Where to Go in Hiroshima for Unique Amulets and Votive Tablets
Jan 31, 2024 By Justin Hanus
A modern way to attract visitors to a particular shrine or temple is to offer amulets and votive plaques. Each is a representation of the place, meaning it can be a great reminder about where you visited. Some of the amulets and votive plaques available from the shrines and temples...[ Click to read more ]
Day Trips – History, Heritage, and Natural Beauty in Toyokawa
By Bert Wishart
About 75 minutes east of Nagoya, in the Mikawa Bay region, lies Toyokawa, a small city with a lot of spirituality and individuality. Though it is generally overlooked by the tourism industry as little more than a once-industrial town, it is in fact an area known locally for its rich...[ Click to read more ]
New Year Celebrations in Kansai
Dec 27, 2023 By Justin Hanus
New Year (Shogatsu) is a time for big celebration in Japan. Seen as a period of cleansing and renewal as well as an opportunity to welcome in the New Year, festivities tend to last from January 1-3, with many people taking this period off work. There are various ways that...[ Click to read more ]
Hatsumode in Nagoya – Shrines to Visit for New Years
By First Admin
Oshogatsu, or New Year, is the most important holiday in Japan. Businesses shut down from January 1 to January 3, and families gather to spend time together. During the New Year, most places around Japan look like ghost towns, as children fly kites, play card games or count their otoshidama...[ Click to read more ]
Great Things to Do in Western Kumamoto
Nov 28, 2023 By Justin Hanus
Western Kumamoto is dominated by Mount Kinbo, a now-extinct volcano, but there is still plenty on offer. Whether you enjoy spending time in nature, are interested in ancient Japanese culture, or are looking ways to keep fit throughout the year, you’ll find numerous things to do and see in this...[ Click to read more ]
Know your Nio from your Komainu – Exploring Nagoya’s Temples and Shrines
Oct 27, 2023 By Bert Wishart
There are so many great things about living in Japan, but for me one of the best is the plethora of interesting religious iconography that can be found wherever you look. This is a nation in which you can’t swing a dead tanuki without striking some kind of religious monument,...[ Click to read more ]
Where to See the Fall Leaves in Hiroshima
Sep 28, 2023 By Justin Hanus
Even if you’ve seen autumn foliage in other countries, nothing compares to Japan. Hiroshima is an ideal place to experience the fall colors because the prefecture is packed with forests, temples, and gardens. The possibilities of where you can see the leaves are almost endless, but a few spots stand...[ Click to read more ]
Top Things to Do Around Mount Yoshino
Aug 30, 2023 By Justin Hanus
Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site called "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage routes in the Kii Mountain Range," Mount Yoshino is an important cultural site as well as a spot of natural beauty. Visitors flock here during the cherry blossom season, but there are many things to see and do...[ Click to read more ]
Exploring the Kumano Kodo
By Justin Hanus
The pilgrimage routes of the Kumano Kodo in Kansai have existed for more than 1,000 years. They were established as a way for people to visit sacred sites around the Kii Peninsula, but today they are a popular destination for hikers. The most important spots along the trails are three...[ Click to read more ]
Ideas for a Trip to Mount Misen
By Justin Hanus
Although Miyajima is most famous for its floating torii gate, there’s enough to do to spend several days on the island. One top place to visit is the sacred Mount Misen, which is the highest mountain on the island and is located within the Itsukushima Shrine World Heritage area. You...[ Click to read more ]
