Trip mood board: Tokyo, Kyoto, Mt. Fuji
Neon nights, quiet temples, one tiny ghost.
A mood board for Koii’s trip to Japan. Tokyo for the lights, Kyoto for the calm, and a few spooky-cute stops along the way.
- photos
- 10
- photos
- colors
- 6
- colors
- places
- 8
- places
- words
- 8
- words
No. 01
The board
Open any photo to see it big, then use the arrows to flip through.
No. 02
Trip colors
Six colors pulled from the photos. Click or tap a color code to copy it.
- 朱shu
Torii red
Shrine gates and pagodas
- 桜sakura
Sakura pink
Cherry blossoms in spring
- 夜yoru
Neon night
Tokyo after sunset
- 抹茶matcha
Matcha
Tea, moss, and temple gardens
- 灯akari
Lantern gold
Paper lanterns in the alleys
- 和紙washi
Washi paper
Paper doors and old notebooks
No. 03
The trip vibe
How this trip should feel.
- 01
Neon after dark
Tokyo really wakes up once the sun goes down.
- 02
Quiet temple mornings
Get to Kyoto’s temples early, before the crowds.
- 03
Slurp your noodles
In Japan, slurping ramen is fine. It means you like it.
- 04
Lucky cats and fox guards
Little statues everywhere, and every one has a job.
- 05
Spooky, but cute
Japan is full of friendly ghosts and monsters, called yokai.
- 06
Pink in spring, red in fall
Cherry blossoms around early April. Maple leaves in November.
No. 04
Places to see
Four in Tokyo, four in Kyoto, and one day trip to Mt. Fuji.
Tokyo
東京
Shibuya Crossing
The busiest crossing you will ever walk across.
Harmonica Yokocho
A maze of tiny lantern-lit food stalls in Kichijoji.
Gotokuji Temple
The lucky cat temple. Bring home a tiny cat of your own.
Tokyo Ramen Street
A row of ramen shops under Tokyo Station.
Kyoto
京都
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Thousands of red gates up a mountain, with foxes on guard.
Kiyomizu-dera
A huge wooden stage that looks out over the city.
Yasaka Pagoda lanes
Stone streets, wooden shops, and snacks on every corner.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
A path through bamboo so tall it hides the sky.
No. 05
The spooky side妖怪
Japan is full of old ghost stories, and lots of its monsters, called yokai, are more cute than scary. Three stops and three yokai for a horror fan.
Kyoto
Fushimi Inari after sunset
The gates glow, the path gets quiet, and the stone foxes watch you go by.
Kyoto
Ichijo Yokai Street
A shopping street where the shops put homemade monster figures out front.
Sakaiminato
Mizuki Shigeru Road
A whole street lined with more than 100 bronze yokai statues.
Three yokai to know
狐
kitsune
A fox spirit. The older and wiser it gets, the more tails it grows, up to nine.
河童
kappa
A river creature with a dish of water on its head. Bow to it, it bows back, and the water spills out.
提灯お化け
chochin-obake
An old paper lantern that comes alive, with one big eye and a long tongue.
No. 06
Words to know
Eight easy words for the trip. Then test yourself with the quiz.
Meanings are shown. The quiz hides them.
こんにちは
konnichiwa
Hello
Walking into a shop
ありがとう
arigatou
Thank you
Any time, all the time
すみません
sumimasen
Excuse me, or sorry
Getting past someone on the train
これください
kore kudasai
This one, please
Pointing at a snack
いただきます
itadakimasu
Let’s eat
Right before the first bite
おいしい
oishii
So good!
After the first bite
かわいい
kawaii
Cute!
Lucky cat temple
こわい
kowai
Scary!
Fushimi Inari at night