Put Kyoto On Your Travel Bucket List

Above, the stage of Kiyomizu-dera. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether or not you've been to Japan before but never visited Kyoto, you should add a visit to your "bucket list".

The Evening Standard (U.K.) has an article on why Kyoto should be on people's bucket lists. I have been there twice, first with G-TOUR in 2004 and again three years ago. I enjoyed it both times.

They begin with:

Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over 1000 years until 1868, yet it has a completely different feeling to its modern day counterpart. 

The dizzying array of neon lights are instead exchanged for more traditional, low-rise architecture set to the backdrop of the verdant mountains that surround the city. 

Kyoto was created in a grid according to the principles of Feng Sui and whether it is psychological or not, you immediately feel a sense of positivity and warmth on arriving in the city. 

Juxtaposing modern, urban life with traditional Japan, follow the city’s cobbled paths where an unsuspecting side road leads to impressive pagodas and shrines and unexpected pockets of calm. Boasting over 2,500, each temple and shrine is as impressive as the next – and it would certainly take a lifetime to see them all. But it is not just the extensive selection of religious landmarks that have tourists – Japanese and foreign alike – heading to Kyoto. The city is the ideal place to get a taste, both literally, with the extensive selection of five-star dining, and metaphorically of Japanese culture. 

We’ve selected our top reasons to visit Kyoto.

Above, a gate of Nijo Castle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.

Osaka: What To See and Where To Eat

Above, restaurants in Osaka's Dotonbori have interesting signage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The United Kingdom's Evening Standard has an article on what to see and where to eat in Osaka, Japan.

They wrote:

Osaka is considered the food capital of Japan and while it’s not always at the top of most travellers' ‘must do’ lists, it is worth a visit to sample the large variety of local cuisine on offer and to immerse yourself in the Osaka philosophy of ‘kuidaore' - to eat, drink and enjoy life!

Like Tokyo, Osaka is a happening place with neon lights and picturesque streets wherever you turn - but on a much smaller scale than the Japanese capital. While there are a few tourist pulls, like the impressive Osaka Castle and the aquarium, Osaka is really all about the food. It also makes a great base for day trips to other cities like Hiroshima, Kobe or visiting the Buddhist monks in Koyasan.

Like much of Japan, each restaurant specialises in a different cuisine and the best way to rub shoulders with the locals is at some of the city’s best food hotspots through a tour provided by Inside Asia Tours, which tailor make itineraries to suit all interests, budgets or time frames. On the Osaka street-tour, a local expert talks you through everything you are eating and even explains how you can recreate the star dishes at home.

The first thing all foodie fans should do is head to Dotonbori. Part of downtown Osaka and very much the place to be, Dotonbori plays host to some of Osaka’s finest eateries (you'll spot the good spots by the queues forming outside). The city was both the founding place of conveyor belt sushi as well as the plastic food trend - a Japanese tradition that you will spot in almost every restaurant around the country. Opening a restaurant in this food hub is all about standing out and so the shop fronts feature eye-catching, larger-than-life recreations of the food served inside.

To read more, go here.

Niche Things To Do In Tokyo

Above, Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Leave it to the British to come up with some interesting things to do while in Tokyo.

The Evening Standard has an article on "7 Niche Things You Have To Do In Tokyo".

They begin the article with:

Japan is a country full of wonder where traditions are deeply revered but modernity is embraced unlike anywhere else. 

Tokyo, a sprawling metropolis, is arguably one of the most exciting cities in the world to visit. 

It's bursting with incredible restaurants, from side street huts to Michelin starred dining rooms, world-class clothing shops and subcultures that feel otherworldly. 

Below are seven quintessentially Japanese experiences that will make your trip extra memorable.

To read more, go here. 

Elvis On Tour Exhibition In London

Above, three of Presley's jumpsuits on display at Graceland last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one happens to find themselves in London, England, there's an exhibition there that may interest those who are fans of Elvis Presley.

The Evening Standard reported:

Elaborate stage costumes worn by the king of rock‘n’roll at some of his most famous concerts go on display in London for the first time today. 

The Elvis On Tour exhibition is home to 35 outfits worn by Elvis Presley between 1969-77, sometimes referred to as his “comeback years”. In the early 1960s, he focused on films and had less success with music before storming back up the charts from 1968 until his death in 1977. 

The exhibition, based at the O2 in Greenwich until February, will give an in-depth look the superstar’s life on the road. It is the first time many of the costumes have been displayed outside Graceland, the singer’s home in Tennessee that is now a museum. 

To read more, go here.