TWILIGHT ADVENTURES IN THE OLD CITY...
Whether you are in Kyoto short-term or long, your time here is likely to include at least some shrine and temple viewing. Kyoto is traditionally known as the city of a thousand temples, but the number is probably much higher, with 1,600 being the most often quoted figure. There are also apparently around 400 Shinto shrines, not counting the various neighborhood altars and other sacred spots. Definitive figures are hard to come by but [...] Read more »
Japanese festivals capture a wide variety of moods but Tanabata (七夕) is maybe the most magical, particularly the evening illuminations. The festival was originally introduced from China in around the 8th century but has since undergone various changes to become a uniquely Japanese celebration. Also known as the Star Festival, Tanabata is based on the Chinese legend of the princess and the cowherd. In the Japanese version, celestial lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented [...] Read more »
Most people visit Fushimi to see the wonders of Fushimi Inari Shrine and the rebuilt castle but if you have time to wander, its backstreets are home to picturesque temples and canals plus some of Japan’s finest sake and beer breweries…… Fushimi originally gained fame for its soft, pure water, drawing sake brewers such as Jiemon Okura to the area. Much has changed since Okura founded Gekkeikan here in 1637 but it is [...] Read more »