The Conservatory, Kyoto Botanical Garden It doesn’t matter where we’re heading in the world, one of the first things we’ll start researching are nearby gardens. Why I’d never visited the Kyoto Botanical Gardens before this spring then was a little mind boggling, especially considering it’s home to Japan’s largest conservatory. It’s also home to over
Okochi Sanso Another of my favourite quiet gardens of Kyoto is the beautiful Okochi Sanso. Formally owned by Japanese actor Okochi Denjiro, his house and gardens have now been opened to the public. Since it was built on the top of a hill, the gardens wind up hill – little stone paths leading from moss
Shōren-in Shōren-in is one of the five Monzeki temples of the Tendai sect in Kyoto and is nestled up a side street in the Southern Higashiyama area. It’s peaceful, sheltered and – for want of a better phrase – a little solemn. I visited on a rainy day in early April and as I sat
Honen-in Honen-in, one of my favourite temples in all of Kyoto. My first visit two years ago was beautifully peaceful – the kind of peace that only comes when visiting a serene garden in the rain. Part of me was hoping for a little downpour this time round as well, but sadly that came on
It’s impossible for me to name my favourite Kyoto temple or garden. With 1600 temples in to visit in Kyoto it’s no surprise really, and it’ll take me many many years to visit them all. There’s a popular walk Jim and I like to take when we’re in the northern higashiyama region. Starting from Keage
About Naoshima + Teshima Naoshima (直島) is an island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan dedicated to modern art, architecture and sculpture. Most of the art installations and museums on both Naoshima and the neighbouring island Teshima were set in place by the Benesse corporation, and has since become the art destination in Japan. It’s been
About Fuji Kawaguchiko Fuji Kawaguchiko is a beautiful little onsen town which makes up one of the Fuji Five Lakes just south of Tokyo and is (quite rightly) famed for it’s incredible views of Mt Fuji. When To Visit We visited in late March (23 – 26 March), just before peak cherry blossom season. While
There were so many gardens across Seoul that we were looking forward to visiting, but none more so that the Huwon Secret Garden of Changdeokgung palace. Tickets to the garden are sold on a first come first serve basis, and you have to visit during one of the tour times. We were so lucky that
I love an urban green space, and as soon as we booked flights to Seoul we knew a lot of our time there would be spent exploring Cheonggyecheon stream – a 10km stretch of water flowing through the heart of the city.After the Korean war, Cheonggyecheon became a neglected waterway that ran under an overpass.