Discoveries from around the archipelago
Just this past weekend, I braved the heat and made a pilgrimage to Kyoto for a solo adventure. I'm not really a fan of traveling Japan in the summertime but I never turn down the chance to get in a chance to visit one of my favorite cities in the world. Having so much time... Continue Reading →
Think geisha are only in Kyoto? So did I once upon a time. In the intervening years, I've learned that cities like Kanazawa, Tokyo and even Atami on the Izu Peninsula boast their own geisha communities. Most of the opportunities to meet an actual geisha occur only in Kyoto but an enterprising organization in Tokyo... Continue Reading →
On my trip to Kyoto earlier this month, I was faced with a rather rainy forecast. So, turning to the internet and my trusty research skills, I tracked down this article on a fan shop in the Miyagawa-cho neighborhood of Kyoto that taught visitors an age-old fan throwing game. So, with umbrella and good friend/frequent travel... Continue Reading →
March was another fortunate month of travel and it was hard to pick a favorite shot. I was going to use a shot of the beautiful Hori Teien, a hidden garden located outside of Tsuwano in rural Shimane Prefecture. But then I went to Kyoto ... and of course, in the city that never ceases... Continue Reading →
Kyoto is home to five hanamachi, or geisha neighborhoods. Every year, each neighborhood's geisha (or geiko, as they are known in Kyoto) and maiko put on a demonstration of their accomplished skills. Tickets sell out quick but last year, I was lucky enough to score a pair of tickets for a Sunday afternoon show by the... Continue Reading →
As evening falls in Kyoto, there's no where else I would rather be than wandering the streets of the Gion neighborhood. This is quintessential Kyoto at its best - willows and cherry trees hang over a languid canal; light filters out the slatted windows of wooden ochaya (teahouses); maiko and geisha dart back and forth on cobbled streets... Continue Reading →
There are plenty of places to eat around Kyoto's Nishiki Market (which is, in itself, an essential stop for any visitor to the city) but some are more memorable than others. Just a few steps north of the market's covered arcade is the ramen noodle restaurant of Gogyo. Not all ramen joints are as swish... Continue Reading →
