{"id":107508,"date":"2025-01-21T11:26:34","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T02:26:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=107508"},"modified":"2025-02-09T10:57:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-09T01:57:00","slug":"my-japan-a-hidden-kyoto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/my-japan-a-hidden-kyoto\/","title":{"rendered":"My Japan: A Hidden Kyoto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>In this month&#8217;s installment of Voyapon&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/category\/my-japan\/\">My Japan<\/a> series, contributor Salom\u00e9e Darneau shares her personal experiences of living in a quieter area of Kyoto which is still one of Japan&#8217;s most iconic and beloved cities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After living in Tokyo, I found myself seeking a change of pace. While the Japanese capital\u2019s vibrant energy and bustling streets are captivating, the constant crowds and fast-paced lifestyle eventually felt overwhelming. The endless buzz of Shinjuku\u2019s concrete jungle offered a unique experience, especially while working a traditional office job, but I yearned for a quieter, more serene environment. That\u2019s when <strong>I decided to make the move to Kyoto, a city renowned for its rich culture, stunning temples, and tranquil atmosphere.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ht-block-toc  is-style-outline htoc htoc--position-wide toc-list-style-plain\" data-htoc-state=\"expanded\"><span class=\"htoc__title\"><span class=\"ht_toc_title\">Table of Contents<\/span><span class=\"htoc__toggle\"><\/span><\/span><div class=\"htoc__itemswrap\"><ul class=\"ht_toc_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-weekdays\">Weekdays<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-weekend\">Weekend<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-my-favorite-place-in-kyoto\">My Favorite Place in Kyoto<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-the-many-wonders-of-the-ancient-capital\">The Many Wonders of the Ancient Capital<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-weekdays\">Weekdays<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>My week starts on Sunday, as does the Japanese calendar. I had Fridays and Saturdays off while I was still a <em>kaishain <\/em>\u4f1a\u793e\u54e1<em> <\/em>(company employee), and I rather liked it, so I stuck with it. Sundays always feel slow and quiet as I return to work from the comfort of my home. I was never fond of open offices, and I much prefer working in my own environment. <strong>It can be lonely, but I like the quietness. I mostly do translation work, which is a rather solitary endeavor to start with.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I start early in the morning so that I can benefit from the day\u2019s sunlight as much as possible. I have to admit, I do feel like the reality of a 9 to 5 job is a bit out of touch with the reality of Japan\u2019s sunny hours, considering that in summer, the sun rises as early as 4:45 am.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107510\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215121\/1.-Takaragaike-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"A view from Takaragaike in Japan\" class=\"wp-image-107510\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215121\/1.-Takaragaike-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215121\/1.-Takaragaike-500x376.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215121\/1.-Takaragaike-1536x1154.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215121\/1.-Takaragaike-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"107509\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17214949\/2.-Woods-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"A wood with a path in between\" class=\"wp-image-107509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17214949\/2.-Woods-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17214949\/2.-Woods-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17214949\/2.-Woods-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17214949\/2.-Woods-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17214949\/2.-Woods-scaled.jpg 1922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The sun has still not set when my shift ends, so I can enjoy a ride outside, or a walk among quiet streets and rice fields. <strong>Kyoto has amazing nature, and it is not rare to see some wild animals around. In summer, it\u2019s a bit too hot to go outside before sunset \u2014 especially to exercise, so I sometimes go to the river instead, and appreciate its cold and clear water. I am really grateful to be in a place where I can connect to nature so easily.<\/strong> It feels especially refreshing after a day sitting in front of my computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107512\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215301\/3.-Deer-in-Takaragaike-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Deer's in Takaragaike park in Kyoto\" class=\"wp-image-107512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215301\/3.-Deer-in-Takaragaike-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215301\/3.-Deer-in-Takaragaike-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215301\/3.-Deer-in-Takaragaike-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215301\/3.-Deer-in-Takaragaike-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107511\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215258\/4.-Deer-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"A wild deer in Japan\" class=\"wp-image-107511\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215258\/4.-Deer-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215258\/4.-Deer-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215258\/4.-Deer-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215258\/4.-Deer-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If I stay home, I usually try to stay away from screens after work \u2014 if I master the willpower to do so \u2014 to instead focus on more mindful practices or quality reading time. I am still trying to finish reading <em>The Tale of Genji<\/em>, among other things \u2014 after all, isn\u2019t Kyoto the ideal place to read it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which prompts me to mention Uji, where I like to go occasionally, to enjoy a different side of Kyoto and an ever-welcome visit to the Genji Monogatari Museum \u2014 which has an impressive, freely accessible library that\u2019s all about <em>The Tale of Genji<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107515\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215615\/5.-Byodoin-1-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Uji's famous Byodoin Temple\" class=\"wp-image-107515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215615\/5.-Byodoin-1-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215615\/5.-Byodoin-1-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215615\/5.-Byodoin-1-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215615\/5.-Byodoin-1-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107514\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215400\/6.-Uji-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Natural landscape in Uji\" class=\"wp-image-107514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215400\/6.-Uji-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215400\/6.-Uji-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215400\/6.-Uji-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215400\/6.-Uji-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"107516\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215843\/7.-Kyoyasai-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"vegetables from Kyoto\" class=\"wp-image-107516\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215843\/7.-Kyoyasai-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215843\/7.-Kyoyasai-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215843\/7.-Kyoyasai-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215843\/7.-Kyoyasai-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215843\/7.-Kyoyasai-scaled.jpg 1922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Right photo: Komatsuna from Kyoto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This is mostly how every day goes from Sunday to Wednesday, with some variation according to the seasons. <strong>Kyoto is especially rich in traditions following the <a href=\"https:\/\/kyotojournal.org\/uncategorized\/the-72-japanese-micro-seasons\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">72 micro seasons of Japan,<\/a> and has some interesting rituals throughout the year. Food is often related to seasonal events, and one thing I have been really enjoying here is discovering <em>kyo-yasai<\/em>, or Kyoto vegetables.<\/strong> I have eaten some eggplant and turnip from Kyoto that were surprisingly the best I\u2019ve ever had \u2014 although unfortunately, they are still mostly sold wrapped in plastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"107518\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/8.-Ropeway-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Rope way to Mount Hiei in summer\" class=\"wp-image-107518\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/8.-Ropeway-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/8.-Ropeway-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/8.-Ropeway-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/8.-Ropeway-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/8.-Ropeway-scaled.jpg 1922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"107517\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/9.-Hieizan-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Mount Hiei vegetation in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-107517\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/9.-Hieizan-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/9.-Hieizan-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/9.-Hieizan-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/9.-Hieizan-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17215954\/9.-Hieizan-scaled.jpg 1922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Mount Hiei in summer and autumn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Kyoto is, as everyone says, quite hot in summer and equally cold in winter \u2014 which can be tough, but also makes the city a fantastic place to enjoy the changes in the weather and colors throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a fan of summer, I\u2019ll admit winter can feel long, its dark and cold nights daunting. Luckily, however, it\u2019s possible to enjoy some snow when going to the northern part of Kyoto, which makes the season a bit more magical. It generally snows as early as December on top of Mount Hiei, one of Kyoto\u2019s most iconic mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-weekend\">Weekend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On Thursdays, I only work in the morning, so I have most of the day for myself. Perhaps it is because I am French, but I am not too fond of the 40-hour workweek, so I lessen the load a bit. I dedicate the time I have on Thursdays to personal projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>And on my weekends, I like to explore the city, whether to discover new places or to revisit some favorite spots. Since I moved to Kyoto recently, there are still many places I have yet to visit, and this includes the whole <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/sightseeing-kansai-hokuriku-arch-pass\/\">Kansai region<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17220312\/10.-From-Hieizan-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"The view from Mount Hiei\" class=\"wp-image-107519\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17220312\/10.-From-Hieizan-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17220312\/10.-From-Hieizan-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17220312\/10.-From-Hieizan-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17220312\/10.-From-Hieizan-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The view from Mount Hiei<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>I only know Osaka (well, from 10 years ago), and a little bit of Shiga \u2014 an underrated prefecture, which I love for its impressive lake and charming countryside \u2014 so it\u2019s exciting to think of all the places nearby just waiting to be explored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-my-favorite-place-in-kyoto\">My Favorite Place in Kyoto<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kurama, the mountain hamlet up north of the city, has captured my heart in a way no other place has. In summer, the landscape is lush and the river inviting, and the <em>higurashi<\/em> cicadas sing as the sun sets. <\/strong>In autumn, a combination of gold, orange and red foliage cover the mountain as the temperatures drop and in winter, the place becomes a snowy wonder. In spring, the last camellias still in bloom can be observed nearly everywhere \u2014 for there are a lot of them. There is much more to Kurama\u2019s history and traditions, and it keeps fascinating me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221003\/11.-Kurama-1-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Arriving at Kurama Station\" class=\"wp-image-107523\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221003\/11.-Kurama-1-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221003\/11.-Kurama-1-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221003\/11.-Kurama-1-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221003\/11.-Kurama-1-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107525\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221012\/12.-Kurama-1-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Stairs going to Kurama\" class=\"wp-image-107525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221012\/12.-Kurama-1-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221012\/12.-Kurama-1-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221012\/12.-Kurama-1-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221012\/12.-Kurama-1-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"107524\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221006\/13.-Kurama-camellia-1-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Japanese red bridge\" class=\"wp-image-107524\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221006\/13.-Kurama-camellia-1-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221006\/13.-Kurama-camellia-1-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221006\/13.-Kurama-camellia-1-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221006\/13.-Kurama-camellia-1-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221006\/13.-Kurama-camellia-1-scaled.jpg 1922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Its peak, at 584 meters, is accessible by a nice walk through the forest or even by a ropeway, and offers a wonderful view in any season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107526\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221356\/14.-Kurama-summer-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Views from Kurama in summer\" class=\"wp-image-107526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221356\/14.-Kurama-summer-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221356\/14.-Kurama-summer-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221356\/14.-Kurama-summer-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221356\/14.-Kurama-summer-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107527\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221357\/15.-Kurama-autumn-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Views from Kurama in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-107527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221357\/15.-Kurama-autumn-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221357\/15.-Kurama-autumn-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221357\/15.-Kurama-autumn-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221357\/15.-Kurama-autumn-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The mountain\u2019s greenery is truly impressive, and never fails to replenish me with lots of energy for the week to come. <strong>A great place to experience <em>shinrinyoku<\/em> \u68ee\u6797\u6d74 (forest bathing).<\/strong> It is also very popular in summer when the city gets impossibly hot, since it offers a nice breath of fresh air, with temperatures easily 10\u00b0C below those downtown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-7 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107530\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221601\/16.-Kurama-woods-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Walking through Kyoto's forest\" class=\"wp-image-107530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221601\/16.-Kurama-woods-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221601\/16.-Kurama-woods-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221601\/16.-Kurama-woods-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221601\/16.-Kurama-woods-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107529\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221600\/18.-Kurama-woods-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Walking through Kyoto's forest in Kurama\" class=\"wp-image-107529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221600\/18.-Kurama-woods-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221600\/18.-Kurama-woods-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221600\/18.-Kurama-woods-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221600\/18.-Kurama-woods-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221554\/17.-Kurama-woods-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Walking through Kyoto's forest in Kurama\" class=\"wp-image-107528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221554\/17.-Kurama-woods-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221554\/17.-Kurama-woods-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221554\/17.-Kurama-woods-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221554\/17.-Kurama-woods-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Famously, it is home to the Kurama Fire Festival in October, which draws in an impressive crowd of onlookers quickly filling up the narrow street of the village \u2014 and once trapped north of the main street, it can take a long time in the queue to finally reach the station again.<\/strong> This festival is a compelling example of Kyoto&#8217;s diverse culture and how deeply it is treasured by its communities. More than the fire itself, this is likely what makes the event so striking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-8 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"107531\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221950\/19.-Kurama-fire-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Kurama Fire Festival in October\" class=\"wp-image-107531\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221950\/19.-Kurama-fire-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221950\/19.-Kurama-fire-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221950\/19.-Kurama-fire-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221950\/19.-Kurama-fire-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221950\/19.-Kurama-fire-scaled.jpg 1922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"107533\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221956\/20.-Kurama-fire-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Kurama Fire Festival in October\" class=\"wp-image-107533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221956\/20.-Kurama-fire-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221956\/20.-Kurama-fire-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221956\/20.-Kurama-fire-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221956\/20.-Kurama-fire-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221956\/20.-Kurama-fire-scaled.jpg 1922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"107532\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221952\/21.-Kurama-fire-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Kurama Fire Festival in October\" class=\"wp-image-107532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221952\/21.-Kurama-fire-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221952\/21.-Kurama-fire-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221952\/21.-Kurama-fire-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221952\/21.-Kurama-fire-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17221952\/21.-Kurama-fire-scaled.jpg 1922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-the-many-wonders-of-the-ancient-capital\">The Many Wonders of the Ancient Capital<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many other places that offer the perfect respite at the end of the week, and they\u2019re never too far to reach \u2014 after living in Tokyo, Kyoto feels pleasantly small. I like to walk along the Kamo River throughout the year, admiring the birds crossing it, the mountains in the distance, and the cityscape surrounding it. It makes for amazing strolls. The city also has an incredible botanical garden, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. <strong>Opened in 1924 as Japan\u2019s first public botanical garden, it now houses about 120,000 plants. Before moving here, I never knew Kyoto was home to such a gem.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-9 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107537\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222104\/23.-Botanical-garden-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Botanical garden in Kyoto\" class=\"wp-image-107537\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222104\/23.-Botanical-garden-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222104\/23.-Botanical-garden-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222104\/23.-Botanical-garden-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222104\/23.-Botanical-garden-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107536\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222059\/24.-Botanical-garden-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Botanical garden\" class=\"wp-image-107536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222059\/24.-Botanical-garden-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222059\/24.-Botanical-garden-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222059\/24.-Botanical-garden-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222059\/24.-Botanical-garden-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"107534\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222054\/25.-Botanical-garden-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Botanical garden\" class=\"wp-image-107534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222054\/25.-Botanical-garden-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222054\/25.-Botanical-garden-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222054\/25.-Botanical-garden-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222054\/25.-Botanical-garden-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222054\/25.-Botanical-garden-scaled.jpg 1922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" data-id=\"107535\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222056\/22.-Kamogawa-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"Kamo River in Kyoto\" class=\"wp-image-107535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222056\/22.-Kamogawa-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222056\/22.-Kamogawa-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222056\/22.-Kamogawa-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/17222056\/22.-Kamogawa-2048x1538.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Obviously enough, I do enjoy Kyoto more than Tokyo at this point in time, and I am still amazed at everything this prefecture has to offer beyond its internationally famous landmarks.<\/strong> There\u2019s no need to promote the city more than it already is, but I hope I could offer a glimpse of what makes Kyoto a great place not only to visit, but also to live in. Thank you for reading!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this month&#8217;s installment of Voyapon&#8217;s My Japan series, contributor Salom\u00e9e Darneau shares her personal experiences of living in a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":212,"featured_media":107524,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1412,3267],"tags":[1284,2231],"class_list":{"0":"post-107508","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-kansai","8":"category-my-japan","9":"tag-kyoto","10":"tag-living-in-japan"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>My Japan: A Hidden Kyoto<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In this January 2025 installment of Voyapon&#039;s My Japan series, Salom\u00e9e Darneau writes about her life in Japan&#039;s ancient Kyoto.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/my-japan-a-hidden-kyoto\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"My Japan: A Hidden Kyoto\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In this January 2025 installment of Voyapon&#039;s My Japan series, Salom\u00e9e Darneau writes about her life in Japan&#039;s ancient Kyoto.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/my-japan-a-hidden-kyoto\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"VOYAPON\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-21T02:26:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-02-09T01:57:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" 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