Kyoto, Japan’s imperial capital for more than a millennium, offers a wealth of picturesque temples, museums, and gardens, but with millions of international visitors a year, many of Kyoto’s “must-see” destinations like Kiyomizudera, Kinkakuji, Gion, and Arashiyama are thronged with school groups and tour buses nearly year-round.
With shorter days and crisper air – plus all the seasonal produce like mushrooms, chestnut and sweet potato filling up the shelves – I feel sad to bid good-bye to vibrant summer days, but feel equally excited for autumn and that proper feeling of hygge we all crave.
If you live near Misawa Air Base and travel to Kyoto is not on the itinerary this year, you don’t need to travel too far to enjoy a shrine similar to the old capital’s famous Fushimi Inari Shrine.
Have you ever wanted to experience the thrill of fighting fires? Or practice escaping a burning building? Or how to respond to an earthquake in a terrifyingly accurate simulation?
I was raised in a city where the average bagel shop dishes out better rolls than you can find in 30 U.S. states, 42 Japanese prefectures and 167 countries.
Uji, Japan is a famous city near Kyoto renowned for its beautiful scenery, the Uji River, and Uji Tea. It also has ties to The Tale of Genji, a classic in Japanese literature.
