After living in New York City for several years, I decided to move “back home” (home state) in order to be able to travel more. Moving back came with it’s challenges, but I am so grateful that after three years of being in California, my aspirations to travel materialized into reality. I spent a week in Japan at the end of December. I started my trip in Tokyo, went to Kyoto for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s, and ended my trip in Tokyo.
I hope to spend the next couple of weeks sharing videos and photos of my time in Japan.
On New Year’s Day I went to Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. Thousands of people from all over Japan and the world travel to Kyoto on New Year’s Day to welcome the new year. Throughout Kyoto, the day is filled with visits to temples and shrines, prayers, fortune telling, traditional dance performances, and at this particular temple, a hike up the mountain to reach the shrine that sits at the summit.
I joined thousands of people as they hiked up one of the most memorable mountain hikes I have experienced.