The train trip from Nara (Kintetsi-Nara station) to Osaka took about an hour, with a short change at Ikoma station. Soon, we were wandering the streets of Osaka on a hot and humid day, headed for the Osaka Museum of History. Osaka has long been a prominent port city, a centre of commerse, and a city of merchants. During the country's rapid industrialisation, Osaka was the "Manchester of the Orient", attracting immigrants (many Koreans, for example), pluralistic politics, modernisation, high literacy & rising education standards, and ultimately, an emerging middle class. Pre-war Osaka was a key automobile manufacturing hub, home…

Travel from Kyoto to Nara was a breeze - we hopped on the subway to Takeda station, and then transferred to a Kintetsu Railway line to the Kintetsu-Nara station. Total trip time of less than an hour, with some good views along the way. The town also has a big Japan Rail station ("JR Nara Station"), which is a little further away from the primary tourist area. Next to the station is the ever-busy covered Higashimuki shopping street with lots of restaurants and shops. Nara has an interesting history. It was once called "Heijo-kyo" and became Japan's first permanent capital…

A few random facts about Kyoto: Kyoto is a big city with 1.5 million people (9th largest in Japan). The name means "capital city", as it was the imperial heart of the country from the 8th until the 19th century, and Japan's largest city until about 1600. The city was spared any serious bombing during the Second World War - the story goes that the US Secretary of War had honeymooned in the city and insisted on saving the centre of Japan's culture from destruction. Thus, Kyoto is one of the few major Japanese cities with an abundance of prewar…

In the dense, dark-green forests of Kyoto's eastern hills lies the magnificent Kiyomizu-dera, one of the most impressive Buddhist temples in Japan. It dates back to about 780 AD, although the core structures standing today were completed in the 1630's - on the orders of the third Tokugawa shogun. On approach, you pass plenty of shops selling Japanese crafts, food, and souvenirs. It's also possible to rent traditional clothes called "yukata", a casual summer type of kimono (of which there are many varieties), while wandering around this part of the city. At the front of the temple complex is the…

The history of Japan's emperors goes back a long way. According to legend, the very first emperor appeared around 660 BC. It was only in the 4th century AD that rule by Imperial Court was formalised, and at the end of the 7th century that the first permanent Imperial capital was established in the city of Nara (about 40km south of Kyoto). Then, in 1185, something curious happened. After a key military victory, a leader of the Minomoto clan seized power away from the ruling aristocracy and became the country's Seii-Taishogun, or simply "shogun", meaning "Commander-in-Chief". While the emperor remained…

You turn the corner and there it is. Past the bustle of tour groups and wobbling selfie sticks lies the definition of tranquility - a golden glistening structure at the centre of an untouched green-blue landscape. A slice of peace. By contrast in fact, all the touristy commotion simply reinforces the calm - the eye in the middle of a modern storm. "Kinkaku" means the Golden Pavilion. It is a key structure in the Buddhist temple area called Rokuon-ji, or "Deer Garden Temple" (although it is often simply referred to as Kinkaku-ji, or "the Temple of the Golden Pavilion"). Kinkaku…

It's a bit like stepping into another world. The path up the mountain is in part an immersion in nature and in part an otherworldly tunnel of red and black space. It is one of the most iconic places in Kyoto, and perhaps, Japan. The Fushimi Inari-taisha is a Shinto shrine. Shinto is the original religion of Japan, predating foreign-born religions like Buddhism and Christianity. It revolves around a collection of ritual practices that allow people to connect with their ancestors and Japan's ancient past. Fushimi Inari-taisha is a Shinto grand shrine ("taisha") to the god of rice ("Inari") that…