Timeless Japan : Part 1, KYOTO

We embarked on a journey to the Land of the Rising Sun in the spring of 2024. These 3 videos feature our visits to :

– KYOTO (Part 1) https://youtu.be/tdPApRHc2Xc
Japan’s former capital city and its cultural soul, which is today a large, modern city yet in many ways still retains the elegance and traditions of its past. Its highlights include the otherworldly Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and the adjoining UNESCO listed Tenryu-ji Temple with its beautifully landscaped gardens, the Arashiyama Monkey Park and Arashiyama’s delightful shopping strip including the Kimono Forest, a pathway lined with poles adorned with kimono fabric designs. Equally intriguing are the orange torii gates of Fushimi Inari Taisha and the charming cobblestoned streets and machiya(ancient townhouses) of the Gion District (best known for its geisha and tea houses).

We were also enthralled by the deeply embedded Japanese cultural phenomenon of “kawaii”, which celebrates cuteness and childlike innocence, and has transcended its Japanese origins to become a significant influence in fashion, design, and popular culture globally.

Also featured is our very enjoyable visit to a Cat Cafe in Kyoto. Japan is cat obsessed and one manifestation of this is in its wildly popular Cat Cafes, where one can have a cuppa while enjoying the company of the adorable felines.

– OSAKA (Part 2) https://youtu.be/OiaJTHm0jwg
a.k.a “the Kitchen of Japan”, including DOTONBORI, its glitzy cullinary, shopping and entertainment precinct offering an array of delectable and affordable eats, and teamLab Osaka, which when night falls illuminates and transforms Osaka’s Botanical Garden into a surreal world of colour and light.
To partake in Japan’s cat obsessed culture, we visited the MOCHA CAT CAFE @ Osaka and took a ride on the Hello Kitty themed Haruka train. Spawned from Japan’s “kawaii” culture, the adorable Hello Kitty character has become an icon of Japan, with her signature bow and round face.

– NARA & ATAMI (Part 3)
Nara is best known for its sprawling DEER PARK where sika deer, sacred to the Japanese , roam freely and have learnt to bow to visitors for food.

ATAMI is an idyllic coastal town known for its many hot springs(onsen) and ryokan(traditional Japanese inns). Includes a visit to Atami’s Museum of the Arts(MOA) set in beautiful Japanese gardens with a teahouse, and a quintesssential traditional Japanese stay at an onsen ryokan in YUGAWARA, a small quaint village near Atami.