japan travels // part two

three weeks to cram in…. Kyoto // Nara // Hiroshima // Miyajima // Kurashiki // Osaka // Takayama // Matsumoto // Hakone // Tokyo

oh so beauitful kyoto with its old quarter and shopping // plenty of hobby shops (figurines) // sitting at a bar eating fresh food, cold beer and soaking up the atmosphere // 1940’s influence around Kyoto // discovering our love for 1940’s whiskey bars // kiyomizu-dera temple and the walk to the top // beautiful wooden buildings that come with plenty of history // amazing pottery and green tea ice cream // kyoto’s crazy wiring // gion old quarter and willow trees // book-off! // nishiki market // fresh produce, including the biggest mushrooms and the largest collection of walking canes, random // plenty of bgm, back ground music // arcades and space pods // warm roasted chestnuts // the incredible building of kyoto station // nara park and the many wild sika deer // tōdai-ji temple; worlds largest wooden building which houses the worlds largest bronze buddha // many many photos of me chasing deer, they will love me // exquisite roof tiles // huge maple and fir trees // walking roots // baby sika deer // bullet train and my passion for trains (nerd alert) // hiroshima and complete sadness // development grown from utter destruction // origami cranes and longevity // ferry crossing to miyajima // watching the miyajima otori gate warn off evil // the traditional ryokan and its romanticism // never wanting to leave that island // the light every photographer dreams of // the 9 course meal inducing flavour overload // sake // waterfall climb at itsukushima // japans mystery spiders that look dangerous // beautiful kurashiki and its traditional buildings // canal networks // freshly made scones // long exposures and long walks // eating out not knowing what to do // retro game shopping in osaka // universal studios // pantomime terminator // dinosaurs // osaka aquarium and the whale sharks // dōtonbori bridge // umeda sky building // oh so high // okonomiyaki in the basement // kobe and the ropeway // hiking around the nunobiki falls aka jurassic park // best steak ever, kobe beef // den den town shopping // takayama // that view // hida no sato folk village // forest walking // matsumoto and it’s mountains // matsumoto castle // beautiful sunsets and many photos of the castle // 100 year old ramen restaurant // inside matsumoto castle, battle worn // hakone and mt fuji // random pirate ships // sulphur eggs and pools // expensive french meals // mount fuji without cloud! // tokyo // riding the rains around the stations // ueno park and starbucks // hello kitty nails and ps vita // craftheads 80’s bar // earthquakes // 30 hours back home // home and swag