Flower hunting in Kyoto
with Mori the Doggo
Your guides, Mori the Doggo (left) and Lee the human (right).
ONLINE EXPERIENCE LIVE FROM KYOTO EVERY APRIL & MAY
Teleport to the Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, at the very center of Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital. There are 50,000 trees here, but most people walk right by the wildflowers at their feet.
Together with Mori the Doggo, you’ll discover flowers that you can only find in Japan, and others that you definitely will find in your backyard, wherever you are.
What we’ll do
We'll start at the main gate of the Kyoto Imperial Palace (reserved solely for the Emperor of Japan), and make our way through the quiet meadows of former aristocratic estates.
Get close to the ground to examine wildflowers with a macro lens
Learn how some flowers can be used in traditional medicine, and the resources you can use to identify plants yourself
Then we'll visit a 1,000-year-old well, one of the oldest in the country, to get fresh water for Mori
Join us in sniffing out Kyoto's fascinating wildflowers without leaving the comfort of your home.
9am Japan Time (UTC +9:00)
4pm Japan Time (UTC +9:00)
Guided in English
1 hour
JPY 1,000 per participant
Up to 5 participants per session
How this works
Join us virtually — on Zoom!
This experience is hosted online, using Zoom. You’ll need a phone, desktop or tablet with Zoom installed. A link to a password-protected chatroom will be sent to you before the experience.
You're welcome to have your kids and family join you, so come relax and enjoy plants together. Perhaps you'll all end up loving plants to bits together.
If you want to join in the hunt with friends and family who are in a different location, simply book more connections. The extra connections you pay for will be discounted at 50% off, automatically applied when you check out. Book all 5 slots for a completely private experience.
Who we are
XJ Lee, your Homo sapiens guide
Mori, your Canis familiaris guide
XJ Lee (@leexj on Instagram) is a Singaporean and former documentary maker who moved to Japan 9 years ago to study political science. He now lives just minutes away from the Kyoto Imperial Palace and has written botanical guides like this one and this one. He has led over 2,000 guests on in-depth tours of Kyoto like this one. Here’s what they have to say (psst… 100% 5-stars on TripAdvisor).
Mori the Doggo (@morithedoggo) was rescued by Lee from a shelter in Okayama Prefecture in May 2019. She has 4 years of experience in sniffing out plants and various things. Like chicken bones. And other dogs. She is an expert at navigating the Garden not least because she once escaped her leash just to spend a night there. Mori will gladly do tricks for treats, but only if you ask nicely. And if she is in the mood.
About the Kyoto Gyoen National Garden
The large green patch in the center is the Kyoto Gyoen National Garden.
The Kyoto Gyoen National Garden is in the middle of Kyoto City. It is the massive park that surrounds the Kyoto Imperial Palace and the Sento Imperial Palace. The whole place measures 1.3km (0.8mi) north to south and 0.7km (0.4 mi) east to west.
This was home to the Emperor of Japan for over 500 years, from 1331 to 1869. The Emperor still visits it every now and then.
You’ll hear a little about the background to the location of the place (fengshui!) and the underlying geography at the start of the tour, and any questions you have about Kyoto are very welcome.
“I found myself asking questions and wanting to know more about everything he shared! I needed to smile and get some joy to end my day... this was it!”
“What stood out for me was Lee’s ability to notice the little details of these flora, and weave it with thoughtful stories that showed the depth of his knowledge - be it in taxonomy or Japanese history.”
“A fun, informative, and well prepared tour... I highly recommend others to join the tour whether they are an arm chair tourist, a gardener, or someone who wants a closeup view of Kyoto flora.”
As featured on The Sunday Times
“…he deftly conjures up a garden of curiosities that reveals Kyoto afresh to us, a half-dozen Japan enthusiasts… It is a fun hour with an expressive Kyoto insider and a cool canine. This is an intimate journey redolent of the trips I miss…” Floral adventure with a dog in Kyoto