The textures, the costumes, the idols. Asian cultures are experts at paying tribute to the past, to religion, and to tradition. This festival, hosted by the crew of the Hie Shrine, had its main event, the grand parade, through the streets of Tokyo. Police were dispatched, roads were temporarily closed and traffic held at bay for this massive cast.

When you drop sculpture all over a landscape, and allow it to exist serenely, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you get Hakone. The red Torii gate, looking out to Lake Ashi, is among the most iconic views in Japan. And somehow, the more modern shapes and forms of the Venetian Glass Museum and Open Air Museum are equally stunning, equally at home here.

Kyoto is an incredible city, filled with culture, heritage, and beauty. Many of the experiences are interactive, walking through a pathway of gates or washing your hands in purified water. Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, is all about the eyes. It is stunning in every sense of the word, and holds its allure year after year without ever aging or decaying.

Arashiyama is one of those gems, like many in Kyoto, that is forever stuck in time. Natural and historic, the bamboo trees stretch up for what seems like miles, obscuring the rest of society from your mind. While the grove is much smaller than the forest name might suggest, it is always worth the visit.

They say the journey is more important than the destination. If you are coming to Meiji Jingu looking for a multi-story pagoda, or a lavish main building, you may be disappointed. This spiritual experience is a literal walk in the park, past wooden massive gates and into the forest grounds. Take your time, bring your most comfortable shoes, and explore with no end in sight.

It was cold, and warm, and fragrant on the December afternoon that I visited this wonderful temple and its surrounding district. For all the bustling, modern, developed metropolis that Tokyo is, there are still pockets of history that feel untouched. This one remains a gem in that sense, and its atmosphere was something to behold even as COVID’s shadow lingered in the background.