Arashiyama, Japan

An easy train ride away on the outskirts of Kyoto lies the Arashiyama bamboo grove. It’s a photographers delight if you can get it without the crowds. We hit it at sunrise, catching an early morning train out of the city as the commuters made their way in the opposite direction. An eery light filters through the branches giving it a ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’ kind of vibe. Jasmin did her best ninja impression with her hoodie in the cold weather.

After a very English breakfast in a tudor-styled coffee house in town we made our way to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Tenryū-ji shrine and water gardens. Dating from the 1340s, the shrine is the head temple of the Tenryū branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism.