Tag: temple
Manshuin Monzeki: A Tale of Two Temples
Manshuin Monzeki Temple lies hidden in Kyoto's eastern hills, and is almost entirely overlooked by foreign tourists - solitude guaranteed!
Genkо̄-an: Blooms and Blood in a Quiet Neighbourhood
Genkо̄-an is a beautiful Buddhist temple with a dark secret, tucked away in the quiet neighbourhoods of northern Kyoto.
Raizan Sennyо̄ji Daihiо̄in: Exploring Itoshima’s ‘Thunder Mountain.’
Itoshima's 'Thunder Mountain' is home to Raizan Sennyо̄ji Daihiо̄in temple, a repository of artefacts sequestered among the cedars.
Art, Tranquility, and Synth-playing Monks at Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
Kyoto’s beauty and charm cannot be denied. However, it has led to a rather serious case of overtourism, so much so that in order to disperse traffic, the Government has now begun promoting more off-the-beaten-track destinations previously untapped by tourists. While Arashiyama...
Sakura Jingu Shrine: Pretty in Pink Cherry Blossoms and Ribbons
There are plenty of places to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo, but Setagaya’s Sakura Jingu Shrine has a unique edge: ribbons. Visitors to this small shrine can purchase pink ribbons from the shrine office before filling them...
Tenku no Torii: Kawaguchiko’s Torii in the Sky
If you’re looking for breathtaking Mount Fuji views while in Kawaguchiko, perhaps you’ve come across Tenku no torii (torii in the sky) in your research. And, if you’re one to delve into Google reviews, you’ll also know it’s quite a polarising attraction....
Follow Arashiyama’s Kimono Forest to a Relaxing Foot bath
Arashiyama is perhaps best known for its Bamboo Grove, but there's another forest by the station that’s eye-catching in an altogether different way. During renovations of the Arashiyama Randen Station in 2013, artist Yasumichi Morita was tasked with creating an art installation...
A Day Trip To Shibamata: Tokyo’s Magical Retro Hood
Spend a few days exploring Tokyo and you’ll start to get a sense of its enormity. For every neon-lit neighbourhood, there’s an old-fashioned counterpart across town, bustling in its own special way. A visit to a ‘Shitamachi’ (downtown) pocket has a way...
Choraku-ji and Anyo-ji: Hidden in the Hills, Lost in Time.
Kyoto is abundant in micro-temples which atmospherically melt into forests and hills. Naturally, they're a perfect antidote to the more popular and all too often overcrowded temples and shrines in the city. Two such temples in Kyoto city lie hidden in Higashiyama's...
Tofuku-ji Temple: Mirei’s Modernism in the Heart of Kyoto
Japan's abundance of breathtaking gardens makes it a promised land for plant lovers and landscapers alike. The problem is, which gardens should take priority when you only have limited time in the country? Tofuku-ji temple's gardens aren't Kyoto's largest or oldest, but...
