First Impressions of Kyoto, Japan. Posted: June 24, 2025 | Last updated: June 24, 2025. I just arrived in Kyoto, and I was immediately struck by the blend of ancient tradition and modern energy.

Alternative Kyoto: how Japan's culture capital became a hotspot for live music. Beneath the surface of sedate geisha teahouses and hushed shrines, Kyoto is a hotbed for legendary live music ...

Ms. Sugiyama, 39, was born in Mie Prefecture, in the central part of Japan’s main island of Honshu, but moved to Kyoto for college and then became a clerk in a wagashi shop.

Stars in Japan! See the Incredible Hotspots Celebs Are Visiting from Kyoto to Tokyo and Beyond. Natalia Senanayake. Thu, May 11, 2023 at 4:02 PM UTC. 3 min read.

Numbers from the Japan National Tourism Organization support that feeling: The country had a record-breaking 36.9 million international visitors in 2024, a 47 percent increase from the previous year.

Tourists wander down the narrow streets of the Higashiyama District neighbourhood in Kyoto, Japan, to look at the Yasaka Pagoda also known as Hokanji Temple. getty. Aug 12, 2024, 10:17am EDT.

Japanese spas are in a league of their own. In the Kansai Trio (Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka), there are plenty, but these are the high-end standounts.

Also, Kyoto is a small city despite its international prominence, so expect limited hours of operation compared with bustling metropolises; lunch generally spans from noon to 2 p.m., and guests ...

6. Matsue. Along with Matsumoto, Matsue has one of Japan’s few remaining original castles, which dates back to the early 17th century. The capital of Shimane Prefecture in southwest Japan, it ...

Japan is likely to remain a popular tourist destination. The metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto draw two thirds of international travellers, leaving a remarkable gap between urban and rural ...