OUR FIRST KYOTO STORY, Japan

In Kyoto, we saw skies of blue and clouds of white, and foliage of crimson as if sea of dancing flames.  The bright blessed days, the dark sacred nights, the crystal reflections in the water and the festive scent in the air of peaceful valleys and the thousand-year capital.  After our five-day visit, we think to ourselves what a wonderful place Kyoto truly is.  The moment we left the ancient capital we were already dreaming of our return.
In early December, we decided to take a 5-day escape from our hustle and bustle life in Hong Kong.  We picked Japan’s Kyoto, the city where we purposely avoided during our previous Kansai visit because back then we couldn’t find adequate time for a decent introduction to this crown jewel of Japan.  This time around at the twilight of autumn, we destined to indulge ourselves for a feast of the ancient capital, at which 5-days of fantastic moments inspired us once again to feel the joy and beauty of traveling.  In the next while we will share with you our delightful Kyoto and Nara experience.

Fantastic 5 Days: Getting up early each morning, 5 autumn days with pleasant weather allowed us to visit a number of temples and shrines in Kyoto and Nara, plus incredible cafes, cozy restaurants, interesting design shops, living market, idyllic old neighborhoods, and much more.

Autumn Foliage: Nature’s most vivid instant beyond the eaves of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.

Festivity: Celebrations of the season with illuminations, music and food.

Colours of the Night: Luminosity and hues of Kyoto’s autumn night.

Zen Gardens: Moments of redemption from the bustling noises of daily life.

Buddhist Architecture: Ancient timber structures revealing a millennium of architectural heritage and cultural preservation.

Eternal Beauty: Enthralled by the eternal beauty of the thousand-year ancient capital.

Tranquil Morning Strolls: Placid old neighborhoods at the first light of the day.

Sincere Cuisine: Unpretentious regional sake and cuisines with fresh local ingredients.

Contemporary Design: Architecture, industrial designs and handcrafts that celebrate the spirit of the present.

Mystical World of Spirits and Nature: Entering the spiritual woods and legendary mountains of Shintoism.

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Our posts on 2016 Kyoto and Nara:
OUR FIRST KYOTO STORY, Japan
DAY 1: ARRIVAL AT HIGASHIYAMA (東山), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 1: RYOANJI TEMPLE (龍安寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 1: NINNAJI TEMPLE (仁和寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 1: KINKAKUJI TEMPLE (金閣寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 1: KITANO TENMANGU SHRINE (北野天満宮), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 1: NIGHT AT KIYOMIZU-DERA (清水寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 2: MORNING STROLL IN SOUTHERN HIGASHIYAMA (東山), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 2: KIYOMIZU DERA (清水寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 2: KIYOMIZU DERA to KENNINJI, Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 2: ○△□ and Chouontei Garden and Ceiling of Twin Dragons, KENNINJI TEMPLE (建仁寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 2: SFERA BUILDING (スフェラ・ビル), SHIRKAWA GION (祇園白川), KAMO RIVER (鴨川) & DOWNTOWN, Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 2: YAKITORI HITOMI (炭焼創彩鳥家 人見), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 3: MORNING IN NORTHERN HIGASHIYAMA (北東山), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 3: NANZENJI (南禅寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 3: PHILOSOPHER’S PATH (哲学の道), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 3: HONENIN (法然院), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 3: GINKAKUJI (銀閣寺), Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 3: CRAB AND SAKE, Kyoto, Japan
DAY 4: HORYUJI (法隆寺), Nara (奈良), Japan
DAY 4: TODAIJI TEMPLE (東大寺), Nara (奈良), Japan
DAY 4: KASUGA TAISHA (春日大社), Nara (奈良), Japan
DAY 4: KOFUKUJI (興福寺), Nara (奈良), Japan
DAY 4: NAKAGAWA MASASHICHI SHOTEN (中川政七商店 遊中川), Nara (奈良), Japan
DAY 4: RAMEN & CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 5: FUSHIMI INARI SHRINE (伏見稲荷大社) Part 1, Kyoto (京都), Japan
DAY 5: FUSHIMI INARI SHRINE (伏見稲荷大社) Part 2, Kyoto, Japan
DAY 5: FAREWELL KYOTO, Kyoto, Japan