Experience
Kanazawa is easier to get to than ever with the new bullet train line. Seisonkaku is more than just an important national cultural asset, it’s a must see site, distinguished with a rich history of the Maeda clan, rulers of…
When you set foot in the Land of the Rising Sun, you’ll notice the ubiquity of temples. Temples, temples, temples everywhere; from the heart of Urban Tokyo to the depths of Kyushu’s jungles, from the rustic country side to the…
You’re probably wondering what could be so controversial about a Zen temple, just like I was. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ryoan-ji Temple (Temple of the Peaceful Dragon) is home to one of the most famous “Karesansui,” or Zen rock…
Hiraizumi Chusonji 2016 is a commemorative year for Chusonji Temple and Hiraizumi; it has been nearly 5 years since this location was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Established by the Fujiwara clan, rulers of northern Japan during the Heian…
If you come to the entrance of Kayotei for the first time it is evident that this is a very special Japanese inn. This one of a kind ryokan is located in the tiny hot spring village of Yamanaka in…
Situated at Sai on the southern tip of Shimokita’s axe-shaped peninsula is an elegant rock formation known locally as Hotoke-ga-Ura. This nationally designated Natural Monument derives its name from the wind carved cliffs that resemble the stoic supreme Buddha. …
Okunoshima is an island once used as a fishing village, hidden in plain sight and selected for its defensive location by the Japanese military; it has since been re-purposed, but is a great site for sight seeing, as it has…
