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Unusual guardians appear at Kyoto’s Kiyomizudera temple
A surprise twist on traditional Japan that includes a giant kokeshi doll. Last week, as the sun rose over Kiyomizudera, one of the most famous and historic temples in Kyoto, something was a little...
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How Kyoto’s shrine of severing ties helped our reporter escape from a “black...
Yasui Konpiragu worked its magic, but for once, not in the terrifying way it usually does. In Japan, there are a lot of places that have superstitions attached to them, and some of them are taken...
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We stay in a converted Kyoto townhouse filled with traditional charm and...
We spend a couple of nights soaking in some wa. Every now and again our resident Kyoto expert Udonko needs somewhere to relax and rejuvenate. Kyoto has no shortage of unique places to stay, but Udonko...
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Nintendo HQ-turned-hotel shows off beautiful guestrooms waiting for travelers...
Private open-air bath, stylish lounges, and a touch of video game history. When Nintendo was founded back in 1889, no one expected it to become as big as it is today. But as time went by, the humble...
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Nintendo buys five-billion yen plot of land, will build new development...
Company wants to power-up its in-house R&D. There’s a plot of city-owned land in Kyoto that used to be the site of a factory and something called the Material and Disaster Prevention Center. Since...
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Do people in Kyoto really stand to the right on escalators?
How true is the left-in-Tokyo, right-in-Kyoto standing rule? There are plenty of differences that set the Kansai region, in and around Osaka, apart from the Kanto region, in and around Tokyo, and one...
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Tickets on sale for exhibit of every book Ghibli producer has ever read,...
Want to produce great anime like Toshio Suzuki? Read more books. Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki’s dream was to one day gather all of the books he’d ever read and display them for the world to...
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Japan respectfully says goodbye to a single bamboo shoot in Kyoto
Takenokone given death poem, posthumous name. Kyoto has a reputation as Japan’s most cultured city, where an appreciation for a harmonious way of life is considered a matter of course. This includes...
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Final Fantasy XIV’s newest expansions: Eorzea Cafes opening in Kyoto and Nagoya
Final Fantasy eateries enter the game’s Stormblood and Shadow Bringer arcs. In keeping with its status as a smash-hit MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV has seen a number of expansions since its original...
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You can get a custom-made katana and a tax discount by donating to this Kyoto...
Newly forged young swordsmiths open up their own forge in Kyotango. In Japan there’s a system called furusato nozei, or “hometown tax.” Originally created to help out small businesses in...
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Nephew receives SD card after his uncle passes away, finds treasure trove of...
Over 16,000 newly discovered photos show the beauty and hardships of old Japan. These days, pretty much everyone has a smartphone with a camera in their pocket, making it easier than ever to capture...
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Lunch at Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, delivered in an Imperial carriage
This ox-drawn carriage meal holds a bevvy of surprises. Kyoto is known for its longstanding tradition of serving fine multi-course kaiseki meals, but when you’re visiting the city’s top tourist sites...
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Fendi’s latest collection features garments made using kata-yuzen, a historic...
Fashion giants use traditional fabric dyeing technique in their Fall/Winter collection. Italian luxury fashion brand Fendi recently released their Fall 2022 Couture Collection, with a number of...
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Kyoto Station’s hidden-in-plain-sight curry should be the last thing you eat...
Extremely eggy curry udon is just one reason why this restaurant is perfect for a pre-departure meal on your last day in Kyoto. Pretty much every major train station in Japan has a few restaurants...
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A first-time visit to Kyoto’s Gion Festival becomes a night to remember
There’s more to these giant Yamahoko floats than first meets the eye. Our reporter Tasuku Egawa was visiting Kyoto the other day for only the second time in his life when he came across a police...
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Takoyaki…inarizushi? New fusion food boggles the mind in Japan
Japanese food breaks out of the mould for a new adventure in flavour. The Kansai region in and around Osaka is famous for takoyaki, fried dough balls filled with a piping-hot octopus filling. However,...
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JR Central and Kyoto temple team up for the coolest temple tourism...
Crafts, private art viewings, private lectures, exclusive tea tastings…you’ll want to do it all! If you’re looking for something to do this summer, look no further than JR Central’s “Souda Kyoto,...
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Kyoto in summer: A special trip to Kifune shrine recharges the soul
Itinerary includes a sightseeing train, shrine visit, and a meal to remember! This summer, Central Japan Railway is inviting people to visit Kyoto with a special “Souda Kyoto Ikou” (“That’s right,...
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Kyoto curry bread comes with a very special filling
Karepan gets a specialty upgrade at this renowned bakery. Our reporter K. Masami loves curry bread, or “karepan” as it’s known in Japan. She also loves Kyoto pickles, which are famous throughout Japan...
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What it’s like to spend the night in a Pokémon hotel room
Dreams come true for a Pokémon-loving father his equally obsessed six-year-old daughter. Just the other day, the daughter of our Japanese-language reporter P.K. Sanjun celebrated her sixth birthday....
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