One of the wonders of Kyoto is that you can just walk along the streets and find yourself back in time… Old houses, temples, shop-filled streets. Everything is so charming. That’s exactly what we experienced when we walked along the streets of Higashiyama, on our way back to Gion area after visiting the picturesque Kiyomizu-dera. Why Higashiyama? The Higashiyama District along the lower slopes of Kyoto’s eastern mountains is one of the city’s best preserved …
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{Japan Winter} Kyoto (Part 2): Taking in the view around Kiyomizu-dera
Most people who have been to Kyoto will say that they love how beautifully unique it is. It’s a city filled with traditions and temples, featuring some of the most popular sights in Japan such as the Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion or the red torii gates of Fushimi Inari. Another famous temple in Kyoto is the Kiyomizu-dera, and I’ll be your guide today… Apart from the temple itself, you can also enjoy a panoramic view of Kyoto from Kiyomizu-dera. …
{Japan Winter} Kyoto (Part 1): The golden pavilion of Kinkakuji and the torii gates of Fushimi Inari
In the next few weeks, I will be writing about my (second) experience of being in Kyoto, Japan. We were there for about 3 days in December and visited a number of beautiful places and wonderful food. I’m sure many of you have heard of (or have been to) Kyoto before… Hopefully these Kyoto posts will inspire you to check it out the next time you plan a Japan trip. I mean, why wouldn’t you?! …
{Japan Winter} Shirakawa-go, Gifu: Snow-covered fairytale heritage village
What’s better than a snow-covered town? A snow covered UNESCO world heritage village that looked like it came out of a fairy tale, of course! And that was exactly what Shirakawa-go looked like on the day that we visited. Only about an hour away from Takayama by bus, Shirakawa-go is a beautiful little village famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Gassho-zukuri means “constructed like hands in prayer”, as …
{Japan Winter} Takayama, Gifu (Part 1): Cute little town covered in snow
People often ask me: “what’s there to do in Japan when it’s winter?” or “is there any small town you’d recommend in Japan?”. Well, here’s my answer: visit Takayama (and Shirakawa-go)! Takayama (高山) is a city in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. The city is also commonly referred to as Hida-Takayama. Takayama retains a traditional touch like few other Japanese cities, especially in its beautifully preserved old town. Source: Japan-Guide.com We took a train …
{Japan Winter} Nabana no Sato, Nagashima: Japan’s spectacular winter illumination
The Japanese love their winter illuminations. Some illumination would end on Christmas Day, however others extend up until late February or even March. And if you are visiting Japan during this time, I would highly recommend planning a trip to one of the ridiculously gorgeous winter illumination spots. My favourite so far has to be Nabana no Sato (なばなの里) in Nagashima, Mie prefecture. During the day (and for most of the year), Nabana no Sato …
{Japan Winter} Yokohama: Momofuku Ando Cup Noodles Museum
Ever dreamed of making your own cup noodles or instant ramen? Well dream no more, just book a flight to Japan and visit Yokohama’s Momofuku Ando Cup Noodles Museum… Trust me, it’s worth your time. To begin with, you’ll actually get to see Yokohama, which is not a bad sight at all. And then there’s the fact that even Yoda got a little peko peko over Nissin’s cup noodles. If you need any more excuse to visit, …
{Tokyo Travel / Japan} Sanrio Puroland, Tama Center (Part 2): Magical twinkling stars
Sanrio Puroland is an indoor theme park not too far from the centre of Tokyo. Sanrio is the maker of Hello Kitty, My Melody, Bad Badtz Maru, and other adorable characters… My favourite had to be Little Twin Stars. So the most exciting part for me was when we did the Twinkling Tour, a tour of Kiki & Lala’s house. Yep, a kid’s dream (i.e. mine) was about to come true. This really kawaii attendant explained some …
{Tokyo Travel / Japan} Sanrio Puroland, Tama Center (Part 1): Hello Kitty Disneyland
Most people know what Hello Kitty is. Many around the world have fallen in love with this particular cat. But a lot are not aware that there are more characters created by Sanrio that are ridiculously kawaii and equally famous (in Japan and other Asian countries). Since a young age, probably even before Disney enticed me with its magic, Sanrio has had a hold on me. My favourite would have to be Little Twin Stars. I …
10 things you’ll miss from Japan (Part 4: Culture edition)
The culture of old and new, the mix of traditional and modern, the festivals and high-tech events… These are the beautiful contradictions of Japan. I always say to my friends: “No matter what kind of traveller you are, there’s something for you to love about Japan”. So I’ve said 30 things that I’ll miss about Japan so far (from food edition to winter edition to ladies edition), here’s another 10 to complete the list: 10 …