honshu
-
Motsuji Temple and Kanjiziao-in, Hiraizumi – a Pure Land temple and noble pleasure garden
Located slightly north of Ichinoseki （一関), Hiraizumi is a small, unassuming town. Mostly consisting of houses and small businesses, you might easily overlook this town in the Tohoku region of Japan. However, if you did, you would be missing out on a lot. That is because it is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Historic…
-
Matsumoto Castle Grand Taiko Festival – Japanese Drumming
-
Visiting Matsumoto Castle (松本城), Japan
-
Tofuku-Ji Temple and Tsuten-Kyo Bridge, Kyoto, Japan
After visiting Fushimi Inari and Mt. Inari, the next stop on my trip to Kyoto was Tofuku-ji Temple (東福寺) and Tsuten-Kyo Bridge. Tofuku-Ji is one of the “Five Great Zen Temples in Kyoto” and it is easy to see why. Combined with its garden, which contains the Tsuten-Kyo (covered) bridge, it is easy to see…
-
Oshi Sushi (押し寿司) – Making sushi in a box
Before coming to Japan, I wasn’t very knowledgeable about sushi. I had eaten sushi in “Japanese” restaurants (Chinese people, not Japanese people, run most of the ones in western countries). I had eaten “sushi rolls” (makizushi, 巻き寿司) and “sashimi” (nigirizushi, 握り寿司) but I couldn’t really tell you what was typical. You couldn’t expect me to…
-
Toji Temple, Kyoto – The Temple for the Defence of the Nation by Means of the King of Doctrines
-
Fushimi Inari and Mt. Inari, Kyoto – The path of 1000 gates
