This will be a short entry today. I know I've said it before, but I really mean it this time. Today was just a day set aside for shopping. It's getting towards the end of the holiday, and the remainder of the time is set aside for traversing the Alpine Route, and Disneyland, which basically leaves today for shopping for souvenirs, trinkets and other Japan bric-a-brac to weigh down our suitcases, and lighten our wallets, for the trip home. It was nice not hav...

I'm going to start this entry by declaring that I, officially, am giving up trying to predict, or even understand, Japanese Spring weather. At least on this trip. Up until now we've had an unpredictable and at times infuriating mix of rain and semi-sun. There have been a couple of days recently, and Kanazawa comes to mind, where I've considered gathering 2 of every animal and building an ark. After today we're now all sunburnt. Today wasn't overly hot. Defini...

Today marks the start of our second stint in Kyoto. Originally scheduled to be a 5 night stay, we cut it down to 3 nights in the late stages of planning this trip, so that we could accommodate a trip North to traverse the Alpine route. So why go back to Kyoto? Quite simply because it is our favourite city in Japan. There is so much to see and do here, the shopping is fantastic if that is on the agenda, and getting around the city is simple. Also, it serves as ...

Last full day of our first stint in Kyoto today, so we had to make the most of it. We come back to Kyoto in about a week's time, which will hopefully see the cherry blossoms in a better state of bloom than they have been until now. But you can’t control the weather, right? I’m fairly certain that my family are getting tired of me shouting and shaking my fist at every cherry blossom tree that we pass which isn’t blooming. I’m sure the tree...

The day started off slower than each previous morning, which was a welcome change of pace. Not leaving the house until after 10am, the weather was already warm enough for us to decide that the jackets simply weren't going to be necessary today. Our apartment is accessed by a small alleyway filled with merchants. Each merchant looks like they're around 90 years old. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if these merchants had been going to their stalls, and opening ...