Tag: shinto
What is Shinto? Your Questions About Japan Answered
Shinto is the indigenous faith of the Japanese. It is a way of life and a way of thinking that has been an integral part of Japanese culture since ancient times. It is the foundation for the yearly life cycles, beginning with...
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine: Fukuoka’s Favourite Day Trip
When exam season rolls around in Japan, the place to be—other than at your desk studying—is at a Tenmangu Shrine, praying for unbridled academic success. There are thousands of these types of Shinto shrines throughout Japan, each and every one of them...
Pray for the New Year with Colorful Mayudama at Kinomiya Shrine
The colorful Mayudama of Kinomiya Shrine
Kinomiya Shrine in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, is quite a sight at this time of year.
The Shinto priestesses, already in their striking white and red...
Shimogamo Shrine: One of Kyoto’s Oldest Shrines
Ask anyone where to go for the “really old stuff” in Japan, and they’ll probably mention Kyoto. Serving as the capital for over 1,000 years, it’s the birthplace of many traditional art forms and aspects of Japanese culture we see today. And,...
Meiji Shrine: Serenity Amid The Urban Sprawl
Meiji Jingu, one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines, can be found deep within a dense evergreen forest spanning 170 acres. A walk through the grounds brings you up close to over 100,000 trees, a number of rare birds and insects and...
Exploring the Oldest Shrine in Japan: Ujigami Shrine
Uji-gami Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the Kyoto city of Uji. Originally built as a guardian shrine for the nearby Byodoin, it is now quite remarkable in its own right. Dendrochronological studies of the wood have determined that Ujigami Jinja...
Things to do in Yunomine Onsen
Yunomine Onsen in Wakayama Prefecture
Japan, like other countries located in the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’, is volcanically active and prone to numerous earthquakes. The four tectonic plates underneath this island nation cause daily tremors and are responsible...
Visiting Nachisan and Kumano Nachi Taisha
While there are many religions in Japan, the two main contenders are Shintoism and Buddhism. Shintoism is Japan's indigenous religion which involves worshipping elements of nature, such as mountains and waterfalls. Followers have travelled around on spiritual...
The Pacific Ocean, a Pagoda and a Waterfall: Day 5 of Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Route
The final day of the Kumano Kodo on the Ogumotori-goe path was bittersweet. On one hand, we were tired and keen to return to our own beds and clean clothes. On the other hand, we were used...
Teahouse Remains and Sweeping Views: Day 4 of the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Route
Although the pilgrimage was technically complete at Hongu, we wanted the sense of accomplishment from hiking coast to coast. Therefore, we and two bus loads of hikers packed ourselves into a local bus from Yunomine Onsen to the Ukegawa Trailhead where we...
