumida river between the Hamarikyu…
A big part of enjoying a trip to Japan is being able to get around effectively so here are some of our top tips for transport in Japan. There’s a heck of a lot of information on this subject so I’m going to split this…
I love a good festival and they usually crop up in my Japan itinerary somewhere. During the winter the big one everyone talks about is the Sapporo Snow Festival and with good reason, it is huge and fabulous and we had the most amazing time. …
Setsubun is a fun Japanese holiday celebrated on the 3rd February. It marks the last day of Winter and the imminent coming of Spring. While it’s definitely summer where I am this year I thought I’d share some of our previous Sebsubun experiences in this…
I’m a tea drinker, I love most kinds of tea I’ve tried over the years but traditional Japanese teas are among my favourites. They are unashamedly bold and sometimes bitter but always layered with flavour and complexity. On our travels in Japan we’ve actively searched…
