• Meet the Deer of Nara Park

    At the foot of Mount Wakakusa sits one of the oldest parks in Japan. Sprawling across 660 ha (1631 ac), Nara Park is home to temples, shrines, and a national…

  • Inside Nara’s Mall Museums

    Nara is best known for the four-legged locals that roam freely around its 660-hectare park. But friendly deer aren’t the city’s only animal attraction. Visitors can also get up close…

  • A Quick Guide to Kyoto’s Sake District

    This article is now available to take with you on the GPSmyCity app. That means you can access a map with all the attractions mentioned while you travel—no wifi needed!…

  • Kinkakuji: The Golden Pavilion

    One of the most famous images associated with Kyoto is that of a golden temple. Kinkaku-ji, as it’s known, is indeed completely covered in gold leaf—the top two floors, at…

  • Heian Shrine and Gardens

    On the 1,110th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto, which was once known as Heian, a shrine was built to mark the occasion. Heian Shrine is dedicated to the spirits…

  • Inside MUCA: ICONS of Urban Art

    Kyoto’s KYOCERA Museum of Art recently hosted the Kansai leg of the MUCA: ICONS of Urban Art—From Banksy to KAWS exhibition, which is currently on tour in Japan. As a…

  • Hatsumode at Fushimi Inari Shrine

    While most of the world rings in the New Year with partying and fireworks, celebrations in Japan are a little more subdued. That’s because shōgatsu, as it’s known here, is…

  • Tomogashima: Japan’s Real Castle in the Sky

    “Do you see the jellyfish?” Mark pointed excitedly into the water. I mumbled an acknowledgement, afraid that if I opened my mouth, something other than words would come out. We had…

  • A Quick Guide to Osaka’s Korea Town

    As we stepped out of the train station and into the attached undercover market that snakes towards the centre of Tsuruhashi, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. I was…

  • A Quick Guide to Osaka’s Hipster Town

    There is no Japanese word for ‘hipster’, which, ironically, is about as hipster as you can get. The closest you’ll find to the Western pejorative here is “ultra individual” (超個性的) or “one who…

All posts are shown