Maki and I met in April 2015 when my kids and I stayed in her exceptional guesthouse in Higashiyama in Kyoto. I had a feeling while I was booking Guesthouse Soi and reading reviews that something very special was going to eventuate. I was right. We stayed four nights in Kyoto and I made a … Continue reading In Conversation with Maki Ueta, owner of a Kyoto Guesthouse
My first time travelling in Japan was just over five years ago. We travelled for a month and I tried to see as much as I could. We stayed in Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kamakura and had booked to stay in Hakuba. We also stayed in Kyoto. For only four short days. We had loved Tokyo, … Continue reading Guesthouse Soi- My Home Away From Home
On Friday morning we got up and had sort of planned a day in Asakusa, at Senso-Ji and then taking an afternoon shinkansen to Kyoto. We decided to drop our bags for storage in Shinagawa station, as our shinkansen was leaving from there at 3:30. Only problem was we had not for even a moment … Continue reading From the Eastern Capital to the Old Capital
Tuesday morning we woke up early..... no reference to pensioners allowed.... don't want to upset my Dad. We had a hearty bacon, egg and sausage breakfast, with some really good, Maki coffee, and headed off early to Fushimi. Kyoto's famous sake precinct. We thought we would pop into the National Museum on our way past, … Continue reading Super Sake Saturation
Yesterday morning we woke up really early, one because Book and Bed was quite warm and I was feeling a little overheated. Two, the two hour time difference means we have suddenly become early risers, and we haven't really clocked in, body clock wise..... we had possibly the best coffee I have ever had, then … Continue reading Kyoto…. Like Coming Home
Sunday morning we had to say goodbye to Kyoto, again. It is always a heart-wrenching goodbye, on many levels. This was the first time that I didn’t cry. Maybe because Super Sake Boy and I booked in to stay with Maki again when we return in October for the Jidai Matsuri (Historic Festival) on our … Continue reading Up in to the Northern Alps
