Fushimi Inari shrine is located in Southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that stand close together and make a red tunnel up through the mountain forest. This shrine was established for the Shinto god of rice, Inari, in 711, before Kyoto was the capital of Japan. The path leads…
Read more
Nishiki markets are in central Kyoto and easily accessible from Kyoto station. The market is five blocks long and packed with fresh food stalls, shops and all things food related, no wonder it’s nicknamed, Kyoto’s kitchen. What to buy Kyoto is known for so many foods, however, these are some of the foods recommended to…
Read more
Kyoto has so many amazing sights to see that it can be hard to decide what to do and where to go. Here are the sites that we recommend in Eastern Kyoto, we have put them together so that hopefully it is easier for you to plan a few sites to see together. Kiyomizudera Temple…
Read more
Arashiyama is in the Western area of Kyoto. It is a little further away than other sites in Kyoto and can get busy particularly in autumn and sakura seasons. However, it is a beautiful area and the kids enjoyed it as there are lots of areas to explore. These were our three favourite things and…
Read more
Gunkanjima, translated as Battleship Island, because it’s an island that looks like the outline of a battleship. Gunkanjima or Hashima Island is an abandoned mining community where miners and their families lived. This island has concrete remains of houses and schools, eerily abandoned when the underground mines closed in 1974. The only way to get…
Read more
The Peace Park in Nagasaki, is a place of remembrance of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945 during WW2. It is located near the hypocentre of the explosion and consists of two parks and Museum. The black monolith commemorates the Hypocentre of the explosion. Nearby is a portion of the Urakami cathedral that was…
Read more
Nara deer park you can walk among the 1200 wild deer that freely roam around the park each day. Deer were considered messengers of the gods, they are now a national treasure. Throughout the park, stalls sell deer crackers which you can feed to the deer, they will bow first to ask for food before…
Read more
Todai-ji temple is a wooden Buddhist temple built in 752. The main temple is the largest wooden structure in the world and houses a 15m tall bronze statue of Buddha. The Nandaimon or Great South Gate leads up to the temple and is guarded by two fierce statues the Ni-o or two kings of Todai-ji.…
Read more
We do not claim to be a skiing family or experts of any sort! This post if for families like us that want to check out Japan and spend some time in the snow while they are there. Here are our suggestions for planning and organising your trip. Decide which ski field to visit This…
Read more
Japan is home to 500 ski fields! With so much choice it can be hard to know where to visit. Deciding where to go will depend very much on what you want to experience. Do you want a big ski village with lots of options of slopes? Do you want to stay close to Tokyo…
Read more
