Category: Japan
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The Seto inland sea as a backdrop
Day 1 We arrive in Marugame after an easy trip. We visit the small MIMOCA museum, which features a few lovely paintings and a temporary exhibition about the mural Freedom that decorates Ueno Station in Tokyo. The whole restoration process of the mural is detailed here. We have a late lunch, then pick up a…
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Blooming Miyama
Like last year (in Ohara), we head north of Kyoto to enjoy the cherry blossoms away from the crowds. We first drive toward Takao, then through the countryside to the Miyama Fureai Hiroba rest area. We have lunch there and try some ice cream made with local milk. We then visit Kayabuki no Sato, a…
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Eleven views of mount Fuji
We spend the weekend in Fujikawaguchiko, giving us the chance to see Mount Fuji from several different angles around Lake Yamanaka, Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Sai, and Lake Motosu. It wasn’t a given, since the statistics say clouds are often part of the picture. We realise that as soon as we arrive in Mishima. In the…
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Hiroshima getaway
Day 1 We take the shinkansen from Kyoto Station around 8:30, and I finish my night’s sleep during the ride. I get mixed up with the timetable and we miss our stop… We get off at Shin-Yamaguchi Station and catch another train back in the opposite direction. We finally arrive in Hiroshima around noon instead…
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Ninose – Ohara
+700m / -650m / 13km I reach Ninose by train around 9:30am. I get ready and head north after crossing the river. On the right, a small opening in a rockfall fence marks the start of the trail. The first 500 meters are not very inviting: the route is hard to make out, fallen trees…
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A snowy Sunday
I glance out the window this morning and, just as the forecast said, big snowflakes are falling. I decide to get up and go take a few photos. I would like to head to Kurama-dera (seen in autumn), which is easy to reach by train. I also plan to make a small detour on the…
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Universal Studios Japan
For once, we find ourselves in one of Japan’s most popular spots: Universal Studios Japan (or simply “USJ”). I was honestly quite reluctant to visit this theme park. What I had heard about it was mostly stories of multi-hour queues and outrageously expensive express passes. In some videos, we could even see groups of visitors…
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Ogoto Onsen
This hot spring is in Otsu, on the shores of Lake Biwa. It’s almost a 1-hour ride from Kyoto and we decide to spend the weekend there. We get off the train at the small station of the same name, and a shuttle takes us to the hotel in the middle of the afternoon. We…
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Hiking Along the Water, Again
+50m / -100m / 8km Today we’re back on the same route as two months ago, between Takao and the Hozu Gorge. We catch the bus around 9:50 at Marutamachi Onmaedori. We don’t stop at Jingo-ji and head straight for the riverside trail. This time, the sun is out. Leaves in every shade imaginable reflect…
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Kohechi
Kohechi is one of the three Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes. It’s the most mountainous of the three and links Koyasan to Hongu Taisha…
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Koyasan
After leaving at 6:30, we take a bus to Saiin, then the train to Awaji. We change at Tengachaya, then again at Gokurakubashi. This third train only has four cars but large windows — perfect for enjoying the scenery comfortably seated. We finish the journey with a funicular to Koyasan Station, then a bus that…
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Hakusan
+1350m / -1350m / 14km We’re off work this Friday. We leave Nijo Station at 6:59 and transfer at Kyoto Station to the Thunderbird, a limited express train that runs all the way to Tsuruga, at the northern tip of Lake Biwa. From there we take a local train to Fukui. Once there, we pick…
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Hiking along the water
+230m / -290m / 9km The forecast says cloudy all day. I don’t feel like climbing a summit just to find the view blocked, so I pick a valley-floor hike instead. The trail follows a river between Takao and Hozukyō for 9km, with a 5km option leading to Arashiyama. I buy a picnic at Fresco…
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Ayabe
It’s fireworks season. Each city holds its own display on a different date, so it’s possible to see fireworks every weekend throughout July and August. This year we choose Ayabe. We wander around the town in the sweltering heat, then, as the day fades, we climb up to a park on higher ground to watch…
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Experiences in Tokyo
A visa application forces us to go to the French Embassy in Tokyo. We take the opportunity to spend two days there. The first experience, at the embassy, is rather unpleasant. Only those applying for a visa are allowed inside the building. For companions like me, waiting outside is the only option. I thought there…
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Ohara in bloom
Ohara is a rural area about 40 minutes north of Kyoto by bus. It’s not very far, but it’s usually cooler up there. The cherry blossoms bloom a few days later than in the city center. We do a bit of shopping upon arrival, then follow the Takano River south. It’s hot! I’ve got a…
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Hanami in Higashiyama
After yesterday’s walk, we head to Higashiyama and the Philosopher’s Path. There are more people under the trees, but it’s still a pleasant stroll.
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Around Tofukuji
After the plum trees, the cherry trees bloom in turn. We start from Tofukuji Station and head East to visit a few temples. Then we walk along the Kamo River and through Kiyamachi to reach the city center.