Two Maiko share a moment on the streets of the higashiyama district of Kyoto, Japan. Apprentice Geisha, maiko, literally, ‘dancing girl’ don a more colourful and elaborate costume than their more senior counterparts and are on occasional sight on the streets of Kyoto, where there are 4 official geisha districts.
Quite possibly one of the most iconic scenes of Kyoto, Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) gleaming in the sunlight. The top two floors of the Zen temple are completely covered in gold leaf, resulting in a spectacle irresistible to shutter happy tourists, who flock in their thousands to see it for themselves.
Kimonos and yukatas are available for rental and its a rather common sight to spot tourists stumbling around in them in Kyoto, taking selfies for their Facebook profiles.
A charming couple in their kimono. Literally translated as ‘thing to wear’, the beautiful colours and fabrics that often make up these special garments seem a particularly appropriate match to the picturesque surrounds of Kyoto.
A mother and daughter take a closer look at the sweet offerings of a roadside confectionary stall.
Shijo-Dori, a long shopping street cutting through central Kyoto.
The Yasaka Pagoda is an imposing sight in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto. Dusk light paints a magical scene.
There are more temples and shrines in Kyoto that one can ever realistically hope to visit, over 2000 to be exact.
A chef in Gion walks through the backstreets before the evening rush of hungry diners descend upon the district.
A girl waits for her date under the lanterns of the Gion district of Kyoto.
A lady with her dog outside a cafe.
Okonomiyaki or Japanese pancake being prepared on the spot in a local Okonomiyaki restaurant. A local favourite in the Kansai region of Japan, myriad variations exist, the most common are combinations of seafood, meat, rice cakes combined with flour, vegetables and egg to form the pancake and doused with a liberal dose of Okonomiyaki sauce, a sweet and tangy brown sauce that just brings it all together.
A kid at daycare chooses a different way to spend his break, a contrast to his contemporaries running frantically around the play yard.
Arguably the best way to see Kyoto, on two wheels. A good way to offset the inevitable overconsumption of scrumptious food in the city.
