Mohamed from Egypt has been covering Japanese and indie games for more than 5 years for local and international outlets. He is very interested in the Japanese language and culture, and is a long term ...

In 784 AD the then Emperor, Kanmu, moved the capital from Nara to Nagaoka-kyo. There, his Empress consort, Fujiwara no Otomuro, established Oharano Shrine. It was a place to worship her clan’s deities ...

For a few brief days this summer, a sacred shrine and forest in Kyoto, Japan, became a technicolor dreamscape. The Shimogamo shrine, a World Heritage site whose history dates back to the 6th century, ...

Shimogamo shrine is busy the day I visit. Worshippers are ringing bells and clapping their hands before praying to the kami, or gods, as they have done for centuries. I wander around the extensive ...

The Aoi Matsuri, along with the Gion Matsuri and the Jidai Matsuri, is one of Kyoto’s three most important festivals. This event, the annual festival of the Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines, has taken ...

Kyoto is a city whose streets are laid out in a grid pattern. At the eastern end of Shijō-dōri, one of the city’s main east-west arteries, lies Yasaka Shrine. A short flight of stone steps at the end ...

Once the Imperial capital, Kyoto is home to the ancient traditions and beautiful spirit that defines Japan. Any plans you make for Japan need to include this major city. Visitors come here to ...

YAWATA, Kyoto Prefecture--Iwashimizu Hachimangu shrine here is a government-designated national treasure, but it is also home to a relatively unknown monument dedicated to Thomas Edison (1847-1931).

Kyoto is known as the cultural capital of Japan, and it doesn’t disappoint. The city is not as crowded as Tokyo, is easy to explore on foot, and has a rich history. Kyoto is a destination that’s great ...

One of the things that makes Japan such a compelling place is the country’s long cultural history. The upkeep of centuries-old buildings can be extremely expensive, however, especially since ...