Special Night Illumination of the Phoenix Hall @ Byōdōin in Autumn 2017.
Category: Temple & Shrines
Bamboo Temple of Jizō-in, Arashiyama, Kyoto
Finding peace amidst soaring bamboos, green moss, and colorful autumn leaves in Jizō-in (Bamboo Temple), hidden away in crowded Arashiyama.
Half-day trip @ Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
A short trip to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka prefecture, visiting Hamamatsu Castle where Ieyasu spent 17 years during his younger days and Kanzanji, a Zen-Buddhist temple on Mt. Tateyama.
Bridge to Heaven: Amanohashidate
A trip to one of the Three Views of Japan - Amanohashidate, roughly translates to "bridge to heaven". Viewing the sandbar from the southern and northern bays, walking on the pine-tree covered sandbar, and side visits to Chionji and Motoise Kono Jinja.
Thunder God Shrine: Kamigamo-jinja, Kyoto
A trip to one of the Kamo Shrines, Kamigamo-jinja, or Kamo-wake-ikazuchi, one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Kyoto, dedicated to the Thunder God.
Colorful Kunozan Toshogu
Visit to the lavishly decorated Kunozan Toshogu, enshrining Tokugawa Ieyasu. Walking down the 1000 steps of stone stairs overlooking Suruga Bay on a sunny Sunday.
Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street and the Nenbutsu-ji Temples, Kyoto Travel
Continuing my trip in hidden Arashiyama, exploring the somber Adashino Nenbutsu-ji and the whimsical statues in Otagi Nenbutsuji, while walking through the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street.
Moss Garden at Gioji, Kyoto
Lovely moss garden and thatched roof at Gioji, an often overlooked temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto.
Where the retired Emperors resided: Daikaku-ji, Kyoto
A visit to the slightly off-the-beaten path temple in Kyoto, a monzeki temple in which retired Emperors resided. Located next to the oldest, partly survived Shinden-style garden pond.
Short stop at Ryozen Kannon Temple, Kyoto
An unexpected stop at Ryozen Kannon in Higashiyama, Kyoto, dedicated to those who were lost on both sides of WWII.
Lonely and hungry hike: Togakushi, Nagano
Admiring autumn leaves through a short hike from Togakushi-hokosha (lower shrine) to Togakushi-okusha (upper shrine), located in former Togakure, said to be the birthplace of the Togakure-ryu Ninja School.
Japan's Wonders 