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Kyoto Hotel Tax 2026: What the New Accommodation Tax Actually Costs You On April 1, 2026, Kyoto introduced a new accommodation tax structure that catches most visitors off guard. Not because it is pun...
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travelFujiyoshida Cherry Blossom Festival Cancelled 2026 Fujiyoshida city cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival in February 2026. The announcement caught the attention of travel media worldwide becau...
cultureIt’s common to see first-time visitors freeze at the entrance to a Kyoto temple hall, unsure about what to do next. I've watched that same scene play out a hundred times, and it doesn't have to be you...
sightseeingYou're standing on the roadside along Kyoto’s old Marutamachi Street. The first imperial guards appear through the morning haze. Followed by five hundred figures in silk colored in indigo, crimson, and...
30+ years in Kyoto, Japan
We're James & Akari, a Kyoto-based couple with 30+ years of Japan experience between us. We built Romancing Japan to share the Japan we know — beyond the guidebooks.
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