Destinations

  • Tokyo’s Ameyoko Market and Yakitori with the Local Crew

    We all hope for unscripted moments when we travel, don’t we? It’s those precious minutes when you actually get to interact with someone who lives in the place you have traveled halfway around the world to visit, someone who isn’t paid to…

  • Tokyo’s Ramen Jiro, A Delicious Happy Accident

    Our trip back to Tokyo from Kyoto was easy and quick. We bought bento boxes in the station for lunch on the 10 am train and had an uneventful and fast ride back to Tokyo. When we arrived back at the Hilton around…

  • Fushimi Inari Shrine

    Exit the Inari train station, cross the street, and you are practically at the entrance gate to the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. Behind the main shrine temple is a 4km circular route (actually more like a figure eight) which cannot be seen…

  • Nanzen-Ji Temple and Dinner at Asuka

    Across the street from the Keage Subway station and the Westin Miyako Hotel, is an arched entrance to a brick lined tunnel with leads to the Southern end of the Philosopher’s Walk. This pathway follows a canal lined with cherry…

  • A Visit To Kyoto’s Nijo Castle

    After our morning filled with food, we finally make it onto the subway and exit across the street from Nijo Castle where we’d attempted to walk to the day before in driving wind and rain. Tip: we bought a 600 yen…

  • Kyoto’s Nishiki Market and Daimaru Depachicka (Food Hall)

    Kyoto’s Nishiki Market Street If you’re interested in food, when researching Kyoto, it’s almost impossible not to come across references to Nishiki street. This market is often referred to as an “alley” but really, it’s quite clean and comfortable because…

  • Kyoto; Westin Miyako Hotel Review

    Kyoto; Westin Miyako Hotel Review We arrive into Kyoto station on the Shinkansen train from Tokyo and head outside to in search of the hotel’s free shuttle bus which turns out not to be clearly marked. It’s located where all the…