Yabusame (流鏑馬) is a type of horseback archery that was commonly practiced by Samurai in ancient feudal Japan. Today, Yabusame is used in traditional rituals to bestow blessings upon the people and appease the Shinto Gods. The ritual involves shooting three targets, however it was originally developed as practice for Read more…
Welcome to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. Also known as the Shrine of 10,000 Torii 鳥居, located on Mt. Inari or “Inariyama” in Japanese. It’s an incredibly popular tourist destination in Kyoto and one of Japan’s most important Shinto Shrines. Bring your walking shoes, it’s a little bit of a climb! Fushimi Read more…
Drinking sake is as Japanese as you can get. It’s more than an alcoholic beverage, it’s an entire history and tradition. Sake tasting should be part of every travelers itinerary when visiting Japan. And no better place to do it than in Fushimi, Kyoto. Fushimi Sake District is one of Read more…
Ninna-ji Temple is one of the most spectacular and historic temples in Kyoto Japan. In a city with over 2000 temples, shrines, castles and palaces, Ninna-ji Temple has one particular unique feature: For almost 1000 years, the temple’s head priest often came from the imperial family lineage. Just a few Read more…
Preparing for your big trip and dreaming of warm beaches or frosty peaks, it’s easy to forget about the little things you’ll do everyday, like having a poop in Asia’s squat toilet. Say goodbye to the comfort of a clean western public bathroom and prepare to pay to use some questionable Read more…
Just a short train ride from Gion or Kyoto Station, Arashiyama (嵐山) is a small sub-section of greater Kyoto, tucked into the base of the city’s western mountains. Famous for the bamboo forest walk and the docile macaque monkeys that live in the mountain top park, Arashiyama has always been Read more…
Kota Bharu is a fairly quiet Islamic city in North-Eastern Peninsular Malaysia. It is the capital and royal seat of the Kelantan State. Each Malaysian State has a Sultan or King at the head of state, although many of the positions are simply honorary. The city streets are clean, colorful Read more…
The Big Mac is the most famous burger in the world (arguably more than the Big Kahuna Burger). You can visit a McDonald’s Cafe in 48 countries and get roughly the exactly the same burger experience. However, what you pay for your Big Mac will be different! Let’s take Japan as Read more…
After more than three weeks of adventurous travel in Japan my time in the land of the rising sun is coming to an end, but not before one last day visiting Osaka City! On paper Osaka is quite small for an Asian city at 223Km2 and a population of over Read more…
In April 2016, I volunteered for a month in an international youth hostel in Kyoto, Japan. It was my third volunteering experience, the second through workaway, and I absolutely loved it! I saved $800 in accommodations, made new friends and enjoyed a totally new way of travelling. In a densely Read more…
The small town of Mt. Koya is home to Japan’s grandest ancient graveyard: Okuno-in Temple, hidden within the old cypress and pine forest. The mountain settlement grew to be an important pilgrimage site and home to the Shingon Buddhism sect. Founder “Kobo Daishi” who oversaw the construction of the Konpon Daito Padoga in the Read more…
Day Trip to Uji, Kyoto Prefecture The following day after my trip to Nara, I set out early in the morning with a new friend from my hostel. Jenni had spent a year living in and exploring the old capital city and neighboring towns. For her this was a trip down Read more…