Tag: temple
Contemplating the Mysterious Rock Garden of Ryoanji Temple
Ryoanji Temple is a UNESCO listed Zen Buddhist Temple home to Japan’s most famous rock garden. Nobody knows who designed the ancient plot, and visitors come in droves to try and unlock its untold mysteries. The temple, though previously the villa of...
Ambling Asakusa Tour: A Tour of Old Tokyo Part 3
After a leisurely boat ride along the Sumida River, you will arrive in Asakusa. The history of this neighborhood dates back to the Edo period. At that time, warehouses used for rice storage filled the neighborhood. At the turn of the 19th...
Ryozen Kannon Temple: One of Kyoto’s Best Kept Secrets
Kyoto’s Higashiyama district may be jam-packed with countless temples and shrines, but in terms of aesthetic difference, the Ryozen Kannon Temple is quite literally head and shoulders above the rest. Sharing a carpark with Kodaiji Temple—my intended destination—I mistakenly walked toward the...
A Thousand Glittering Treasures at Kyoto’s Sanjusangendo Temple
Not far from Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Taisha lies the temple famously home to 1001 statues of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Its name—Sanjusangendo— however, refers to an old method of measurement, literally translating to ‘hall with 33 spaces between columns’.
Kyoto’s Most Instagrammable Temple: Yasaka Koshindo
It’s easy to forget what century you’re in as you explore the cobbled, hilly streets of Higashiyama. This part of Kyoto is famous for its high concentration of beautiful and historic shrines, temples, tea houses and restaurants. As I wandered along, lost...
A Great Half-Day Hike Near Kyoto: the Kibune – Kurama Hike
Looking for a way to enjoy nature, soak up culture and get some exercise, all at the same time? Well, look no further than the Kibune – Kurama hike. This easy two hour hike covers almost 4 kilometers through the Kitayama mountains...
These Adorable Knitted Hats Are Unmissable on Miyajima
A popular tourist destination in Japan is Itsukushima, a small island near Hiroshima City. Known colloquially as Miyajima, its claim to fame is the iconic giant torii gate that seems to float when the tide comes in and submerges the base of...
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...
