This is a beautiful temple that starts on the bottom of a moutain and has a 1.5 hour hike up a trail to the other Buddhist temple. This ia located directly behind the Daigoji Temple.

Sanboin was built by the 14th Archbishop, Shokaku, in 1115. The building has since been used as the residence of successive archbishops of Daigoji Temple. Most of Sanboin’s buildings are deisgnated as important cultural properties. Of those buildings, Omote-Shoin, which commands a view of the entire garden, is designated as a national treasure for it’s […]

Daigoji: In 874, the Buddhist monk Shobo Rigen Daishi, who was a grand pupil of Kobo Daishi, the founder of the Shingon mission, built a hermitage on Mt. Daigo and carved two Kannon (Avalokitesvara) statues of Juntei and Nyoirin. Shobo dedicated them in a hall. This is the origin of the Daigoji Temple. After the […]

What is Goshuin? Goshuin can be received by visitors in Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines. It is a large stamp, written in ink that proves your visit to a particular temple. Shuin is often called “goshuin”, “go” being a Japanese honorific prefix. The style of shuin is different in every temple. Usually, it is the temple’s priest […]

Nanzen-ji (南禅寺 Nanzen-ji), or Zuiryusan Nanzen-ji, formerly ZenriNanzen-ji (南禅寺 Nanzen-ji), or Zuiryusan Nanzen-ji, formerly Zenrin-ji (禅林寺 Zenrin-ji), is a Zen Buddhisttemple in Kyoto, Japan. Emperor Kameyamaestablished it in 1291 on the site of his previous detached palace. It is also the headquarters of the Nanzen-ji branch of Rinzai Zen. The precincts of Nanzen-ji are a […]

Higashiyama (東山区 Higashiyama-ku, meaning “east mountain”) is one of the eleven wardsin the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was created in 1929 when it was split off from Shimogyō-ku. During the years 1931 to 1976 it also covered the area of present-day Yamashina-ku, which was an independent town until its merger into the city in 1931. The name literally means “Eastern Mountain District”. Due to […]

Kinkaku (The Golden Pavillion) is a shariden, a Buddhist hall containing relics of Buddha. The pavilion is part of a temple that is formally named Rokuon-ji Temple, but commonly called Kinkaku-Jim Temple, or Temple of this Golden Pavilion. Rokuon-ji is a Zen Buddhist Temple, in the Shokokuji School of the Rinzai Sect. This area was […]

The Philosopher’s Walk (哲学の道 Tetsugaku-no-michi, lit. Path of Philosophy) is a pedestrian path that follows a cherry-tree-lined canal in Kyoto, between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji. The route is so-named because the influential 20th-century Japanese philosopher and Kyoto University professor Nishida Kitaro is thought to have used it for daily meditation. It passes a number of temples […]

Genbudo Museum was newly reopened in the spring of 2018 after undergoing extensive renovations to house its collection of rare minerals and precious stones as well as newly added fossils that include a t-rex, pterosaur, and Asian elephant. Located directly out in front of the museum is the natural national monument Genbudo Caves, also a […]

Genbudo Cave Park consists of five caves, four of which are named after the four gods of the four directions. The caves were formed 1.6 million years ago when the lava from a volcanic explosion cooled forming beautiful columnar joints that resemble a honeycomb pattern. The caves were designated as national natural monuments in 1931. […]

A local Buddhist Temple and nearby local Shinto Shrine, in a small country town. All of Japan is full of temples and shrines, in bug cities, small towns and villages.

A nice local shrine in the country, where seasonal festivals are held. The main shrine was under renovation for an upcoming festival, and there was a nice hiking path begind it. I started my afternoon with some Rai Tai Ramen, a local ramen restaurant part of a big chain in Japan, then went to the […]

I had to come to this area, not too far south of Tokyo, for a VA appointment. I was here less than 24 hours and took a few pics of the local area and a shrine. ジョナサン 横須賀中央店 This was a delicious local restaurant I got a delicious plate of food at very late at […]

This is a nice shrine and a group of Buddhist Temples in Toyooka. Rainy day but it was still a nice spot with great energy.

Izushi is a castle town that flourished during the Edo era, about 200-300 years ago. There are several fine displays of traditional architecture found throughout the town, which is why Izushi is designated as a national preservation district of important buildings. The town is also famous for its own original style of soba, Japanese buckwheat […]

Hiroshima Castle (広島城 Hiroshima-jō), sometimes called Carp Castle (鯉城 Rijō), is a castle in Hiroshima, Japan that was the home of the daimyō(feudal lord) of the Hiroshima han (fief). The castle was constructed in the 1590s, but was destroyed by the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945. It was rebuilt in 1958, a replica of […]