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View from a rooftop in Casco Viejo across red tin rooftops to the modern Panama City skyline at golden hour

Casco Viejo, Panama: Coffee Shops, Rooftops & Colonial Streets

A few days in Casco Viejo, Panama — the best coffee shops, rooftop bars, hotels, and restaurants in Panama City's most beautiful historic neighborhood.

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Yasaka Pagoda rising above traditional Kyoto rooftops with weeping cherry blossoms at dusk

3 Perfect Days in Kyoto: An Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

My day-by-day itinerary for 3 days in Kyoto during cherry blossom season. Covers Arashiyama at sunrise, a full kimono day through Higashiyama and Fushimi Inari, and the best cherry blossom spots in the city.

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Woman in kimono standing beneath a weeping cherry blossom tree in a traditional Kyoto neighborhood

Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto: The Best Sakura Spots and When to Go

My favorite cherry blossom spots in Kyoto, from the Philosopher's Path at sunrise to the weeping cherries at Oishi Shrine. Plus timing tips and why waking up early is the single best thing you can do during sakura season.

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Woman in kimono walking along Sannenzaka, a stone-paved traditional street in Kyoto Higashiyama district

Walking Kyoto in Silk and Florals: A Guide to Renting a Kimono

Renting a kimono in Kyoto was one of the best decisions of my trip. Here is what the rental process is like, the best photo spots in Higashiyama and Fushimi Inari, and practical tips for cherry blossom season.

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Woman in kimono walking past a traditional Kyoto house with cherry blossoms overhead

The Most Photogenic Spots in Kyoto: A Visual Guide to the City’s Best Views

A guide to the best photo spots in Kyoto, with real crowd levels, best times to visit, and why waking up early gave me empty bamboo groves, torii tunnels, and cherry blossom paths.

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Weeping cherry blossoms cascading over paper lanterns at Oishi Shrine in Kyoto

Visiting Oishi Shrine in Kyoto: A Quiet Cherry Blossom Spot in Yamashina

Oishi Shrine in Yamashina has a 160-year-old weeping cherry tree, paper lanterns, and almost no tourists. Just one train stop from Kyoto Station, it was one of my absolute favorite cherry blossom spots in Kyoto.

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Close-up of colorful kyo-yuzen dyed fabric pillars at the Kimono Forest in Arashiyama, Kyoto

The Kimono Forest in Kyoto: 600 Glowing Pillars You Can’t Miss in Arashiyama

The Kimono Forest is 600 glowing silk pillars lining a tiny train station in Arashiyama, and it is one of the prettiest things I saw in all of Japan. Here is everything you need to know before you visit.

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