Asakusa is a neighbourhood in the northeast of Tokyo city adjacent to the Sumida River. It’s known to visitors for the historic Senso-ji temple and spectacular views from the Tokyo Skytree but let’s take a deeper look at things to do in Asakusa. We’ve been…
Under the canopy of the majestic old cedar trees and protection of Mount Nantai lies the town of Nikko, a popular destination for visitors from Tokyo. The UNESCO World Heritage Shrines and Temples draw tourists from all around the world but there’s so many more…
Local festivals are a great time to visit a Japanese Temple or Shrine. This large UNESCO listed temple is especially beautiful during the cherry blossoms and the Hanami Gyoretsu festival but it’s not the only season that it’s excels.
As soon as I knew we’d be in Kyoto on the 1st April I mentally blocked out the middle of the day for the Kenka-sai festival. Incorporating festivals and cultural events on our Japan trips is something we’ve done since our first visit and it’s provided some…
Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion Temple should be on your list of things to do in Kyoto. Here’s what you need to know to plan your visit. We’ve been to the Golden Pavilion temple during spring time and in winter and thoroughly enjoyed both visits. It’s…
Take a day trip from Tokyo to Enoshima. The island has been a tourist escape for centuries but now is only 70 minutes from central Tokyo. Enoshima offers something for everyone; great food, caves, gardens, shrines, views history and beaches.
There’s not much that’s more adorable, or kawaii I guess, than dozens of young children in traditional kimonos. It’s a sight you’re likely to see a lot in Shinto shrines during the shichi-go-san festival in mid November. An excess of cuteness and so many bright colours is a photographers dream…
If you’re planning a visit to Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture you will probably have Itsukushima Shrine at the top of your list of things to see. The waterfront shine is famous for its ‘floating’ tori gate and shrine buildings and is especially dramatic at…
If you’re visiting this historic city a Kyoto geisha experience might be one of the things you’d love to do. For most foreign visitors an intimate evening with a geisha, or geiko and maiko as they are called in Kyoto is unlikely but we have…
Goal for the day? The top of Mt Misen! I enthusiastically parted the curtains of our room high up in the Hiroshima Granvia Hotel to watch the daylight creeping into the sky across over the city. The weather was grey and more hazy then would…
Eikan-do is one of those temples that we wandering into off of the Philosophers Path without any intent or prior conception of what to expect. That can be a blessing and a curse. It’s nice to experience everything with completely fresh eyes and no expectations but also…
A super fast and efficient public transport system, being geographically compact and with so much diversity makes Japan an ideal country to explore. You don’t need to be constantly moving from one base to another to see new parts of Japan, so much is accessible within a reasonable commute from a central city. We’ve taken these trips from Kyoto but they’re equally suitable if you are based in Osaka, Kobe or Nara. Have fun!
