Category: Travel

The Todai-ji Temple is located in the city of Nara and is one of the largest wooden structures in the world. It is also one of Japan’s largest temples. Its history can be traced back to the Nara period when it was ordered to be built by Emperor Shomu. The temple was originally named Kokubun-ji […]

Kishiki Shrine is a small shrine that we pass by on our way to Kishiwada Castle, but it seems a bit special, so let’s go in and take a look~ Kishiki Shrine is the guardian deity of the castle and also one of the locations for the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival.

If you have the chance, don’t miss the passionate Kishiwada Danjiri Festival! Its true name is Danjiri Festival (Japanese: だんじり祭) and it takes place every September in the Osaka Senshu area. It is one of the most famous festivals in the area. Each town in Osaka Senshu holds its own Danjiri Festival, but each region […]

When I first saw the Kishiwada Castle, it gave me a feeling similar to Himeji Castle. Climbing up to the main tower and looking down, you can see the “Hachijin Garden” created by Mirei Shigemori. This garden holds great artistic and academic value in the history of modern Japanese gardens. Therefore, on October 6, 2014, […]

The Moegi House was built in 1903 and was once the residence of the American Consul. The Moegi House is a two-story wooden building with decorative wooden panels on the exterior walls. It is known for its unique bay windows (protruding windows) in two different shapes. It is one of the more popular foreigner houses […]

If you have already seen the Great Buddha of Nara’s Todai-ji Temple, then you might not be interested in this Hyogo Great Buddha. Well…yes, if I say this is the Hyogo Great Buddha, would anyone believe it? This is a statue of Taira no Kiyomori, but it lacks the solemn and dignified feeling and instead […]

The Arima Onsen area is quite suitable for taking a leisurely stroll. When I came during the maple season before, I was in a rush and could only take a quick look. This time, I have more time to explore deeper.

The Kobe Kitano area used to have many foreigners living here, so it has preserved some old houses with European and American styles. That’s why the foreigner houses in this area are also called Kitano Ijinkan. “Ijinkan” refers to foreigners in this area. The most common ones are the Moegi House and the Weathercock House. […]

During the cherry blossom season in Kyoto, besides visiting famous cherry blossom spots, I personally enjoy taking walks on the lesser-known streets of Kyoto. One of my favorite spots is the area near the Takase River, which runs parallel to the Kamo-gawa.

There are many shops in Kyoto that sell Japanese groceries, dolls, and artworks. One of the shops I spent the most time exploring is Kurochiku Tenshokan (Japanese: くろちく天正館), located near the Kyoto Municipal Subway – Shijo Station or Hankyu Railway – Karasuma Station.