Kyoto: Teramachi and Shin-kyogoku
Kyoto is much smaller than Tokyo, but it does have its own version of shopping districts. Teramachi and Shin-kyogoku are two parallel covered streets which seem to go on forever,… Read more »
Category: Photos
Kyoto City Budo Center
I stumbled on this place by accident: a complex of buildings devoted to the practice of martial arts. It is located just around the corner from the Heian Shrine.
Kyoto: Heian Shrine
The Heian Shrine is dedicated to two emperors: Kammu, who founded the city of Kyoto in 794, and Koumei, the last emperor to spend his life in the city. It… Read more »
Nara: Deer and Buddhas
The ancient city of Nara, capital of Japan from 710 to 784, is a short train ride from Kyoto. Many people make the trip, and what most of them want… Read more »
Kyoto: Kennin-ji
The Kennin-ji is the oldest Zen Buddhist temple in Japan, established in 1202. It is notable for its artworks and beautiful gardens.
Kyoto: Gion and Geishas
This is Gion, the “Geisha District” made famous by the book and movie Memoirs of a Geisha. Perhaps I should call it a “Geiko District”, since in Kyoto a geisha… Read more »
Kyoto: Ginkaku-ji
The Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) is a Zen Buddhist temple that was built in 1474 by the Shogun Yoshimasa Ashikaga. Being the Shogun he presumably had nearly unlimited funds to work… Read more »
Hiroshima
In Hiroshima the Memorial Peace Museum is apparently THE place to bring elementary school children.
Miyajima Museums
The Homotsukan Treasure Hall contains hundreds of art works and other treasures donated over the centuries to the Itsukushima Shrine.
Miyajima: Mt. Misen
Mt. Misen, the tallest mountain on the island, has been considered sacred since ancient times. The easiest way to get to the top is to take the ropeway that runs… Read more »