Gozan no Okuribi – Kyoto’s Obon Fire-Fest
Jul 11, 2017 By Bert Wishart
The festival of Obon, a buddhist celebration of ancestors, is celebrated across Japan from the 13th-15th of August (excepting some regional variants). During Obon, the spirits of ancestors return to this world to visit family altars, though they are not limited to that location! At the culmination of this festival,...[ Click to read more ]
Cutting the Rug Japanese Style – Take a Japanese Dance Class with WAK
Jun 28, 2017 By Justin Hanus
For the first 40 years of her life Michi Ogawa was "an ordinary housewife with no experience working outside the home." She prepared meals, looked after her four children, and drove her professor husband to his classrooms. She was well-educated and traveled often with her family. On her journeys, Ogawa...[ Click to read more ]
Animal Rescue Kansai (ARK)
Apr 25, 2017 By
ARK is a non-profit, non-governmental private organization with the aim of forming a network of people who love animals, believe in sharing their lives with them, and who work actively to rescue them from suffering. ARK was established in 1990 and became officially recognized as an NPO (Non-Profit Organization) in...[ Click to read more ]
Take an Authentic Japanese Cooking Class in Kyoto
Dec 21, 2016 By Justin Hanus
One of the most memorable and exciting aspects of traveling or living among a different culture is exploring the cuisine. While going to an authentic restaurant may be enough to get your foodie fix, sometimes the most excitement and delight comes from the challenge of preparing the dish on your...[ Click to read more ]
Kyoto Hanatouro Illumination Festivals
Nov 14, 2016 By Ray Proper
Hanatouro is an "illumination festival" that happens in Kyoto twice a year at two separate locations. Actually there are two separate festivals that take place, the Kyoto Arashiyama Hanatouro and the Kyoto Higashiyama Hanatouro that feature different parts of the city. They are similar, but each offers a slightly different experience. Kyoto Arashiyama Hanatouro...[ Click to read more ]
Lake Biwa – Take a Day trip, or Longer, to Japan’s Great Lake
Oct 20, 2016 By Bert Wishart
Lake Biwa (琵琶湖 or Biwa-ko) in Shiga Prefecture is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, and thanks to it being located just northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto, it is steeped in mystery, wonder, and is full of wonderful things to see and do. Named for its resemblance the lute-like musical...[ Click to read more ]
Kyoto’s October Festivals
Sep 27, 2016 By Justin Hanus
October’s cool temperatures and changing fall landscape makes it the perfect month to enjoy the rich history and beautiful natural scenery of Japan. Luckily, if you’re around the Old Capitol at all in October, you’ll be overwhelmed with options for getting outside and experiencing the culture and beautiful traditions preserved...[ Click to read more ]
Bicycle tours of Kyoto
Jul 27, 2016 By Bert Wishart
Kyoto, in summer, is famed for its stifling humidity, but now as we head towards autumn and the weather cools it is a good time to visit the Imperial City and see some of the many sights - seventeen of which being UNESCO World Heritage Sites - for which it...[ Click to read more ]
Don’t Miss a Maiko Performance at Kyoto’s Miyagawa-cho Beer Garden
Jul 25, 2016 By Justin Hanus
One of the most entertaining evening activities during the summer months in Japan is enjoying drinks from one of the many glittering rooftop beer gardens that light up in the cities. With prime views of the lively streets and the quiet river, choosing any one of Kyoto’s beer gardens is...[ Click to read more ]
The Japanese Whisky Paradox: Little Known and Widely Admired
Jun 25, 2016 By Justin Hanus
If you have lived most of your life outside Japan you might not be familiar with Japanese whisky. Although the fermented grain mash alcohol has been distilled on the islands since the late 1800s, Japan’s take on the storied spirit was not actively exported around the world (without the “e”)...[ Click to read more ]
