This is a nice local shrine with the owl theme. The is a beautiful pond and minu zen garden here as well. Very friendly staff that provided me with a temple signature in my Goshuin book.

This was a nice shrine with owl ornaments all over. My spirit animal is the owl so I particularly liked this temple.

A modern park and cemetery located on a hill about 1 km northeast of Himeji Castle. The symbolic building, a 38 meter high stupa, was a gift from India’s Prime Minister Nehru with a desire for eternal peace and happiness for humans. He consecrates the ashes of Buddha and the statue of Shakasanzon and the […]

Koko-en Garden (好古園 Kōko-en) (sometimes called Himeji Kōko-en) is a Japanese garden located next to Himeji Castle in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.[1] It was constructed in 1992 at the site of the lord’s west residence, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Himeji municipality. The garden is about 3.5 hectares and has nine […]

Himeji Castle (姫路城 Himeji-jō) is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in the city of Himeji which is located in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 rooms with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period.[7] The castle […]

Tottori Castle (鳥取城 Tottori-jō) was the central castle of the Tottori han (fief) in feudal Japan. It was a yamashiro, or “mountain castle”, built into the mountain itself, using natural obstacles and defenses to a greater extent than man-made walls. Little remains of the castle aside from parts of the stone wall and one gate, […]

This museum, located near central Tottori City, has a collection of almost 30,000 items that were amassed over a period of 60 years by local doctor Hajime Watanabe. One of the most impressive parts of the collection is the 250 sets of Japanese armor, with at least 100 sets on display at any time. The […]

The Sand Museum Nature created the “Tottori Sand Dunes,” a formative beauty created over the years. We want to create an unprecedented creative man-made beauty here and to excite and impress people who visit this site. This desire came to life as the “Sand Museum” which opened at the Tottori Sand Dunes on November 18, […]

Shiizaki Inari Shrine Shiizaki Inari Shrine is famous for its azaleas that bloom every year mid-late April. The spot is also popular because the view of Amanohashidate seen from the top resembles the famous painting “Amanohashidate-zu” (National Treasure) made by the famous artist, Sesshu. This is why this location is also referred to as “Sesshu-kan”, […]

Seirinji Temple Located in the Kamimiyazu area of Miyazu, Akechi Mitsuhide(famous historical figure)`s head is said to be buried here. The temple was originally built in 1577 in Okubo Valley. The temple was moved to the Kamimiyazu area in 1603 and its current location in 1685. (Ref: http://www.amanohashidate.jp/lang/en/spots/seirinji-temple/)

Kanabiki Waterfall Selected as one of the top 100 waterfalls in Japan, Kanabiki waterfall is 40m tall and 20m wide. The waterfall lies on a hill in Miyazu(the waterfall is located at the top of a staircase). Due to its forest location and high elevation, Kanabiki waterfall is a popular spot in the summer as […]

Chigenji Temple Chigenji Temple is a temple belonging to the Sotoshu sect of Buddhism and is an official training center for young monks. There are currently about 10 young monks training at the temple. The temple itself was constructed in 1625 by Takahiro Kyogoku for his mother. The main temple hall was constructed in March […]

Chionji Temple It is one of the three temples in Japan dedicated to the Monju Bodhisattva(Bodhisattva of Wisdom).  It is believed that you can gain wisdom from visiting this temple so many students and their families visit here to pray for help passing exams.  The temple has many old paintings including a 300 year old […]

Amanohashidate (天橋立) is a pine covered sandbar that spans the mouth of Miyazu Bay in the scenic, coastal region of northern Kyoto Prefecture. Viewed from the mountains at either end of the bay, the Amanohashidate Sandbar (which roughly translates to “bridge in heaven”) looks like a pathway between heaven and earth. The scene has been admired for centuries […]

This is a nice local shrine in a small town in Kyoto Prefecture. Kyotango is approximately 2 hours, driving, from Kyoto City. It’s a small, country town with agriculture as it’s main source of income. The local beaches here are nice and frequently visited by locals and outsiders in the summer season.