---
title: "Traveling to 日本"
date: 2023-01-31T09:28:13-08:00
toc: true
posts: false
resources:
    - title: A torii lined path in Fushimi Inari-Taisha
      src: fushimi-inari-path.jpg
    - name: souflee-pancakes
      title: Souflée pancakes at Rainbow Pancakes in Harajuku
      src: souflee-pancakes.jpg
    - name: tozando
      title: Holding a sword I ended up buying at Tozando in Kyōto
      src: tozando.jpg
    - name: matsusaki-me
      src: matsusaki-me.jpg
      title: Me, dressed in a yukata, in our room at Matsusaki
    - name: matsusaki-onsen
      src: matsusaki-onsen.jpg
      title: Our private in-room bath at Matsusaki
    - name: hocus-pocus
      title: A chocolate and raspberry donut at Hocus Pocus
      src: hocus-pocus.jpg
    - name: yasuda-sword-museum
      src: yasuda-sword-museum.jpg
      title: The Former Yasuda Garden with the Japanese Sword Museum in the distance
    - name: kotokuin-buddha
      src: kotokuin.jpg 
      title: The Great Bronze Buddha at Kotoku-in
    - name: fujisan-enoshima
      src: fujisan-enoshima.jpg
      title: Fuji-san is way off in the distance, just barely visible!
    - name: mameya
      src: mameya.jpg
      title: Koffee Mameya's bean chart and the coffees I bought
    - name: strawberry-sando
      src: strawberry-sando.jpg
      title: A strawberry sandwich at Centre the Bakery
    - name: pride
      src: pride.jpg
      title: Tess and me at Tōkyō Rainbow Pride, both of us smiling
    - name: toyokawa
      src: toyokawa.jpg
      title: Toyokawa Betsuin Inari Shrine, a combination Shinto and Buddhist shrine to Inari
---

At the beginning of April 2023, {{< tess >}} and I traveled to Japan for two weeks. She also [wrote about her
experience][tess-post].

## {{% ruby Kyoto ja %}}京都{{% /ruby %}}

After a twelve hour flight from San Franciso, we landed in Ōsaka around 2:30 in the afternoon on Sunday. We cleared
customs, and headed to the {{< ruby Haruka ja >}}はるか{{< /ruby >}} Express from Ōsaka airport to Kyōto. We took a
brief walk around the neighborhood to get our bearings, and found dinner at a tiny izakaya in an alley on the western
side of Kyōto's biggest river, the {{< ruby Kamogawa ja >}}鴨川{{< /ruby >}}.

### Day 2: {{% ruby "Fushimi Inari-Taisha" ja %}}伏見稲荷大社{{% /ruby %}} and {{% ruby Kiyomizu-dera ja %}}清水寺{{% /ruby %}}

The next day we were up bright and early -- thanks jet lag! -- and headed to {{< ruby "Fushimi Inari-Taisha" ja >}}
伏見稲荷大社{{< /ruby >}} a Shinto shrine covering an entire mountain known for its [sprawling
pathways][fushimi-inari-torii] lined with bright vermillion {{< ruby torii ja >}}鳥居{{< /ruby >}}.

{{< figures/image name="fushimi-inari-path.jpg" >}}

We had lunch with Tess' friend and colleague Florian and his wife Namino at a nearby spot known for its grilled eel.
That afternoon, we walked from our AirBnb up to [{{< ruby Kiyomizu-dera ja >}}清水寺{{< /ruby >}}][kiyomizu-dera-post],
a Buddhist temple in the hills on the east side of Kyōto. We wandered back through Gion and down the arcade shopping
streets in central Kyōto.

We ended the night at a newly-opened craft beer bar run by a French man with a substantial selection of craft beers from
all over Japan.

### Day 3: {{% ruby Nara ja %}}奈良{{% /ruby %}} and {{% ruby Kinkaku-ji ja %}}金閣寺{{% /ruby %}}

The third day, we were up early again. We got a quick breakfast at a local place, and took the train to
{{< ruby Nara ja >}}奈良{{< /ruby >}}, the ancient capital city of Japan. Nara's main city park is home to hundreds of
wild deer that tourists can feed with rice crackers bought from stands throughout the park.

The main draw for us was {{< ruby Tōdai-ji ja >}}東大寺{{< /ruby >}} temple, a Buddhist temple in the middle of Nara
Park that houses a truly enormous cast bronze Buddha. After visiting our biggest buddy, we grabbed lunch at a cafe in
Nara and hopped back on the train to Kyōto.

Back in Kyōto, we took a bus up to {{< ruby Kinkaku-ji ja >}}金閣寺{{< /ruby >}} temple, a.k.a. the Golden
Pavillion.

{{< photo "2023/kinkaku-ji" >}}

We ended the day with a stop at [Beer Pub Takumiya][beerpub-takimuya], staffed by three gregarious and friendly Japanese
guys. We got some much-needed time off our feet and had a good time chatting with them, and the Austrailian guy who sat
next to us.

Dinner was one of the more challenging of the trip for me. We ended up at a small izakaya in an ally off one of Kyōto's
busy main streets. The menu was all Japanese, and the two guys behind the counter spoke very little English. We ordered
a bunch of things, not really understanding what we were getting. It ended up being pretty tasty, but the difficulty in
understanding the menu compounding with our hunger made it a frustrating experience. 

### Day 4: {{% ruby Sword ja %}}太刀{{% /ruby %}}!

Our fourth and final full day in Kyōto was rainy. We started with a stop at [Lorimer Kyōto][lorimer] for a real Japanese
breakfast. The food was fantastic, though we were both a little put off by the constant Christian praise music they
played. We stopped at [Walden Woods][walden-woods] for a coffee on the way back to the Airbnb.

In the afternoon, we visited {{< ruby "Heian-jingū" ja >}}平安神宮{{< /ruby >}}. Wrapping around the shrine itself is a
beautiful garden filled with native trees and plants, ponds and rivers. We wandered the pathways as the rain fell. It
was rather lovely.

We walked from there to the [Kyōto Handicrafts Center][kyoto-handicrafts-center], stopped in a neaby place for udon, and
took a bus over to the Imperial Palace in Kyōto-Gyoen. We had hoped to catch an English language tour, but it was
canceled that day, so we took a brochure and wandered the grounds, marveling at the blending of Heian and Edo period
architecture. The grounds have some lovely gardens too.

On the way to the palace we happened upon [Tozando][tozando], a well-known shop selling martial arts gear, including {{<
ruby iaitō ja >}}居合刀{{< /ruby >}} and real {{< ruby nihontō ja >}}日本刀{{< /ruby >}}. One of my goals for this trip
was to buy a sword, and I did! It's an iaitō, a practice sword with a dull edge, with wave patterns on the hand guard,
and fish-shaped charms in the wrapping. I'm really pleased with it.

{{< figures/image name=tozando >}}

After our stop at Tozando, we met our friends Ana, Megumi, and their new baby Sen for dinner at their apartment near
Kyōto University. Ana and Megumi are real foodies and pulled out all the stops for us: two very interesting bottles of
sake, a 60-day dry aged ribeye, and a number of {{< ruby kyo-yasai ja >}}京野菜{{< /ruby >}}, or locally grown veggies.
We wrapped it all up with freshly made mochi wrapped in mulberry leaves, and some popcicles.

### Day 5: {{% ruby Thunderbird ja %}}サンダーバード{{% /ruby %}}

Thursday was a travel day. We had breakfast and coffee in the morning, then packed up and checked out of our AirBnb.
With a few hours to go until our train to {{< ruby Kanazawa jp >}}金沢{{< /ruby >}}, we did some shopping and wrote some
postcards. After a quick bowl of ramen for lunch, we caught the {{< ruby Thunderbird ja >}}サンダーバード{{< /ruby >}}
Express from Kyōto to Kanazawa.

## {{% ruby Kanazawa ja %}}金沢{{% /ruby %}}

We arrived at our ryokan in the late afternoon. The staff had clearly been waiting for us. They greeted us warmly and
led us to our room where they offered us tea and a sweet. Our [{{< ruby nakai ja >}}仲居{{< /ruby >}}][wp-nakai], a very
sweet and patient Japanese lady, educated us about how to wear our yukata and samue. We took some time to get settled in
our room, bathed, and enjoyed our private onsen bath. Dinner was promptly at 19:00: an elaborate {{< ruby kaiseki ja
>}}解析{{< /ruby >}} meal made up of a multitude of small dishes of all different kinds. After the busy-ness of Kyōto,
it was _so_ nice to have some down time and feel so well taken care of.

{{< figures/image name=matsusaki-me >}}

### Day 6: {{% ruby Kanazawa ja %}}金沢{{% /ruby %}} City

In the morning, our Japanese hostess brought us breakfast. Tess enjoyed the onsen in our room while I explored the
public onsen on the grounds. Our ryokan had three public baths: one large gender-segregated bath downstairs, and two
baths on the roof that swap between men-only and women-only at set times of day. Amazingly, I had both of the baths I
tried to myself!

At 10 we took a shuttle to Mattō station and a local train to Kanazawa Station. In Kanazawa, we found [Curio
Espresso][curio-espress] for a coffee, and walked to Kanazawa Castle and the {{< ruby Kenrokuen ja >}}兼六園{{<
/ruby >}} garden. I really wanted to see a castle on this trip, so this was a particularly exciting day trip for me.

{{< figures/image name=matsusaki-onsen >}}

Back at the ryokan, we had a langorous soak in the onsen and another beautiful and delicious kaiseki meal before turning
in for the night.

### Day 7: {{% ruby Shinkansen ja %}}新幹線{{% /ruby %}}, Fast Train Gonna Go Fast

Time to leave the ryokan. In the morning, we checked out at 10:00 and took the shuttle to the train station. In
Kanazawa, we bought a pair of tickets for the {{< ruby shinkansen ja >}}新幹線{{< /ruby >}} to {{< ruby Tōkyō ja
>}}東京{{< /ruby >}}.

We arrived in Tōkyō in about 3.5 hours. Fast trains gonna go fast.

## {{% ruby Tōkyō ja %}}東京{{% /ruby %}}

Our train dropped us off at Tōkyō Station, which is _quite_ an introduction to the hustle of Japan's biggest city. In
terms of sheer geographical size and number of people, Tōkyō is on another level from any other city I've been in. We
wove through the crowds of commuters, found our metro, and ultimately our way to our hotel for the next leg of our trip:
the [New Otani][new-otani].

After we got settled, we went for a walk around our new neighborhood. We both needed a little pick-me-up, and we found
[Hocus Pocus][hocus-pocus], a small nearby cafe selling donuts and pour over coffee.

{{< figures/image name=hocus-pocus >}}

Despite the rain, we still wanted to get out and explore a bit. We took the train over to {{< ruby Shinjuku ja
>}}新宿{{< /ruby >}} station where I got some good pictures of the bright lights of [Shinjuku in the
rain][shinjuku-night]. We got soup curry at [Dominica][dominica-maps], a hard-to-find spot down an alley and a flight of
stairs, and one of Tess' favorite places to eat when she's in town. It was fantastic. She was also excited to show me
some of her favorite spots in Shinjuku {{< ruby "Ni-chōme" ja >}}2丁目{{< /ruby >}}, Tōkyō's gayborhood, so we closed
out the night with drinks at [Rainbow Burritos][rainbow-burritos-maps].

### Day 8: {{% ruby "Hachiko" ja %}}ハチ公{{% /ruby %}}

After more than a week in Japan, this was the first night that I actually slept until a reasonable wake up time: 7 am.
Imagine!

We took the train to Shibuya where we found coffee and toast at a small boutique shop called [Rec Coffee][rec-coffee].
This place was great. Tess bought some beans to take home too. ☕️

After coffee, we walked back to Shibuya station to say hello to the goodest good boy that ever was good, Hachiko.

{{< photo "2023/shibuya-hachiko" >}}

We crossed the Scramble and spent a while perusing the floors of [Hands][hands], where we (fortunately; more on that
later) bought umbrellas, and then dove into Harajuku.

We got souflée pancakes for lunch at [Rainbow Pancake][rainbow-pancake] and wandered down Cat Street
checking out shops along the way.

{{< figures/image name=souflee-pancakes >}}

Tess' friend [Ray][ray] met us at the end of Takeshita-dori as it started to rain. After a surprise, intense rain storm
(including some hail and lightning -- so glad we happend to buy umbrellas earlier!) we sat and chatted at Blue Bottle,
bought some gifts at [KIDDY LAND][kiddy-land], and I bought a yukata at a vintage clothing store called Chicago.

Ray left us then, and Tess and I continued on. We stopped at [Five G][five-g], a synth shop full of awesome vintage
synthesizers. (More Prophet 5's and Memorymoog's than I've ever seen in one place before.) We took a quick walk through
an adorable watchmaking experience at [Seiko Seed][seiko-seed]. And managed to squeeze in a visit to
[{{< ruby "Meiji-jingū" ja >}}明治神宮{{< /ruby >}}][meiji-jingu] just
before they closed the gates.

We wrapped up our day with dinner at [Sushizanmai][sushizanmai] and a drink at [Goodbeer Faucets][goodbeer].

### Day 9: {{% ruby Sensō-ji ja %}}浅草寺{{% /ruby %}} and {{% ruby "Koishikawa Koraku-en" ja %}}小石川後楽園{{% /ruby %}}

In the morning, we took the Ginza line to Tawaramachi and stopped at [Pelican Café][pelican] for toast and coffee.

From there we walked up to {{<ruby Kaminarimon ja>}}雷門{{</ruby>}}, a famous gate with an enormous red lantern in the
middle. On the other side is a street lined with stalls and shops that leads up to {{<ruby "Sensō-ji"
ja>}}浅草寺{{</ruby>}}. We got a {{<ruby "strawberry mochi" ja>}}苺大福{{</ruby>}} from one of the vendors and wandered
through the throng of tourists up to the temple.

From there, we walked down {{< ruby Kappabashi ja >}}合羽橋{{< /ruby >}}, a street lined with shops selling kitchenware.
We stopped in a several knife shops, as well as one selling interesting and vintage coffee equipment.

We got soba for lunch near {{< ruby "Ueno Station" ja >}}上野駅{{< /ruby >}} and then took the train a few stops to
visit a traditional Japanese garden called {{< ruby "Koishikawa Korakuen" ja >}}小石川後楽園{{< /ruby >}} near the Tōkyō
Dome. Afterward, we stopped into [Hop Scotch][hop-scotch] for beer and some gyoza.

We finished our day at [{{< ruby "Yasai-ya" ja >}}やさいや{{< /ruby >}}][yasaiya] in {{<ruby Akasaka
ja>}}赤坂{{</ruby>}}.

### Day 10: The Japanese Sword Museum

In the morning, Tess and I got breakfast at Ueshima, a small café in Akasaka. It's a simple place with decent toast and
coffee. It sees a mix of Tōkyō residents stopping in on their way to work and tourists looking for a familiar breakfast.
She had a few meetings in the morning, so I was on my own for a while.

I took the train up to {{< ruby "Sumida City" ja >}}都墨田区{{< /ruby >}}, stopping by the {{< ruby "Ryōgoku" ja
>}}両国{{< /ruby >}} Sumo Hall on my way up to the [Japanese Sword Museum][sword-museum]. It's a small museum situated
in the Former Yasuda Garden that highlights the traditional ironworking practice in Japan, especially (though not
exclusively) as it pertains to sword-making. They have a number of beautiful finished swords on display as well.

{{< figures/image name=yasuda-sword-museum >}}

After the museum, I stopped for lunch at a nearby sushi restaurant and walked from Asakusa into Akihabara. I did a quick
turn through {{< ruby Yodobashi ja >}}ヨドバシ{{< /ruby >}} to look at cameras, and then hopped on the train to meet
Tess.

We met in the middle of Shinjuku-Gyōen and wandered the pathways exploring the gardens and the remants of the cherry
blossoms. (We were late for {{< ruby "cherry blossom viewing" ja >}}花見{{< /ruby >}} by just a few weeks, but we've
been able to see a few late bloomers here and there!)

That evening we met up with our friend Ray for dinner at [GANTZ][gantz] and a quick drink at a _tiny_ but lively lesbian
bar called [Elle Vie][ellevie].

### Day 11: {{% ruby Kamakura ja %}}鎌倉{{% /ruby %}} and {{% ruby Enoshima ja %}}江の島{{% /ruby %}}

Tess and I went back to Ueshima for breakfast. This was her first full day back to work, so she caught the train to
Shibuya and I got a train for my day's exploration: {{< ruby Kamakura ja >}}鎌倉{{< /ruby >}} and {{< ruby Enoshima ja
>}}江の島{{< /ruby >}}.

Kamakura is an old town by the ocean with a number of interesting shrines and temples. I stopped at Amanawa Shinmei
Jinja, a shrine to Amaterasu Ōmikami built in 710, making it the oldest shrine in the city.

The big draw in Kamakura is [{{< ruby Kōtoku-in ja >}}高徳院{{< /ruby >}}][kotoku-in], a Buddhist shrine known for it's
Great Buddha statue. It's rare to see these large statues outside, and to be able to get so close to them. This one even
lets you go inside!

{{< figures/image name=kotokuin-buddha >}}

I also visited [{{< ruby Hase-dera ja >}}長谷寺{{< /ruby >}}][hase-dera] temple situated up in the hills overlooking the
ocean. This one is also well known for it's rows and rows of little Buddha statues. I had lunch in a cafe on the temple
grounds, and scored a fantastic seat right at the window overlooking the bay.

{{< photo "/2023/zen-garden-at-hase-dera-in-kamakura" >}}

To get to Enoshima, I took the Enoden line along the coast. Enoshima and it's mainland town remind me of beachtowns back
home. There are little shops selling beachy clothing, sandals, and shells, and snack shacks to get a quick bite. The
island itself is connected to the mainland by a causeway and is home to a cluster of Shinto shrines. It's picturesque
and apart from the humidity, I enjoyed wandering all over the island. On clear days, Mt. Fuji is a grand presence toward
the west. I got a few pictures of it just barely visible through the afternoon haze.

{{< figures/image name=fujisan-enoshima >}}

I took the train back from Enoshima station to Shibuya where I met up with Tess and her fellow TAG members for dinner at
a yakiniku place in Ebisu.

### Day 12: {{% ruby Shimokitazawa ja %}}下北沢{{% /ruby %}}

Tess and I got breakfast at Starbucks under Shibuya Stream. Having gone pretty hard the day before, I decided to take it
easy. I stayed at the Starbucks for a few hours and then I took the train out to Shimokitazawa.

I got lunch at Soup Curry Cocoro and wandered the neighborhood, exploring the shops and enjoying the vibe. I stopped in
at Jet Set, a cute little record shop hidden on the second floor of a building down the street from my lunch spot, and
[Tsutaya Bookstore][tsutaya].

Tess insisted I try [Bear Pond Espresso][bear-pond], so I got an ice latte (which was _fantastic_, by the way) and hung
out for a little while practicing my Japanese and watching people come and go.

I hopped back on the train to Shibuya to meet the TAG folks for dinner. We had dinner in a place below Shibuya Stream
called [Na Kameno Teppen][na-kameno], and then headed down the street for drinks at [INC][inc], where I had an excellent old
fashioned.

### Day 13: The Tōkyō National Museum

We grabbed a quick breakfast at [Cafe Veloce][cafe-veloce] in Shibuya in the morning and then Tess went off to work for
the day.

I walked from there to a small "coffee bean shop" called [KOFFEE MAMEYA][mameya] in Harajuku. They sell a _bunch_ of
different coffees. When I walked in, I was greeted by one of the staff who talked me through a chart showing all their
beans, organized by acidity, roast level, and flavor notes. He helped me choose one that met my preferences and then
directly me to a counter. Both of the guys I talked to were knowledgeable and made good recommendations based on my
flavor preferences. They spoke very good English too! After a tasty cup of cold brew, I walked out with two bags of
beans that I'm looking forward to roasting at home.

{{< figures/image name=mameya >}}

Coffee Part Two accomplished, I took the train up to Ueno Park to the [Tōkyō National Museum][tnm]. They have a really
cool collection of swords by famous sword smiths throughout Japan's history, some great examples of Japanese pottery,
and tons of calligraphy and Buddhist religious art. I also appreciated their collection of Ainu and Ryukyu artifacts.
They were also running a special exhibit on art from [{{< ruby Tōfuku-ji ja >}}東福寺{{< /ruby >}}][tofukuji] temple in
Kyōto, the site where Zen Buddhism entered Japan for the first time.

I met Tess and the TAG folks for dinner that night at [Sushizanmai][sushizanmai] in Shibuya, and a couple drinks
(including some tasty mocktails for me!) at [Trench][trench]. Their main location was full up so they sent us to their
Annex on the fifth floor of a building around the block. It was a great space with tasty drinks.

### Day 14: {{% ruby Ginza ja %}}銀座{{% /ruby %}}

The TAG meeting finished, Tess and I got to spend the day together. We decided to explore Ginza. Tess found
[bill's][bills] for breakfast, which is a cool spot on an upper floor of a building nestled between the Ginza locations
of several high-end fashion brands.

We wandered through Ginza, looking in the windows of all the high-end designer shops. Along the way we stopped into a
Bic Camera, where Tess _finally_ found the watch of her dreams: a [Grand Seiko SBGM221][sbgm221].

Eventually we came to {{% ruby "Tōkyō Station" ja %}}東京駅{{% /ruby %}}, an incredible red brick building built during
the Meiji Era as part of Japan's moderization effort at that time.

The Imperial palace grounds were a straight shot vaguely eastward. We took a few photos of the few buildings and bridges
we could see, but honestly there isn't much.

We wandered through Hibiya Park, a nearby Western-style garden, and back into Ginza to visit the [Seiko
museum][seiko-museum]. Tess had been wanting to go on this trip. It's an interesting exhibit of the history of Seiko, a
company that has had a huge impact on the modern history of watches and watchmaking. I enjoyed seeing all the different
timepieces they've made over the more than 120 years since its founding.

We stopped at [Centre][centre] for a late lunch, and to fulfill another one of my goals for this trip: to have a
strawberry and cream sandwich. It's exactly as amazing as it sounds and exceeded all my expectations. Yummm.

{{< figures/image name=strawberry-sando >}}

We met [Mike][mike-smith] and [Naoko][nao-smith] Smith, and their kids Zen, Mui, and Mila, that evening for some cozy
hangout time at their home -- Zen and I went a few rounds of Smash Brothers and Mario Kart on their Switch -- and dinner
at [St. Buffalo][st-buffalo] in Shinjuku.

### Day 15: Tōkyō Rainbow Pride! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Our last full day in Japan was a fun one. We _finally_ got back to [Rec Coffee][rec-coffee] for breakfast: yummy coffee
and honey butter toast.

From there we walked to Yoyogi Park for Tōkyō Rainbow Pride. Tess' friend [Mamiko][mamiko] and her partner Satoko
invited us to march in the parade with their [{{< ruby "Rainbow Family" ja >}}にじいろ家族{{< /ruby >}}][nijiiro-kazoku]
contingent. Tess and I both had a great time marching and taking in the celebrations. It's so _so_ great to see queer
people of all kinds in community together, and it feels good to be a part of that. I'm really grateful to Mamiko and
Satoko for their invitation.

{{< figures/image name=pride >}}

After the parade, we grabbed a coffee (and a welcome rest for our tired feet) at [Beasty][beasty]. We took a walk
through Shinjuku, stopping at a few shops, and taking a moment at
[{{% ruby Hanazono-jinja ja %}}花園神社{{% /ruby %}}][hanazono] to say hello to the local kami and Inari-Ōkami.

We stopped in at {{< ruby Donyoku ja >}}どんよく{{< /ruby >}} for another little snack and some tea, then wandered down
the hall for some drinks and food at {{< ruby Dorobune ja >}}どろぶね{{< /ruby >}} with Ray.

Feeling a little light on food, we stopped at a {{< ruby Kombini ja >}}コンビニ{{< /ruby >}} near our hotel for some
katsu sandwiches and ice cream mochi before turning in for the night.

### Day 16: Returning Home

Last day. We were up early to get everything packed up. We grabbed brekkie at Byron Bay Coffee, then took
a walk over to Toyokawa Inari Tōkyō Betsuin, a shrine near our hotel dedicated to Inari that combines the Shinto and
Buddhist traditions on one site. It was full of shrines to various aspects of Inari, including some Buddhist images.

{{< figures/image name=toyokawa >}}

We got notified that our flight was delayed, so we unexpectedly had a few more hours to spend. We got lunch at a quick,
greasy ramen place in Akasaka, paying for our meal at a machine at the door and sitting at the counter with the the
other office workers dropping in for a quick lunch.

We were off to the airport not long after that, and eight and a half hours later we landed in SFO.

[tess-post]: https://tess.oconnor.cx/2023/04/japan
[fushimi-inari-torii]: {{< ref "/photos/2023/fushimi-inari-torii" >}} "Fushimi Inari Torii"
[kiyomizu-dera-post]: {{< ref "/photos/2023/kiyomizu-dera-pagoda" >}} "Kiyomizu-Dera Pagoda"
[kyoto-handicrafts-center]: https://www.kyotohandicraftcenter.com
[tozando]: https://tozandoshop.com 
[beerpub-takimuya]: https://www.instagram.com/beerpubtakumiya/
[lorimer]: https://tabelog.com/kyoto/A2601/A260201/26030947/
[walden-woods]: http://www.walden-woods.com
[curio-espress]: https://www.curioespresso.com/our-story/
[wp-nakai]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakai_(vocation)
[7th-gyoza]: https://www.white-gyouza.co.jp/branch/kanazawa.html
[new-otani]: https://www.newotani.co.jp/en/tokyo/
[hocus-pocus]: https://hocuspocus.jp/
[shinjuku-night]: {{< ref "/photos/2023/shinjuku-night" >}} "Shijuku at Night"
[dominica-maps]: https://goo.gl/maps/spLdi6JwYfcFPdmY8
[rainbow-burritos-maps]: https://goo.gl/maps/p3wx1Rs3yXVmPaU76
[rec-coffee]: https://rec-coffee.com/pages/shibuyahigashi
[hands]: https://info.hands.net/
[rainbow-pancake]: http://rainbowpancake.net
[ray]: https://www.instagram.com/rayyoshida/
[kiddy-land]: https://www.kiddyland.co.jp/
[seiko-seed]: https://www.seiko-seed.com/tenshairspring/
[five-g]: https://fiveg.net/
[meiji-jingu]: https://www.meijijingu.or.jp
[sushizanmai]: https://www.kiyomura.co.jp
[goodbeer]: #
[pelican]: https://pelicancafe.jp
[hat-coffee]: https://www.hatcoffee.jp
[hop-scotch]: https://www.hopscotchtokyo.com
[yasaiya]: https://yasaiya.Tōkyō
[sword-museum]: https://www.touken.or.jp/museum/
[gantz]: https://www.instagram.com/gantz.shinjuku/
[ellevie]: https://twitter.com/ellevie_
[kotoku-in]: https://kotoku-in.jp
[hase-dera]: https://www.hasedera.jp
[bear-pond]: https://www.facebook.com/people/Bear-Pond-Espresso/100063530142240/
[tsutaya]: https://tsutaya.tsite.jp
[na-kameno]: https://www.mugen-c.jp/store_shibuya-stream.html
[inc]: http://www.bar-inc.co.jp
[cafe-veloce]: https://c-united.co.jp/store/detail/000343/
[mameya]: https://www.koffee-mameya.com
[tnm]: https://www.tnm.jp/
[tofukuji]: https://kyoto.travel/en/shrine_temple/182.html
[trench]: https://small-axe.net/bar-trench/
[bills]: https://billsjapan.com/jp
[sbgm221]: https://www.grand-seiko.com/us-en/collections/sbgm221g
[seiko-museum]: https://museum.seiko.co.jp/en/
[centre]: https://www.instagram.com/centre_the_bakery/
[mike-smith]: https://sideshowbarker.net
[nao-smith]: https://twitter.com/naoishikura
[st-buffalo]: https://goo.gl/maps/W75QDhUk63UNxnsq7
[mamiko]: https://www.tokyoupdates.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/post-905/
[nijiiro-kazoku]: https://queerfamily.jimdofree.com/にじいろかぞくとは/
[beasty]: http://beastycoffee.com
[hanazono]: http://hanazono-jinja.or.jp
[donyoku]: https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/lgbtq/footbath-cafe-bar-donyoku
