Culture Junkan Festival 2026 Late Nov Each year, Umekoji Park in Kyoto transforms into the home of the Junkan Festival, a celebration of reuse, recycling, and community..
Culture Nishi Hongan-ji Nishi Hongan-ji is a large Buddhist temple west of Kyoto train station. Together with Higashi Hongan-ji, together with Nishi Hongan-ji, it is one of the..
Culture Kiyomizu at Dawn John Carter Nihon or Nippon translated literally means “the sun’s origin” though Land of the Rising Sun is a phrase that is commonly known..
Culture Ujigami Shrine Located in Uji, the city renowned for green tea, Ujigami shrine is Japan’s oldest existing shrine. Among the country’s thousands of shrines, Ujigami..
Historical Shakyo at Kyoto's Unryuin Temple Karen Zheng Being a branch temple of the Sennyu-ji Temple, the Unryuin Temple was commissioned in the late 14th century by Emperor Go-Kogon..
Culture Firefly Viewing in Uji Charlotte Griffiths From late May to mid-June, Uji City Botanical Park near Kyoto plays host to fireflies, delighting young and old alike. A short..
14 Temples & Shrines Imamiya Shrine Meg Sing Imamiya Shrine erected due to a plague in Kyoto 1000 years ago has age-old ties with Yasurai Matsuri and two aburi mochi shops at..
Festivals Wazuka - Japanese Tea Town Simona Zavadckyte Wazuka is a traditional Japanese tea town, with picturesque scenery and mind-clearing, heart-warming Japanese tea. Its tea ind..