京都は まるでおとぎ話のような世界でした。。

I am Dora, 24, currently living in Japan. Feel free to shoot questions about that. I don't know how to photo but I go to places. And I heard that joke about my name one too many times.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

新年明けましておめでとうございます！ 昨年は色々ありましたが、無事に新年をむかえることが出来て良かったです。 今年は、一年無事に目標を達成させ、より充実した一年にします！

Happy new year, friends! It's time I resurrect this blog D:

[dora-the-real-explorer]

恵美須町、大阪、日本、2014．

Ebisuchou, Osaka, Japan, 2014.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

How did you end up living in Japan? I want to live there too someday but not sure how

Work hard and get a scholarship while in school… Or work hard and get a sought-after qualification and apply to a Japanese company. The other options include getting lucky or hooking up with a Japanese person :P You can ask around at your local consulate, sorry I can’t be of more use with this, I think it’s somewhat easier to get a visa now than it used to be but it all comes down to you in the end.

I came here to study, I think that might be easier, at least for me it was because I can’t imagine getting a job here with what I am doing :P Speaking Japanese is certainly not enough to come here (and not even required) but it’s a huge, huge plus combined with something.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

お台場、東京、日本、2014．

Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan, 2014.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

I haven't been to Japan in 8 years & every picture on your blog gives me a familiar warm feeling that I used to get while there with my family. I love your blog, my new favorite ♡ thank you for posting!

Thank you! I think I try to capture “moods” with my pictures (and later enhance them through editing), rather than just “places”, if that make sense.

I was constantly on the road this month so I had no time for the blog! But it also means I have thousands of new pictures waiting for me to edit them, so bear with me, haha. I’ll get to the asks too!

[dora-the-real-explorer]

You have a great eye. What camera do you use? Perhaps a more useful question is which lenses?

Thank you! I used like 4 cameras during the history of the blog, my current companion is a Nikon d5200 with the kit lens only (18-55mm f3.5-5.6) - it has its limits but not a very bad lens overall. I am looking into getting a better lens tho, probably the old type Nikkor 35mm f1.8 prime lens but it’s mostly because I am interested in astrophotography.

The older pictures were shot with a variety of cameras (I had very bad luck with them), I’d say the majority was with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30. It’s a good point and shoot equipped with a super Leica lens. Wish I could afford something like that one for my DSLR haha.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

What are you

pure awesomeness, obviously.

what is this question even

[dora-the-real-explorer]

那覇市、沖縄県、日本、2014．

Naha, Okinawa, Japan, 2014.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

Kinkakuji, Kyoto, Japan, 2014.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

秋葉原、東京、日本、2014．

Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan, 2014.

(print)

[dora-the-real-explorer]

新宿、東京、日本、2014．

Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, 2014.

(print)

[dora-the-real-explorer]

天王寺、大阪、日本、2014．

Tennouji, Osaka, Japan, 2014.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

祇園、京都市、日本、2014．

Gion, Kyoto, Japan, 2014.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

I fell in love with your blog on first sight <3 thank you for such a visual feast of Kyoto, Japan ^^

Thank you! I tend to post my Kyoto pictures when I really miss the place (which is about, any time I am stuck in Kanto haha). I should feed my Tokyo tag too at some point… >_>

Having said that, I can't wait to be back in Kansai and reshoot some photos with my new camera!

[dora-the-real-explorer]

金閣寺、京都、日本、2014．

Kinkakuji, Kyoto, Japan, 2014.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

山菜蕎麦

Sansai soba/udon is one of my favourite dishes to have, either hot or cold (I prefer udon but I pressed the wrong button on the ticket machine when I took this photo~). It's inexpensive and reaaally tasty. 山菜 literally means "mountain vegetables", so the whole thing is topped with sansai, warabi, zenmai, deep fried vegetables and bamboo shoots.

[dora-the-real-explorer]

梅田、大阪、日本、2014．

Umeda, Osaka, Japan, 2014.