Back in Kyoto

We've arrived in Japan in time for a spot of Koyo, when all the Japanese maples turn every shade of red and people go to view them as a national past time. Like its springtime counterpart for cherry blossoms, it can get pretty crowed. Especially on this public holiday, when everyone seemed to have the same idea as us to go to Arashiyama in Kyoto. On another weekend in Kyoto with some friends we did a spot more, going up into the hills behind the city to Kurama. It also afforded us a proper look around that I never really got before. With its universities and tourist attractions it's immediately a more accessible feeling city and also fairly flat, making it easy on the foot or bicycle. Though it looks from a distance as oppressively concrete encased as any other Japanese city, there are tonnes of tiny out of the way places that make up for it, and you could spend all day just taking photos of evocative restaurant entrances.