NARA, JAPAN… Straight from the mouths of Wikipedia… Nara (奈良市 Nara-shi?) is the capital city of Nara Prefecture located in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture. Eight temples, shrines and ruins in Nara, specifically Tōdai-ji, Saidai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, Kasuga Shrine, Gangō-ji, Yakushi-ji, Tōshōdai-ji, and the Heijō Palace remain, together …
Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera and beyond
We walk south, through a city that is only just awakening. The great Buddhist temples are complexes, filled with shrines, gardens, private living areas, ceremonial spaces, blessing shops and food stands. We enter Yasaka Shrine, then Murayama Park, onward south through the amazing Higashiyama district. Shopkeepers roll up their doors, sweep their porches, stock their displays. Many stores and restaurants …
Autumn in Kyoto, Japan
KYOTO, in early autumn, inspires quiet moments of meditation and reflection here in the transition of the changing leaves. Two weeks from now, the city will shimmer and sparkle with golden hues of reds and oranges from the tips of the mountaintops all the way down into the bustling city streets. A buzz is afoot in this beautiful city. The …
Kyoto’s Cafe Du Mon
Across the street from the east gate of Daitoku-ji Temple sits Cafe Du Mon, an amazing little gem of a restaurant. A fusion of Japanese, French and Italian cuisine creates a unique palette of flavors and textures, each dish more striking and intriguing than the last.
A View of Kurama-dera Temple
I snapped this panoramic photo at Kurama-dera Temple today, about an hour north of Kyoto in the mountains. Can you spot the birthday girl? Happy birthday, AliSun Trees!
Gettin’ There: KIX to Osaka
One week from today. We leave Anahola early in the morning, hop a half hour plane from Lihue to Honolulu (LIH-HNL), tough out a long haul to Seoul (HNL-ICN) and finish up with a short flight to Osaka (ICN-KIX). OK, toughing it out is a stretch – we’re flying business class HNL-ICN-KIX (95,000 United miles and $84 in taxes). Two …
Hawaii and Asia Take Shape
A big, long trip is a life event. It stays with you, fills your soul with experience, colors your view. There is a lot to plan, but it is easier the second and third and fourth time around. It is exciting planting a seed and seeing the plant grow, flower, leaf, fruit. We considered destinations for the fall and winter. …