How To Spend A Week In Kansai (And Not Visit Kyoto)
Kansai is known as a region of contrasts.It is central to Japan’s spiritual and cultural development and is where modern Japanese civilisation evolved.At its heart lies Osaka, a city that…
Kyoto
Experience Kyoto’s Premier Japanese Tea Ceremony
For many people, experiencing an authentic tea ceremony in Kyoto is high on their wishlist. Alongside staying in a ryokan and soaking in an onsen, or attending a sumo tournament, observing…
Seike Yuba (Tofu Skin) Restaurant, Kyoto
You know soybeans. You’ve even cultivated a taste for tofu. Well, now there’s another high nutritional variant for you to discover: yuba. Aka tofu skin. I recently tried yuba for the first time…
Guide: Samurai Juku, Kyoto
Download my 2-page printable guide to the full Samurai Juku hands-on samurai sword experience.Details my 3-step guide to what to expect and how to feel the spirit of the samurai in…
Feel the Spirit of the Samurai Sword in Kyoto
A samurai sword experience. How you can practice basic sword moves, use a genuine, 400-year-old samurai sword to slice through tatami and learn about the 1,000 year-old samurai tradition. All this…
The Kyoto Hotel That’s Also An Art Gallery
Located in the authentic and traditional district of Higashiyama, and featuring artwork by mural artist Hideki Kimura, Kyoto Traveler’s Inn offers affordable accommodation in both Japanese and Western style rooms….
Why You Should Explore Kamigamo Shrine In Kyoto
After Tokyo, Kyoto, is perhaps the biggest draw for foreigners coming to Japan. Which is understandable – after all, it was the capital for over a thousand years. Personally, I…
Kyoto Journal: Celebrating Japanese Culture
Founded in 1986 by editor and designer John Einarsen, Kyoto Journal has been creating a record of and celebrating Japanese and Asian culture for the past 30 years. That in itself…
Stardust Vegan Cafe & Boutique, A Kyoto Oasis
Most people come to bustling Kyoto for the incredible wealth of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, and perhaps the hope of catching a Geisha or two walking elegantly in their…
Steam Locomotive Ride at Kyoto Railway Museum
All aboard! The film below follows the journey onboard the steam locomotive exhibit ride at Kyoto Railway Museum in Kyoto. The original Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum opened in 1972, but was…
Exploring Kyoto’s 15 Storey Train Station
Kyoto, the former Imperial capital of Japan with its amazing wealth of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, is on many people’s ‘to do’ list when travelling in Japan. Most arrive at…
Review: Fujimiya Ryokan, Kinosaki Onsen
In the bustling onsen town of Kinosaki, the centrally-located but tucked away family-run Fujimiya ryokan offers just the right balance of traditional features and modern convenience. It’s a fine example…
Hot Spring Hopping in Kinosaki Onsen
Kinosaki Onsen is a 1300-year-old onsen (hot spring) village famous for its seven different public baths and charming atmosphere. Onsen towns like Kinosaki encapsulate all that is attractive, enticing and rewarding…
ANA Experience Japan Fare
As part of their domestic flight service, ANA’s Experience Japan Fare is a great, cost-effective way to explore Japan by air. All Nippon Airways, usually abbreviated to ANA, is the largest…
Workbook: How To Plan A Trip To Japan In Just 4 Steps
Minimise hassle and have the best possible timePlanning a trip to Japan should be exciting!But it can also be daunting and the options for what to do potentially overwhelming.To help…