Last month I was lucky enough to purchase tickets to Madeon’s Good Faith tour in Tokyo (held at Akasaka Blitz). The event was so popular that tickets sold out in a matter of 10 minutes, but fortunately through a lot of refreshing on the Lawson Ticket site I was able to buy a standing ticket. The standing tickets are the best in my opinion, because you’re able to get close to the stage and dance!
Though I lived in America for many years, this was the first time I had ever seen Madeon live. His performance was such an emotional ride that it’s hard to describe with words, but I was filled with nostalgia and inspiration as I watched him pour his every being into his music. The visuals were stunning, and perfectly matched the theme of each song. In addition to songs from Good Faith, he sang nostalgic songs like Shelter and played a number of live edits that took careful precision and timing. In fact, he put so much into this performance that he was nearly out of breath at the end, but he kept on singing for all of us.
Some of my favorite visuals are the ones shown below:
Good Faith has a lot of highs and lows, and the visuals were carefully designed to reflect that. Similar to Porter Robinson’s shows, the visuals shift with the feeling of the song. Some of them are very complex with intense motion, while others are very still and soft. The show really is a trip and I think everyone can find something that they relate with here [as he intended].
If you haven’t listened to Good Faith yet, please take the chance to when you have time. You won’t be disappointed. My favorite song is “Miracle” because it deals with working out a lot of complex emotions (fear, anxiety, hopelessness), but delivers a powerful meaning. All of the songs are beautiful and combine a mixture of piano, synth, and electronic sounds. Seeing him play on the piano nearly brought me to tears because it was so beautiful.
A few weeks after returning to Japan from my aesthetic adventures in Taiwan, I decided to go to Nagoya City and attend an event called Touch & Go that some of my favorite artists were playing at. Before getting boozed up and meeting friends, I wanted to explore somewhere that I had never been to before within the area. Since most of Nagoya’s major attractions can been seen in 2-3 days and I had already seen them all, I decided to go somewhere on the outskirts of Aichi prefecture that was still on the way there from Tokyo. My research led me to an amusement park named Laguna Ten Bosch (also called Lagunasia). Not wanting to miss out on yet another aesthetic adventure, I decided to arrive around 5pm so I could catch the winter light shows and practice night photography with my GoPro. I was not disappointed by the beautiful floral displays and flashing neon lights:
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0285.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0286.JPG
About Laguna Ten Bosch/Lagunasia
Lagunasia is a amusement park/waterpark/spa that is geared towards younger ages but has attractions that everyone can enjoy. What caught my attention specifically is its brilliant winter illuminations. Since I have lived in Japan for over 4 years now, I have already seen a large variety of what this country has to offer, but I had never seen illuminations in Nagoya before. During the winter season, the outdoor waterpark is transformed into a brilliant display of Christmas decorations and lights that produce a mirror-like effect when they flicker at night:
I was amazed to see the different flowers that were in bloom during this time of year (which was January)! While walking to the garden area shown in the video above, I walked on a transparent bridge where I could see flowers planted below my feet. It truly was a unique experience. I saw a cosplayer doing a photoshoot here, so I knew I had come at the right time! Most of the light shows start around 6pm and last until the park’s closure at 9pm. You can see detailed information regarding the light shows on their official website.
Access & Entrance Fees
Compared to other amusement parks in Japan, entrance to Lagunasia is actually quite affordable. Admission only is around $20 USD, and $40 if you want unlimited rides. Because I have been to so many amusement parks already, I opted to pay the cheapest option for entrance only. There are a number of roller coasters, bumper cars, and water rides that looked fun, but in the winter I think it’s best to go the cheapest route since not all attractions are open. I was able to get a discounted nightpass as well (I believe the price changes with the season because it is not listed on their website, but I am unsure).
To get here from Tokyo takes approximately 2 hours and 25 mins. I rode the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen to Toyohashi Station. Then I took a local train to Mikawa-Otsuka Station. The ride was very easy compared to other trips that I have done, and getting to where I needed to be in Nagoya only took an hour and a half on local trains.
See the Access page of the Laguna Ten Bosch website for more information.
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0273.JPG
I thought it was funny that random cutouts of Boku no Hero Academia were placed around the park. It must have been part of a collaboration, but it was very subtle.
So is it worth it?
I give this amusement park an overall positive review because a lot of effort was put into the 3D mapping and light shows here. However, unless you really love amusement parks or have extra time to kill in Nagoya, I would first recommend checking out Universal Studios in Osaka or Lego Land (also near Nagoya). I will review these in separate posts when I have time. These places both have more attractions and are easier to access than Lagunasia, so they are better to see first in my opinion.
If you have been living in Japan for a while like me and are looking for something new to see, or are close to the Nagoya area, then this is it! This is the perfect day trip or getaway from Nagoya City. The lines are minimal here–you can easily ride all the rides you want within a few minutes. The illuminations are great for practicing photography and I had a lot of fun experiencing them. You may find yourself getting bored if you come too early, so I would recommend coming here in the afternoon so you can catch the light shows (the winter seems the most elaborate, but they change year-round).
I would come here again with a friend if the opportunity presented itself~
Wanting experience life outside of Taipei, I researched other cities in Taiwan that would fit my adventurous spirit. Taichung, Taiwan’s 2nd most populous city, caught my interest right away because of its Rainbow Village and picturesque Sun and Moon Lake which are both accessible by bus from the central station.
Rainbow Village
The bright and beautiful colors of this village immediately caught my eye–plus I was curious to know the origin of how it became so psychedelic–so I wanted this place to be my first destination in Taichung. I took the MRT from Taipei to reach Taichung Station within 2 hours, then I took a local bus to reach Rainbow Village within 15 minutes. I was greeted by these crazy-colored murals painted on a neighborhood of cozy houses. The village was a bit smaller than what I had expected, but there were literally so many things to see here!
This village was designated as a home for refugees that fled to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War, but was sadly planned to be demolished after the war ended. Not wanting to see his home destroyed, Huang Yong-Fu (who was drafted for the war but still resided in the village), started painting the entire village in rainbow colors in hopes that it would be preserved. Though not many other refugees were living there at the time, his artwork was noticed by nearby university students and they formed a petition to keep the 11 houses intact. Fortunately it was successful, and the village has become a popular tourist attraction for everyone to enjoy and learn about the history of the war. Yong-Fu is nicknamed the “Rainbow Grandpa” of the village, and his murals will always be an important part of Taichung’s history.
DCIM100GOPROG0050196.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0180.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0182.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0183.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0190.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0191.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0206.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0205.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0203.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0202.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0201.JPG
This village is literally a photographer’s paradise! I was really happy to capture a lot of quality footage on my GoPro even though there were a lot of people around. The murals seem to have cultural influences from all around the world. There are a number of animals and humans depicted in them with interesting symbols so your interpretation of them completely depends on you.
After spending a good hour here, I decided to take a taxi back to Loosha Hotel where I was staying for the night (I chose it because it was cheap and centrally located). Taichung can be done as a day trip, but I would recommend staying here 2-3 days if you can see everything. I will be covering the famous Sun and Moon Lake in my next article this week! Thank you for reading.
GoProing in the Reef: Laomei Beach still looks as awe-inspiring as ever in the winter.
Situated at the northern tip of Taiwan, Laomei Reef is a well sought-after location for photographers and beach goers alike with its stunning green scenery and relaxing atmosphere. Though Taiwan isn’t particularly known for its beaches, I still wanted to experience at least one even though I came here during the dead of winter. Hoping to capture the best lighting with GoPro, I arrived around sunset by taking the train to Tamsui Station from Taipei and then using a local bus (this took around 2.5 hours but was a nice day trip). Even though it was the first week of January, all I needed to wear was a light jacket because the weather was sunny and mild. During the summer months, I’ve heard that this beach transforms into quite the lively place. I’d really like to come back and experience this in the future because beaches are my favorite places in the world.
Because there weren’t that many people around this time of year, I managed to capture some really great photos of the reef:
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0123.JPG
I love how the shallow water reflected the image of the sky above almost like a mirror. You can actually get very close to the reef by standing on the trench by the shore. According to John Ellis (a local photographer who I have been following), the reef was originally formed by a volcanic eruption that occurred over two hundred thousand years ago. Summer is the best time to see the reef because that is when the most algae grows, but the beautiful shade of green is fortunately see-able in all seasons. Though it was too cold to go swimming, I enjoyed watching the waves wash over the reef and felt at ease while I was here:
From this video it looks like I’m standing at the edge of the world! Not wanting the adventure to end here, I decided to take a bus from here to the famous alpaca cafe called OIA Oia Art Cafe. If you venture all the way out the the reef, you might as well take the time to pet the two lovely alpacas that live here because this cafe is very close:
I ordered a sweet beer and reminisced on all of my crazy encounters with animals while I was here. Last year I went to the bunny island and miniature pig cafe in Tokyo, and now here I was in another foreign country drinking with animals (which I often prefer to humans). Life is truly strange and amazing, and I am doing my best to live every minute to the fullest.
In addition to alpacas, they also have cats here. I have been to many cat cafes already so I didn’t film them, but they were interesting to watch. I spent most of my time petting the kind alpaca pictured above. It looked very tired but fortunately well-fed, just like me. Maybe we aren’t so different after all.
GoProing at the Gorge: Taroko Gorge turns out to not be a tourist trap, but instead an unspoiled private paradise for hikers.
After exploring Yehliu Geopark and Jiufen, I hopped on the last train from Taipei’s Main Station and made my way to Hualien, a beautiful town surrounded by nature and the ocean on the east coast of Taiwan. My main destination here was Taroko National Park, arguably the most beautiful park in the country with its marble cliffs and gorges. The gorgeous blue color of the water reminded me a lot of the ocean that surrounds the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand. Though Taroko Gorge is more of a hiking spot than a place to swim, my tour guide allowed us to go swimming at the base of the Shakadang Trail! Even in January, the water felt surprisingly warm and refreshing. This place is truly unlike anywhere else in Taiwan and I definitely recommend people visit.
Due to its massive size Taroko is very difficult to cover in a day, but with a lot of online research, I managed to find The Better Taroko Gorge Tour which not only lets you pay in cash, but also accepts solo travelers (most tours to Taroko are extremely expensive and require group reservations). It is also one of the few tours that includes lunch, so I was extremely fortunate that I chose it or else I would have been starving! My excellent tour guide, Alan, took our group of seven people through the Swallow Grotto, two suspension bridges, the newly opened Tunnel Of Nine Turns that was previously closed due to an earthquake, and scenic the Bell Tower Padoga. We unfortunately were unable to hike up to the Eternal Spring Shrine due to road conditions, but we were able to see all of the highlights of the park on this tour in one day.
The tour started early at 7:30am, but we managed to avoid the crowds and I had a lot of time to capture photos and video with my newly purchased GoPro:
Most articles you read online recommend spending 2-3 days in this park if you are a hiking enthusiast, but one was enough for me because I was planning on seeing all of the major cities in Taiwan and also meeting up with friends. I was extremely satisfied with the challenge of the hike (it really wasn’t hard at all, minus some stairs) and also with all of the shrines I got to see. I would DEFINITELY recommend coming here with a tourguide, because riding in a van will save you a lot of time on the roads, and the guides know exactly where all the scenic spots here are. Coming alone is possible, but I think it would take much longer and be difficult to navigate and know which paths are safe to hike on. This park is not dangerous, but some of the slopes are affected by the weather so you need to be cautious while climbing them.
The Official Taroko Gorge Website has a list of trails that are currently available. Shakadang Trail, Changchun Trail, Swallow Grotto, and the Tunnel of Nine Turns are the paths I recommend taking (you can see all in a day if you have a car or skilled tour guide). We managed to see waterfalls and many temples too! Throughout the park you will see signs that say you need a permit to enter, but we were informed that such permits do not exist–this is just to warn tourists of potentially dangerous areas so the park does not get sued in case of injury. Enter these parts at your own risk (I hiked through one part, but it was literally nothing but green forest so I turned around as to not lose my way). In the middle of the day, we had a delicious course lunch at a restaurant in the mountains, and I had the chance to try Taiwanese mochi too:
At the end of the day, our tour guide took us to a nearby beach in Hualien where we could relax after a successful day of sightseeing. We were all amazed with the creative rock stacks (called cairns) here. The beach was literally full of them:
At the end of the day, I was completely exhausted and wanted to return to Taipei, so Alan kindly drove me to my hostel (called Cave) to get my luggage, and then back to the main Hualien Station where I could take the train back. I made an extremely kind friend on this trip who is currently working in Okinawa, so I was very happy with my experience. Island Life Taiwan is one of the best local guides for Taroko Gorge, and I would happily book them again if I decided to come back here in the future! The total cost was only 2000 Taiwan Dollars, which is much cheaper than most advertised tour packages. This was one of the best days that I had in Taiwan, and I will not forget the beautiful unspoiled paradise that is Taroko Gorge!
Shenanigans in the colorful Gamcheon Culture Village.
After missing the last bus to my hostel and staying by myself at a love hotel in Busan, I decided to make my way to the colorful Gamcheon Culture Village which is consists of historic houses and beautiful murals with awe-inspiring messages. Originally in the 1950s this was a place where Korean refugees fled in South Korea, and the area was extremely undeveloped. Now it has transformed into a beautiful place full of art and culture (hence the name). Nicknamed the “Machu Picchu of Busan” this coastal village is the perfect place for a relaxing day of sightseeing. There are a number of people that reside in the village as well, so tourists are asked to be respectful of houses outside of the map.
I decided to take a taxi to Gamcheon from my hostel, but Prepare Travel Plans has a good list of alternative ways to get here from Busan. When I arrived to the village, I felt as if I had stepped into a storybook! In fact, some of the stairs were painted with book titles. It’s quite easy to get lost here because the buildings are extremely condensed, but I fortunately figured out my way around here by using the colored guideposts and English map from the tourist association.
I discovered a ton of interesting sights here like poop-flavored desserts, a statue from “The Little Prince”, animal-shaped dumplings, trick-eye art murals, locks that you can buy and wish for love with your partner, cotton candy cloud coffee, and all sorts of street food that was being sold in the alley. If you buy a map (they are really cheap), then you can participate in a stamp rally that will guide you to all of the major sightseeing spots of the village. I actually got lost at one point, but an elderly man pointed me in the right direction (even though we didn’t speak one another’s language). It was extremely pleasant wandering through this town, and I am glad to see that it has turned into a source of happiness for people now. The tourism here really does help the village, which is why I argue that visiting touristy places isn’t always a bad thing.
After a very colorful day, I decided to head back to central Busan and visit the Jagalchi Market which is very easy to get to because it’s in the heart of the city. I recently watched Black Panther where part of the movie was filmed here, and it brought back so many memories! I went late at night when not as many places were open, but I managed to find an amazing place that served me raw octopus:
It’s truly amazing seeing the large variety of seafood that is available. You can select your food from the tank outside of the restaurant or you can ask them to choose for you. I managed to break the language barrier by pointing at the octopus I wanted, and also used my translation app to order. I noticed that outside of Seoul that not many Koreans speak English unless they have a reason to (such as an international career), but I still was able to get around find. Busan is a very relaxing city compared to most found in Japan. Tokyo is still my favorite city in the world, but I enjoyed experiencing life here.
I stayed here for only 2 days because I was short on time, but I recommend that people stay here for at least 3-4 days so they can see everything that this city has to experience. There are a number of interesting parks and museums in Busan as well. I will be publishing the rest of my adventures in Korea in the near future!
Beautiful view from the temple walk in Onomichi, Hiroshima, Japan.
On my way from Hiroshima Station to Fukuyama to see Pascom Ongaku Club’s Night Flow Tour, I decided to backpack through the smaller towns in Hiroshima to see what they were like. Though Hiroshima is known mostly for its Peace Memorial and remnants of WWII, I was surprised to know that each town within the prefecture had its own different atmosphere.
I previously wrote about the Rabbit Island I visited at Tadanoumi Port from Hiroshima, so now I will cover two major towns I stayed in east of it: Onomichi & Fukuyama.
Onomichi
Onomichi is a very tiny port town, but is famous for its temple walk, cat alleyway, and ropeway. When I first got off at the station, I felt like there was not a lot to see here outside of the main shopping street. However, most of the major sightseeing points are up on a hill because this town is on the incline of a mountain which makes in extremely unique. Growing up in a place that was pretty flat, it amazes me to see how people live in the mountains.
The temple walk consists of 25 temples you can access on foot by hiking up a hill near the main station. I decided to combine this hike with my morning jog, and it took me around 2 hours to see everything. A lot of the temples are tiny, but there is a large one at the top of the hill and beautiful scenery along the way. There is also a “Lover’s Sanctuary” where you can wish for good luck in love. I found it adorable that there was a cat statue with a heart around it too!
As I was walking up the hill, a number of stray cats came out to bask in the sun. Cat alley is on the way up to the top of the temple walk, so likely you will see come adorable felines on the way to the top!
My recommendation is to take a day trip here, or stay for one night. I stayed at Onomichi Guesthouse Anago, which was in a traditional Japanese tatami-styled house near the shopping street. I had an extremely pleasant stay here, because there was a breakfast option and they also had beautiful folded paper cranes.
Onomichi may be small, but it surprisingly has a large variety of food! There are tons of little shops around the station and even on the way up to the temple walk. I found a vegetarian restaurant that serves delicious Falafel sandwiches, and also tried some anago rice (rice topped with eel) at a shop inside of the station. It is also recommended by locals to try the ramen as well. There are options for every diet here.
Getting to Onomichi
From Hiroshima Station, take the Sannyo line to Itozaki, then transfer and take the same line towards Okayama to get to Onomichi Station. This costs 1500 yen and takes 1.5 hours.
You can also go to the Rabbit Island first from Hiroshima Station, then come here and stay overnight if you have enough time like I did (I would recommend this so you can see the most things).
Fukuyama & Sensui Island
Epic, almost postcard-like view from hiking at Sensuishima, Fukuyama, Japan.
After successfully completing the temple walk in Onomichi, I decided to take the train to Fukuyama at the border of Hiroshima Prefecture because that is where Pasocom Ongaku Club’s event was held (I will be covering this in a future post). When I got off at the station, I was astounded to see this town was much more urban than Onomichi and even parts of central Hiroshima was. Since this town borders Okayama Prefecture, there is a much larger population density here than other towns in Hiroshima.
The first thing I noticed was the modernized yet rustic feel. Among shopping malls, upscale bars, and hotels, Fukuyama Castle is also viewable as soon as you get off at the station. I decided to begin my adventure by stopping at the castle first. It is smaller than Hiroshima Castle, but is worth seeing because it is so close to the station.
Take the “Fukuyama Castle Exit” from the station to see this castle!
Since my hotel wasn’t ready until 4pm, I decided to go to Sensui Island and use the famous hotspring there. Sensui Island can easily be accessed by taking a bus from the station to Tomonoura Port (which takes around 40 mins), and then taking a free boat ride from there which takes only 5 minutes to reach the island. You can see a detailed guide and boat timetable from the Fukuyama Tourist Website.
Sensui Island is fantastic for hiking, and there is a boat rental service as well. The accommodations here are surprisingly cheap for only 5500 yen per night. I spent around 45 mins hiking and taking pictures of the scenic island, then I used the hotspring at Kokumin Shukusha Sensuijima for around 1000 yen with the towel included. It was such a relaxing day! I listened to all of my favorite songs and got extremely hype for the event I was going to on the mainland at night. I would love to come here during the summer and go swimming at the beach, because it is extremely private and relaxing.
I stayed at Setouchi Knot Hotel near Fukuyama Station, which was around 3000 yen per night. It is the cheapest hotel in Fukuyama, but was extremely quiet and worth the price in my opinion.
Getting to Fukuyama
From Hiroshima Station, you can take the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen directly here. This costs 5000 yen and takes 20 mins (this is expensive because Fukuyama is at the opposite border of Hiroshima Prefecture).
You can also go to Onomichi first like I did, then come to Fukuyama by the Sannyo Line which takes 30 mins and is only 420 yen.
After my wild night of raving in the jungle of Koh Rong and frolicking on the beach until the early hours of the morning, I still couldn’t sleep so I decided to take the first ferry from Koh Touch to its sister island Koh Rong Samleom. This ticket cost about $8 and there are 4 ferries that depart from Koh Rong daily depending on the boat service you choose. I decided to get off at Saracen Bay because it has the prettiest beaches and most bars and accommodations. M’pai Bay is more lively at night and attracts a lot of backpackers with its parties and cheap accommodations. However, Saracen Bay and the other parts of the island are quite relaxing and carefree in comparison.
The atmosphere here during the day was definitely more quiet and reserved than the main island, but it had a lot of restaurants and places you could stop for a massage as well as snorkeling equipment available for you to rent. Wifi is scarce here due to how remote this island was, but I was able to score it for a bit from a local restaurant I ate at. It was definitely the cleanest area in Cambodia I had been to and I was very impressed with all of the great views:
Similar to Koh Rong, this island also hosts jungle parties on Friday nights and Half Moon Parties during certain times of the year. Though I wasn’t able to attend one here this year, I’d really like to come back and go in the future. I loved staying at Treehouse Bungalows on the main island, but I would like to trying staying here in the future so I could get to know more of the locals. The island really has a great vibe and is off-the-grid so you can definitely make it your own. I just went here as a day trip, but I wish I could have stayed longer. It was great to relax here and reflect on all the crazy things that happened the night before.
For more information on Koh Rong Samleon, please check out the island guide from Don’t Forget to Move!
The friendly villagers of Kampong Pluk offer rowboat tours to travelers.
During my 2nd day in Siem Reap, I decided to go on an adventure to a floating village way out in the countryside of Cambodia called Kampong Pluk (which means “Harbor of the Tusks”). Earlier this year I visited a fishing village in northern Kyoto called Ine, and this village actually had some interesting similarities to it. Like Ine, Kampong Pluk primarily relies on fishing as its main source of income and is quite remote from the main part of the city. Though it’s a popular tourist destination, it has an extremely rural feel to it and a lot of ground to explore.
I booked an extremely cheap group tour from GetYourGuide and it was actually a very pleasant journey. I was transported to Tonle Sap Lake by an air-conditioned bus where I later boarded a longboat to explore the stilted village. It was really amazing to see all of the different buildings there! I saw a floating church, hospital, and several temples in addition to many brightly painted houses. You can even opt to stay at a floating guesthouse if you feel adventurous enough to do it.
The longboat will eventually pull up to a plot of land that you can walk around. Here you can learn more about the culture of the village and see how exactly how people live here. It was interesting acquainting myself with the way people live in the countryside of Cambodia, but it was also disheartening to learn that a lot of people live in poverty here and depend on fishing as their sole source of income without higher education or many other options.
I was also informed by my guide (who used to live here) that some families live off rice and develop alcohol and smoking issues, so while the trip was fun, I couldn’t help but feel a bit melancholy… Another sad thing is not much of the money you pay for the tour goes to the village. I think they should offer more volunteer programs for tourists here so the villagers can benefit in some way. I donated a bit, and I’m not sure how much it will help, but all we can really do is continue to be grateful for the things we have in life. The trip to this village really taught me to be thankful for my ability to travel, and also everything I have.
The tour ended on a very enjoyable note as we watched the sunset on Tonle Sap Lake. There is literally nothing obstructing your view so you can see it perfectly. You can also go swimming in the lake if you want to cool down because the boat stops here for quite some time.
Cambodia is a great country to explore just because it has a lot of untouched nature and is safe for young backpackers. Most of the people on this tour were in their 20s (around my age) and were all interested in learning more about this country’s culture, so it was easy to converse and make friends. I listened to music a lot and reflected on life. It was hard to believe that this was only my second day, because a lot more adventures were about to come!
Before heading to Nanoboro Festa, a famous underground music festival during my trip to Kyoto, I decided to rent a yukata (casual summer kimono) and do some sightseeing in the Gion district. Historically, this area was one of the most famous for its tea houses and traditional sweets, upscale lodging for visitors, and the extremely aesthetic Yasaka Temple that attracts a lot of people with its brilliant colors.
Yasaka Temple is dedicated to the three wise monkeys and a guardian warrior known as Shomen Kongo. The colorful cloth balls that are attached to it are called “kukurizaru” which are talismans that provide good luck by taking away greed and impure desires. Like ema and other talismans in Japan, you are able to purchase one at the gate if you would like to make a wish or prayer, but there is no fee to enter the area where the temple is.
Back in the day, many geiko (who are similar to geisha, but are known more as “woman of art”) resided in this area. Nowadays there are many bars and restaurants as well as hotels for travelers, but much of Gion’s history has been preserved and it is a very relaxing are to visit. You can see beautiful parks, temples, a river, and bamboo growing around Gion Station, so it is definitely worth checking out.
For those who are interested in renting a kimono, I rented one for 4000 yen from Kyoto Kashin in Gion. This is actually a very good price because it includes hairstyling, accessories, and shoes as well. At first I was a bit nervous about wearing one because I am a foreigner in Japan and it is not native to my culture, but I realized they are very flattering and fun to dress up in when you are seeing temples in Japan. I encourage everyone to try it at least once~
