6 Culture Yasaka Shrine Shijo Gion Kyoto Bonson Lam Emperor Ichijo loved Gion Shrine so much, that in the year 991 he added it to the Imperial list. The roof was built with stun...
12 Ancient Lotus Pond in Gyoda City Larry Knipfing Kodaihasu-no-sato (Ancient Lotus Village) is located in a beautiful park in Gyoda, Saitama. Lotus season runs from mid-July t...
12 Culture Tokyo's Zojo-ji Temple in Spring Larry Knipfing I like to go back to my favorite temples a few times a year so that I can enjoy how they change with the seasons. Zojo-ji is ...
Activities Joshin-ji Temple and Mausoleums Anonymous Joshin-ji Temple is home to the mausoleum of the first feudal lord of Matsuyama and his flower-arranging ‘mad’ brother. There...
Activities Princess Kaguya’s Shining Garden 2026 Joanna Ligon Cherry blossoms bloom in an unexpected place this spring—on the moon, rendered in light atop Sakuramachi Kumamoto. Princess K...
13 Culture Horin-ji Temple, Arashiyama, Kyoto Larry Knipfing Just over the Togetsukyo Bridge (follow the road to the left after you cross it) in the Arashiyama district of Kyoto is Horin...
9 Culture Tamamo Park, Takamatsu Peter Sidell In Takamatsu in Kagawa prefecture on Japan's Shikoku island, Tamamo Park is a pleasant park, home to the ruins of Takamatsu C...
Area Mamurogawa Tomoaki Sato Mamurogawa (真室川) is known as Ume no Sato (梅の里 lit. 'plum town'). A Plum Festival is held here every year during Golden ...
Activities Kumadani-ji in Awa-shi Phillip Nelson One of the beautiful Buddhist temples of the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage. This boasts well tended grounds and a huge wooden pagoda.
8 Activities Walking along Uji River Susan Tumanon The Uji River, south of Kyoto, is often associated with the Japanese novel "The Tale of Genji". This beautiful river was the ...
