Hi, I’m Bua. Welcome to my website about my favorite city, Kyoto!
I’m from Thailand. I came to Japan by accident a few years ago when my husband got a university teaching job in Osaka. We live just outside of Kyoto.
Getting lost, and my decision
When I first went to Kyoto by myself, I got lost - many times! I don’t speak any Japanese, and my English isn’t perfect. Maybe I’m not that good at reading a tourist map either!
A couple of times, I got on buses and missed my stop, so I stayed on the bus all the way to the end of the line so I could go back and start all over. I was afraid of getting off the bus somewhere I didn’t know, and not being able to get back home!
I decided I wanted to learn how to go anywhere in Kyoto, by myself, without getting lost (or at least, get lost less!).
Many hours of research
I started to research travel information on the Internet, but couldn’t find enough details to help me get around the city, easily. I asked my Japanese friends for help, too.
I kept going to Kyoto with any information I could find. I walked all over the city by myself, with my camera and a map, and took lots of notes. Over time, I learned my way around this amazing city. Now, I can go anywhere in Kyoto, alone, and get back home, too!
4 a.m. photo trips
I love to take pictures in Kyoto. My favorite seasons to take pictures are during the spring “sakura” (cherry blossoms) and fall “koyo” (autumn leaves).
I often get up at 4 a.m. during these peak seasons to get the most beautiful pictures I can. Many times at the first temple I go to in the morning, I am the only woman there with many older men with cameras and tripods. I think they are surprised to see me there!
I hope you like my pictures.
Who this website is for
This website is for foreign visitors to Kyoto who want to know where to go, when to go, and how to get there easily.
I have included as much detail as I can in my directions to places around the city. Besides giving directions to the major tourist areas and attractions, I also give ideas for other things to do nearby, such as where to find food, snacks, or other fun things to do.
I hope this will help you easily find your way around the city so you can relax and enjoy your adventures!
Why I made this website
Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. I know what its like to go to a new city in a foreign country where you can’t speak or read the language.
Japan is totally different from any other place I have been because not many people speak English here. Most signs at bus stops and temples are only in Japanese. This made it very hard for me to get around in Kyoto at first!
I made this website because I realized I wasn’t the only person who comes to Kyoto who can’t speak or read Japanese, or isn’t very good with tourist maps. I want to share what I have learned about this city that I love with other travelers in the world, to help them enjoy the many interesting places I have found - without getting lost!
A team effort
This site is my dream project. I believe that when you do something, you should do it from your heart, and do it right. I do all of the research for this site, take half of the pictures, and write blog posts and articles.
My husband, Joe, is my photography teacher, co-author, editor, and tech guy. He makes me laugh. I’m the idea person and C.E.O., and he takes care of the site. We have a lot of fun every day, and enjoy our many adventures in Kyoto.
We hope you enjoy our site!
We love your comments
We are interested in continuing to improve this site. Please leave your comments and let us know if our directions are not clear, or if I we make mistakes. We read all of your comments.
If you have any suggestions, have some useful details that we missed, or you know more about Kyoto than we do, please leave your comments to help us make this site better. Together, we can help people who visit Kyoto (and Osaka and Nara, too) have a wonderful time!
A little background
In my life, I have worked with people from all over the world. I used to have a guesthouse in Phuket, Thailand, I owned a busy restaurant in Bangkok, and I worked for foreign companies there, too. All of these experiences have given me an understanding of travelers and the kinds of experiences we look for on vacation.
When I’m not traveling, I like to cook Thai food and enjoy dinner parties with our friends. I also have a farm in northern Thailand where I grow organic food and raise rescue cats and dogs from the street. I love to go back to my farm on vacations to cook farm fresh food and give lots of love to my animals.
Joe is a world traveler from the U.S. who’s into the outdoors, photography, video, humor, and finding interesting food and drink.
Thank you so much for coming to our site. We hope it will help you enjoy this wonderful city as much as we do!
Bua and Joe
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