Gems of Japan
Tokyo is one of my favorite places to visit, but I have not had the opportunity to visit outside of this wonderful city - and I'd like to. This is a collection of spots that I would be interested in checking out.
294 Kiyomizu 1-chōme, Higashiyama-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 605-0862, Japan
Kiyomizu-dera on Mount Otowa is one of the most famous temples in Japan, a place that appears in every sequence of Japanese travel photos. The landscape is all cherry trees and forest; it is among Kyoto's loveliest spots. The current structure...
Kitaishizaka Hirojicho, Showa Ward, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture 466-0834, Japan
We decided to explore Yagoto, a neighborhood in Nagoya we'd yet to experience. We wandered through some unassuming gates and we were completely surprised to see Koshoji Temple. It's hidden in the middle of the city. It has a five story pagoda (our...
Motoyoshichō-491 Nagano, Nagano-shi, Nagano-ken 380-0851, Japan
The first image of Buddha was housed here at this temple which is also the largest thatched roof in all of Japan. Our guide took us to the "basement" of Zenkō-ji which is a pitch black maze of sorts that we were told when we navigated it we'd find...
Lake Chūzenji, Chugushi, Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture 321-1661, Japan
The Chuzenji Temple in Oku-nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, was originally founded in 784 by a Buddhist monk known as Shodo-shonin and is located on the shore of Lake Chuzenji, which is approximately 1,300 meters above sea level. In the middle of the...
１０７２ Amatsu, Kamogawa-shi, Chiba-ken 299-5503, Japan
The Torii Arch reaches skyward on a small islet off the Pacific coast of Amatsu-kominato in the Boso Peninsula of Chiba. I came across this after walking around the breakwater of the fishing port located in front of Tanjoji Temple, birthplace of...
浅草 新仲見世商店街 Asakusa Shin-Nakamise, 1 Chome-26 Asakusa, Taitō-ku, Tōkyō-to 111-0032, Japan
Stray from the path to some more modern and atmospheric shopping. Here bolts of silk are displayed for sale at one of the many kimono shops lining the Shin-nakamise covered shopping pavilion in front of the iconic Senjoji Temple. If you're...
1 Chome-12-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tōkyō-to 130-0015, Japan
A stone lantern and stepping stones on the grounds of Kyu-yasuda Teien (former Yasuda Gardens) in Ryogoku, Tokyo. This is a small Japanese garden located behind the Kokugikan (sumo hall) in Ryogoku that was once owned by Zenjiro Yasuda, founder of...
Japan, 〒247-0062 神奈川県鎌倉市山ノ内１８９
A circular doorway leading into Meigetsu-in temple in Kita-kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, is part of a temple founded in 1383 and belonging to the Rinzai sect of Buddhism. On the grounds there is a gorgeous Japanese rock garden with lines and...
2-11 Kaminoborichō, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken 730-0014, Japan
The Kimono Paparazzi (yours truly) was working overtime today. So many couples were out taking advantage of the sunshine to pose for wedding photos in beautiful Shukkeien Garden in Hiroshima. The garden itself, with its charming bridges, blooming...
6 Chome-11 Hanasatomachi, Takayama-shi, Gifu-ken 506-0026, Japan
East of the picturesque city of Takayama you'll find the famous ice cave. It is the highest snow cave of Japan, located 800m above sea level. It is famous for its huge amount of helictites and stalactite formations. As you leave the caves put a...
