By Kate Branch . Kyoto completely redefined my idea of the welcome drink. A pleasant enough concoction, especially if you’ve just staggered off a plane or some equally questionable mode of transport. A chilled beverage and an icy towel do wonders for restoring one’s dignity after enduring the various forms of transit-induced chaos. It sets the tone: “Ah, yes, I am civilised again, and thank you, kind hotel staff, for recognising this.” But Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto? Well, the minute you walk in, you know you’re in for something extraordinary. They don’t just offer a drink—they offer an experience. The hotel is nestled right next to Nijo-jo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site and, by the way, the former Kyoto residence of none other than Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo period. Yes, you’re not just in Kyoto—you’re practically in history itself. No pressure, of course, but the Mitsui family held this plot of land for over 250 years. Ten generations, mind you. The highly profess...
Kate Branch is a Chief Marketing Officer and Photographer who resides in Sydney. Kate Branch has two university degrees. A Bachelor (BFA) of Fine Art where she majored in Photography and a Master (MA) of Art Therapy (Fine Art and Psychodynamics). But her ultimate teacher has been travel. Kate contributes the photographs and videos she captures worldwide to Adobe, Pexels and Unsplash.