Sharing favorite finds from across the archipelago
Winter is finally starting to set in here in Tokyo ... sort of. It's unseasonably warm this year, it seems, and snow is a laughable thought at this point in winter. That doesn't stop us from heading out to Niigata this week in search of a little white powder and onsen. Yes, hot spring hopping... Continue Reading →
It's time for another look at the various shrine prayer plaques around Japan. I've found some interesting ones in recent months, and the more you know about the story you tell, the more fascinating that random shrine can become. 1. Hachiman Shrine (Shirakawa-go) - The Hachiman shrine in the UNESCO World Heritage Village of Shirakawa-go has... Continue Reading →
One of the attractions of visiting the religious complex of Koyasan in Wakayama Prefecture is the chance to stay in a shukubo, a temple lodging. Guests are treated to Buddhist vegetarian cuisine and can participate in morning prayer services. But not all shukubo are created equal. Here is my personal experience from January 2015. Winter was... Continue Reading →
The other weekend, I had the pleasure of making the journey into the heartland of Wakayama Prefecture to the snowy precincts of Koyasan. Koyasan, or Mt Koya, is home to a temple complex that is celebrating its 1200th year in 2015 and ranks among travelers' favorite destinations in Japan. The temples of Koyasan were founded... Continue Reading →
Ohhhhh, winter. I am really looking forward to the snow you've been dumping on the surrounding prefectures but at the moment, your frigid temperatures are unwelcome. At least it will make this girl from the northeastern US feel right at home come Christmas morning. I've never been one to do the Christmas holiday in hot... Continue Reading →
While my rainy weekend on the Kumano Kodo earlier this month changed our itinerary quite a bit, that change was actually a blessing in disguise. One of the highlights of the Kii Peninsula is the Nachi Shrine (Nachi Taisha) and the Nachi Waterfall right next to it and as our original itinerary stood, we wouldn't... Continue Reading →
If you followed me on facebook over the weekend, you'll know that I spent my weekend in Wakayama Prefecture, south of Osaka. The initial plan was to spend three days hiking the Kumano Kodo, one of the old pilgrimage routes on the Kii Peninsula and a UNESCO recognized World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, the weather had... Continue Reading →
Uncover Japan 