Harajuku

Harajuku is the very fashionable part of Tokyo, where all the kids come to get their clothes and hang out. The streets are constantly rammed (as you can see in the photo above!) but it is worth it slowly drifting with the crowd down Takeshita Street. I wasn’t allowed take photos in the majority of shops and I was a bit too shy to ask people could I take their photo on the street because they were so cool looking! I couldn’t take the cold sting of rejection! haha. I blew nearly half my budget on three pairs of shoes in the ridiculously cool ‘Tokyo Bopper’ and I don’t regret it one bit!

Tokyo Tower

I think this deserves it’s own blog post! The photos speak for themselves.

Kyoto

Kyoto is just so beautiful. It could be the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to. All the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, really old tea houses, geisha scuttling around back streets secretly to appointments, etc.  I wandered around the Gion district on the first night and had the most amazing meal of my life in a place that looked like the bathhouse from Spirited Away. On my second day in Kyoto, the tail end of a Typhoon struck and the rain and lightening was absolutely MENTAL. (Click here for youtube video from the temple I got stuck in)  but managed to stumble across the Teramachi temple I really wanted to visit. It meant I didn’t get to see the Golden Pavillion, which was top of my list for Kyoto but I guess it means I have an excuse to go back!

Osaka

I got the bullet train to Osaka from Kyoto for a day trip. I couldn’t go all the way to Japan without seeing the famous neon, and I am so glad I did! Osaka is absolutely bonkers and has the most amazing street signs. It was like something from a dream! I took photos mainly on Dotonbori, as it was the most interesting for photos. When I go back I’d like to spend a few more days here and explore it properly.

Mount Fuji

It’s no secret that I finally made it to Japan! Here are some photos from my trip to Mount Fuji. It was a very emotional experience for me, and definitely the best place I’ve ever been in my life. The photos seriously do it no justice at all. It is HUMONGOUS and it glistens and glitters in the sun and there’s just this still, calm and breathtaking atmosphere surrounding it. I spent most of my time around Lake Kawaguchi, and it’s surrounding town reminded me of something from Twin Peaks! Gah, I can’t even describe it at all, but I’m sure anyone who has been in the presence of Mount Fuji would have similar things to say. Incredible. My next (unrealistic) goal is to actually climb up it

The Might Stef

Photo Editor for AU Magazine

I am now officially the Photo Editor for AU Magazine! YAY! Absolutely delighted to be working with such a great editorial team and some of Ireland’s most talented photographers. You can get me at loreana@iheartau.com should you need me for anything photo related in the North or South