Category: Japan
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Sunrise on mount Fuji
Departure by shinkansen a little after 6:30am from Kyoto Station, arriving at Mishima at 9:20. Then we take a bus to Mizugatsuka Park. There’s a large parking lot, already fairly full, a souvenir shop that also serves as a cafeteria, and, most importantly, the station for the shuttle buses that go up to 2400m. We…
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Road-trip in Hokkaido
Day 1 We pick up a rental car at Kushiro Airport in the late afternoon and head towards Lake Akan. We follow straight roads through fields and forests, spotting local deers. It’s drizzling. It’s dark by the time we reach the hotel in Akancho. Day 2 We drive 30 minutes east to the Yamanoyado Nonaka…
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Gion Matsuri
This festival is one of the most popular in Japan. Every year around mid-July, people come from all over the country to attend the festivities, which are centered around two parades held one week apart. Twenty-three wooden floats are assembled a few days before the first procession. The construction sites are scattered across the city…
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Loose pictures: May / June 2024
Views which did not ended in a post of their own.
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The Sun at the summit
+1250m / -1250m / 17km It’s mid-June and it’s hot. I’ve prepared a few things for a Mount Fuji climb at the end of August. Stories about watching the sunrise from the summit gave me an idea: to climb Mount Bunagatake at night (after discovering it this winter), in the cool, catch the sunrise, and…
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All Time Low at the Gorilla Hall
The Gorilla Hall is a fairly new concert venue. It’s not huge, but it’s well designed: there are two bars, lockers, and a second floor with a balcony overlooking the stage. The band starts at the scheduled time – 7pm. There is no opening act, and I’m glad not to fall into the same trap…
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Loose pictures: April 2024
Views which did not ended in a post of their own.
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Trip to the sea of Japan
We reserved the last two seats on the bus from Kyoto to Amanohashidate at the beginning of the week. To travel on the first weekend of Golden Week, you either need to plan well in advance or be a bit lucky. Departing from the station around 9am, we arrive at Amanohashidate Station 2h later. We…
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Kumano Sanzan
The three temples dedicated to the three sacred mountains of Kumano, in three days! Day 1 Departure from Kyoto this Friday around 6:30am then change at Osaka to catch the Kuroshio. We board the train just in time after asking for directions twice: the platform for this train is quite far from those of other…
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In Fushimi Inari Taisha at night…
… there’s almost no one ! Despite the shrine being open all the time, and the torii paths being all lit up. There are a few walkers and two or three cats left. The ghosts are also out and about, showing themselves to anyone willing to see them. The darkness and silence create a very…
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Loose pictures: March 2024
Views which did not ended in a post of their own.
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Sum41 at the Osaka Intex
Sum41 will soon cease to exist and their final tour is underway. The band is coming to Osaka for their last date in Japan. I arrive at the Osaka Intex around 3:30pm after a 2-hour journey. It is a complex of halls that isn’t very cheerful: large and clean but quite cold. The hall 5…
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Back on the Kyoto Trail
+500m / -580m / 13km I’m not working this Friday, and unlike the previous days, it’s not raining. I’m heading out for a rather “short” hike to enjoy the outdoors without burning myself. I initially wanted to walk south of Kyoto and pass by Yokoku-ji temple, but I prefer to avoid the crowds and opt…
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Uji
Uji is a small town south of Kyoto. It is home to a quite famous temple, as it is depicted on the 10-yen coins: the Byōdō-in. One of the phoenixes adorning the roof of the structure is also visible on the 10,000-yen bills. Matcha is a local specialty, and the shops in the area sell…
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Loose pictures: January / February 2024
Views which did not ended in a post of their own.
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Frozen
Or how to ski in 3 resorts, in 4 days, in the land of the Snow Queen. Day 1 It all starts with going to Osaka airport by train. Taking a flight to Sapporo, hopping on a bus to downtown, then changing buses to reach the 1st resort: Bankei (or “ban.K” for the insiders). Renting…
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Ski Jam
Leaving Kyoto around 6:30am for this weekend organized by my company’s Ski Club. I sleep a bit more on the bus chartered for the occasion. We stop twice at highway rest areas that strangely resemble each other. The final stop is in front of a rental shop a few kilometers from our destination. We leave…
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Halfway Setsubun
This year is no exception, Setsubun falls on February 3rd. I head to Rozan-ji temple to attend the festivities. The schedule includes demon dance at 3pm, bean throwing at 4, followed by a ritual fire at 5. Upon arrival, the dense crowd overflows from the temple grounds onto the sidewalk. The same scene repeats at…