Kawadoko: Dining Over the River in Kyoto's Summer Heat
Kawadoko season turns Kyoto's rivers into open-air dining rooms each summer — when to book Kibune's platforms and the Kamogawa's riverside decks.
Gion Matsuri: A Guide to Kyoto's Month-Long Summer Festival
Gion Matsuri 2026 runs all of July in Kyoto — here's when to see the Yamaboko Junko float parade, Yoiyama nights and the best street food.
Kakigori and the Taste of a Japanese Summer
From queue-worthy shaved ice in Tokyo's Yanaka to flowing noodles on a Kyoto riverbank, here's how Japan eats its way through the heat.
Tsukimi: Japan's Autumn Moon-Viewing
Tsukimi is Japan's autumn moon-viewing night — when it falls, the dango and silver-grass traditions, and where to see it done beautifully in Kyoto.
Before the Sakura: Japan's Plum Blossom Season
Weeks before the cherry trees stir, Japan's plum blossoms open in the cold. When and where to see ume season, from Mito's Kairaku-en to Kyoto's shrines.
Shun: Eating Japan's Autumn in Season
What to eat in Japan in autumn — grilled sanma, matsutake, Tamba chestnuts and new-crop rice, and the Kyoto and Kanazawa markets to find them in.
Chasing Autumn Leaves: A Koyo Primer
When and where to see koyo, Japan's autumn leaves — from Daisetsuzan's first colour in mid-September to Kyoto's Tofuku-ji blazing in late November.
Cherry Blossom Viewing Beyond the Crowds
Where to see cherry blossoms in Japan without the crowds — Chidorigafuchi's moat boats, Hirosaki Castle's petal rafts, and how to time the bloom.