In this post, we step over the Kyoto border into neighbouring Shiga to visit the remains of an Edo Era castle and PARANORMAL KANSAI spot....

As you wander around Kyoto it is easy to miss some of the scars of history that the city still bears. Because of the battles that have...

We've all seen the wooden boards at numerous locations of historical or cultural interest in Kyoto (and other places), describing in...

Who were the Fujiwara and why were so many of them buried in such high status? Featured in HIDDEN PATHS - Walking Historical Kyoto Volume...

The first HIDDEN PATHS - Walking Historical Kyoto book was released three years ago in June 2018, this has led to four volumes in total...

You may well have heard the story of Taira no Masakado who hailed himself as the new emperor and started a revolt before being killed at...

The Ghost Candy Store Not only is there a ghostly tale surrounding this small business, but it also claims to be the oldest candy store...

This truly is a Hidden Path, what dark story can be discovered beyond this gate and down the alley? Kanawa-no-i, a dried up well with a...

As this is the 20th HIDDEN PATHS blog post it seems a good opportunity to mark this mini-milestone with a glimpse behind what goes into...

Kyoto has an abundance of famous shrines and temples across the city and surrounding areas. But what Kyoto also has in the same abundance...

The area to the west of Kyoto main station has gone through major changes in recent years. Ume Koji Park has seen the construction of the...

HIDDEN PATHS -Walking Historical Kyoto, it all began with a question. Having walked by a particularly imposing statue many times, I...

As we struggle through the past couple of years effected by covid-19, it's interesting to look at how the world dealt with epidemics and...

It is now just over a year since the release of HIDDEN PATHS - Walking Historical Kyoto Volume 4, which was closely followed by the...

Sitting at the base of Ko-yama, in an area of Kyoto said for centuries to be a gateway for malign and evil spirits and demons to enter...

Coming down Mount Oiwa In Fushimi, Kyoto, at the bottom of the hill path is a small hut, a stone monument and the location of Kobo...

Mimuroto-ji Temple and Gardens Nestled in the foothills of Uji is one of the most peaceful temples and gardens that you could wish to...

The 6th Century Tomb of Emperor Keitai. Dotted around the landscape of Japan, especially Kansai in the Osaka and Nara areas are many...

1582 was a year in which the rule of Japan would change hands between three different warlords in quick succession, Oda Nobunaga, Akechi...

From the ‘Kyoto Trail’ (Higashiyama point 4) tree lined stone steps lead down. At the bottom of the steps is ‘Kyoto Trail Higashiyama...