Shimogamo Shrine’s Tower Gate

In this article:

• Explore Shimogamo-jinja (photos & info)
• Shrine map & main buildings
• How to get to Shimogamo-jinja
• Opening hours and admission cost
• Traveler’s tips
• Other things to do in Kyoto
• When to visit Shimogamo-jinja (events & festivals)

Officially called Kamo-mioya-jinja (賀茂御祖神社), but more commonly called Shimogamo-jinja (下鴨神社), this World Heritage shrine doesn’t have the beaten tourist path of more popular tourist hotspots in Kyoto like Kinkaku-ji, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Nijo-jo or the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Shimogamo-jinja is free to enter and is open very early (gates open at 6:30AM), so it’s a great place to start if you want a full day in Kyoto.

This article and all photos are from my visit to the shrine on a very hot summer’s day.

After staying the night at the amazing 9hours capsule hotel near Gion, I left the hotel at 5AM and headed to a convenience store for a few cans of coffee and energy snacks. After a beautiful walk north along the Kamo River, I found myself in a surreal forest…

Explore Shimogamo-jinja (photos & info)

Shimogamo-jinja’s Rōmon (楼門 / tower gate).

On approach, it’s obvious you’re near a shrine. Several large vermillion torii gates arch over small streets leading towards the shrine’s grounds.

One thing I’ve always loved about Japan is the contrast between old and new. This is a classic example: a torii flanked by vending machines…

Torii and vending machines. Only in Japan, on a street with no name… See it on Google Street View.

The Tadasu-no-mori, a sacred and ancient woodland that takes up a large area to the south of the shrine (and surrounds the shrine) was very peaceful when I arrived at about 6AM. Oji-sans and Oba-sans (Japanese for grandfather and grandmother) were doing their morning group calisthenics. Sounds of a stream could be heard in the distance.

In this area is the recreation of an ancient ritual site…

Sign depicting archaeological discoveries.

From the sign:

… Excavations have been carried out in this vicinity since 2001 for the purposes of environmental preservation and, as a result, various ritual remains and the remains of a square ritual altar constructed in the late Heian period (late 12th century) have been unearthed.

We have recreated the ritual altars ‘Stone Paved Site 1′ and ‘Stone Paved Site 2′.

‘Stone Paved Site 2′

Many small streams run through the forest area and the shrine complex. Approaching the water ablution pavilion, a stunning small bridge helps you toward the shrine entrance.

An old stone bridge runs over the Nara-no-ogawa (奈良の小川 / Nara Stream) [HDR Photo]

After performing the temizu (te = hand and mizu = water, which is the process of purification at a water basin by the entrance of shrines) you’ll be at the shrine’s main torii. There are many signs on either side of this torii, of most interest is the official UNESCO plaque stating that this is officially one of the World Heritage Cultural Sites – Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

The key word here is ancient, as relics and sites found in and around the shrine could date as far back as 10,000BC.

Ichi-no-Torii (一ノ鳥居 / First Shrine Gate).

After stepping through the torii gate, you’ll be walking towards Shimogamo-jinja’s rōmon (楼門 / tower gate), an icon of the site. This type of tower gate can be found at other Shinto sites, such as Kiyomizu Temple and Fushimi-Inari Shrine.

The tower gate, as seen from outside the temple.

The gate itself is a Japanese national treasure, as are most of the other buildings in the shrine. After proceeding through the gate, you’re now standing in the shrine grounds.

It’s name suggest something completely different, but although the Shinbuku-den (神服殿 / “Clothing for the Gods” Hall) was once used to sew clothing for the gods, it eventually became a backup temporary residence for the Emperor if the Kyoto Imperial Palace ever caught fire. The hall was actually used as a resting place for the Emperor when he visited. Several visits took place between the late 8th and mid 12 centuries.

Next to the Shinbuku-den is the Mai-dono (舞殿 / Sacred Dance Hall). Over the centuries, Emperors have visited Shimogamo-jinja to pray for the welfare of the entire country. Prayers and gifts from the Emperor would be taken into this hall. Today it is used for dance performances during festivals and ceremonies held throughout the year.

Shinbuku-den/Clothing Hall (left) and Mai-dono/Sacred Dance Hall (right)

It was at about this time, just after passing through the tower gate, that I noticed people sporadically walking between these two buildings toward the inner shrine. Some of them were the elderly people I’d seen earlier, exercising in the forest. It wasn’t until I read about the history of Shimogamo-jinja that I realised that people have been doing this for thousands of years!

Nature, and especially water, are very important elements in the shrine. A few small streams feed off the main Kamo River into the shrine.

Next to the two halls above is the tiny Mitarashi-gawa (御手洗川 / Mitarashi Stream) and the Tama-hashi (玉橋 / Tama Bridge). In July every year, the Mitarashi Matsuri (御手洗の夏祭り / Mitarashi Festival) is held, where a purification ceremony takes place and people walk knee-deep in the stream for ritual cleansing.

Tama-hashi and Mitarashi-gawa.

Rōmon (left) and Mai-dono (right). I was standing next to the Tama-hashi bridge when taking this photo. [HDR photo]

Following the path of the Oji-sans and Oba-sans who were going to pray at the inner shrine area, I could feel the history of the site. There were no sounds of the city to be heard, only nature. In this part of the shrine you are surrounded by multiple small shrines and impressive gold lanterns, all inside a inner walled section.

Getting closer and closer to the World Heritage buildings, another familiar sight is seen – wooden prayer plaques called ema (絵馬 / small wooden boards with prayers written on them) hang in neat rows next to a small shrine. Here at least 4 Koto-sha (言社 / kotosha “affiliated shrine”) are located, dedicated to Okuninushi-no-mikoto, the god of national affairs. There are 7 shrines in total dedicated to this deity in the shrine complex.

Koto-sha (言社 / a small sub-shrine) and ema (絵馬 / small wooden boards with prayers written on them).

While looking at the kotasha, movement behind the walls deeper in the shrine caught my eye. A monk was ceremoniously walking toward the main halls. He sat down and performed some prayers and rituals, and offered food and drink to the deity enshrined here.

The monk was facing the two main halls: the Nishi-Honden (西本殿 / Western Sanctuary) and the Higashi-Honden (東本殿 / Eastern Sanctuary). These two halls are the World Heritage buildings of Shimogamo-jinja, all other buildings are National Treasures of Japan.

This is the Honden (本殿 / Main Hall), the priest is facing the World Heritage buildings deep inside the shrine.

The east sanctuary is dedicated to Tamayorihime-no-mikoto, the deity of good family lines and child rearing and the mother of the deity enshrined at Kamigamo Shrine. The west sanctuary is dedicated to Kamotaketsunumi-no-mikoto, the guardian deity of good fortune who helped the Emperor Jinmu.

Quote source: Shimogamo Shrine Close Up – Main Hall and Koto-sha.

Closeup of the Honden.

Either side of the hallway in front of the monk (in the picture above) are the Western and Eastern Sanctuaries. Standing guard at these buildings are two koma-inu (狛犬 / lion-dog statue). The sanctuaries are somewhat hidden, so I had to take a couple of shots to (badly) fake a photo of one of the halls (see below).

Two koma-inu (狛犬 / lion-dog statue)

In the center of this inner shrine area, in front of the main hall and beside the koto-sha is the Kawai-jinja Mai-dono (河合神社舞殿 / Kawai Shrine Sacred Dance Hall). This shrine is adorned with glittering gold “sponsored” lanterns and plays an important role in an ancient ceremony that is still held to this today.

Kawai-jinja Mai-dono (河合神社舞殿 / Kawai Shrine Sacred Dance Hall)

The (Kawai-jinja) shrine is dedicated to Tamayorihime-no-mikoto (the goddess associated with Emperor Jinmu thought to promote good child rearing) who is believed by many to be a guardian deity for women.

Quote source: Shimogamo Shrine Close Up – Kawai Shrine.

“Your dedication hanging lanterns”

These gold hanging lanterns are called tsuri-dono (つり灯籠 or 釣灯籠 / sponsored hanging lantern). The sign says “your dedication hanging lanterns” (ご奉納　つり灯籠について / gohōnō tsuri-tōrō ni tsuite).

• 1 small lantern is 300,000円 (about $3,000)
• 1 large lantern is 500,000円 (about $5,000)

The lanterns are hung at the shrine, dedicated to prayers for your family and their safety.

caption

It was time to start moving again (although it was early, I still planned to see Ginkaku-ji and Daigo-ji today). Exiting the Kawai Shrine area, you pass through the Naka-mon (中門 / Middle Gate).

Naka-mon (中門 / Middle Gate)

Beside the Tama-hashi Bridge is the Hashi-dono (橋殿 / Bridge Hall). This hall sits on top of the Mitarashi-gawa stream, hence it is literally a bridge-hall over this small stream.

Hashi-dono (橋殿 / Bridge Hall) beside the Tama-hashi Bridge.

At the end of the Mitarashi-gawa stream is the Mitarashi-sha (御手洗社 / Mitarashi Shrine) which is formally known as Inoue-sha (井上社 / The Shrine Over The Well).

Mitarashi-sha (御手洗社 / Mitarashi Shrine)

Rows of komo-daru (菰樽 / decorative sake barrels) represent the use of sake in Shinto ceremonies. The original word for sake is miki (神酒), the kanji literally means god wine. Barrels are given to shrines by brewers, symbolising the tradition of the brew’s use at ceremonies and festivals. Meiji-jinju in Shibuya, Tokyo is another shrine where you can find large displays of the barrels.

Rows of komo-daru (菰樽 / decorative sake barrels).

Quick fact: although westerners use the term sake when referring to Japanese rice-wine, in Japanese sake is actually the word for alcohol. The rice-wine we call sake is actually called nihon-shu (日本酒) literally meaning “Japanese alcohol”.

One more photo of the rōmon (楼門 / tower gate)

Shrine map & main buildings

Map of Shimogamo-jinja’s main buildings.

1. Rōmon (楼門 / tower gate)
2. Mai-dono (舞殿 / Sacred Dance Hall)
3. Shinbuku-den (神服殿 / “Clothing for the Gods” Hall)
4. Hashi-dono (橋殿 / Bridge Hall)
5. Tama-hashi (玉橋 / Tama Bridge)
6. Mitarashi-sha (御手洗社 / Mitarashi Shrine) formally known as Inoue-sha (井上社 / The Shrine Over The Well)
7. Koto-sha (言社 / koto-sha “affiliated shrine”)
8. Naka-mon (中門 / Middle Gate)
9. Kawai-jinja Mai-dono (河合神社舞殿 / Kawai Shrine Sacred Dance Hall)
10. Honden (本殿 / Main Hall)

How to get to Shimogamo-jinja

Bus from JR Kyoto Station:
Take bus 4 or 205 from the front (north side) of Kyoto Station (called Kyotoeki-mae / 京都駅前) to Shimogamojinja-mae (下鴨神社前). Buy an all day 500円 bus pass, it’s the best way to travel Kyoto. A one-way trip is 220円 for an adult, so it ends up being good value (and very convenient!)

Train from JR Kyoto Station to Demachiyanagi Station:
Note that this route requires the least walking however I advised against this, there are too many transfers… 1. Take the JR Nara Line Local from JR Kyoto Station to Tofukuji Station. 2. At Tofukuji Station, transfer to the Keihan Main Line Sub-Express and go to Sanjo Station. 3. At Sanjo Station, transfer to Keihan Main Line Limited Express and go to Demachiyanagi Station. 4. Walk 8 minutes from Demachiyanagi Station to the shrine.

Train from JR Kyoto Station to Kuramaguchi Station:
1. Take the Kyoto City Subway Karasuma Line from JR Kyoto Station to Kuramaguchi Station. 2. Walk 10 minutes from Kuramaguchi Station to the shrine.

Walk from the Kyoto Imperial Palace:
The walk is just under 2kms and should take around 25 minutes. I highly recommend this, you’ll see some interesting parts of Kyoto. You can also follow this path if you want to visit the Palace after the shrine.

View Larger Map

Walk along the Kamo River from 9hours Capsule Hotel/Kawaramachi Station/Gion area:
This is the walk I did, and it was amazing to stroll along Kyoto’s main river (Kamo River). In total the walk is about 4km and would take about an hour (more if you stop for lots of photos, like I did!). If you still want to walk along the river, but don’t want to walk as far, take the subway to Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae from JR Kyoto Station and walk from there.

View Larger Map

Opening hours and admission cost

Opening hours:
Gates open at 6:30AM and close at 5PM.
The shrine is open everyday, and on New Years Eve from midnight into the early hours of New Years Day.

Admission cost:
Admission is free, except for the 500円 cost to enter a special prayer hall which is open from 9AM to 4PM.

Traveler’s tips

• If you’d like to get an early start on your day, visit Shimogamo-jinja first as it opens early.
• Take the time to walk the park from south to north leading to the shrine (or north to south when exiting).
• Buy a 500円 all day bus pass. Available at the bus stop in front of JR Kyoto Station and usually from your hotel’s reception. You cannot buy this pass on the bus.

Other things to do in Kyoto

• Kyoto Gosho (Imperial Palace) – the closest major site to Shimogamo-jinja.
• Kinkaku-ji (World Heritage)
• Nijo-jo (World Heritage)
• Fushimi Inari Taishi (World Heritage)
• Kamigamo-jinja (World Heritage), a “sister” shrine to Shimogamo-jinja.

When to visit Shimogamo-jinja (events & festivals)

There are a large number of festivals held at the shrine every year. Here’s the pick of them:

• New Years Eve: A huge number of Japanese visit this important shrine at the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve when the shrine’s gates open. This is a very unique way to experience this occasion, and it’s easy to see how important this time is for the Japanese.
• January 1 – 3: Many festivities take place everyday for the first 3 days of the new year.
• January 4: Kemari Hajime (蹴鞠はじめ / “first ball-kicking of the year”) is a very interesting soccer/ball type game that dates back over 1000 years. Read morea bout the Kemari Hajime.
• May 3: Yabusame-shinji (流鏑馬神事 / Horseback Archery Event), an event where horseback archers dressed in traditional court noble outfits shoot at targets in the Tadasu-no-mori grove. This tradition dates back to the Heian period (over 1000 years ago). This event is a lead up to the shrine’s largest festival…
• May 15: Aoi Matsuri (葵祭 / Hollyhock Festival) sometimes also called the Kamo Festival, is one of the 3 biggest festivals in Kyoto.
• Late July: Mitarashi Matsuri (御手洗祭 / Mitarashi Festival) is a popular festival where people wash their feet in the Mitarashi Stream to be blessed by a god protecting against disaster and misfortune.
• You can find many more festivals and events at the official Shimogamo-jinja event page (in English).

Happy World Heritage site hunting in Kyoto! Only got a few more to go until I’ve seen all of them!

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Bitchu Matsuyama-jo

In this article:

• Walking through Takahashi
• Exploring Bitchu Matsuyama Castle
• Walking down Mt. Gagyu from the castle
• History of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle and Mt. Gagyu
• How to get to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle
• Opening hours and admission cost
• Traveler’s tips
• Other things to do in Takahashi
• Things to do near Takahashi and Okayama city

You’ll truly get off the beaten tourist path with a day trip to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle (備中松山城) and (高梁市) Takahashi. The route up Mt. Gagyu to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is a 1.5 hour walk before arriving at 430 meters above sea level to Japan’s highest mountain castle.

Starting at Takahashi station, strolling through the town is a great way to break up the normal big-city experience people have when they come to Japan (seeing Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and maybe Hiroshima). In this article, I’ll show you through the town via some temples and sakura lined streams, a walking route up to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, around the castle itself and then back down again for a bite to eat!

Walking through Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture

Bitchu Takahashi station is in the middle of Takahashi and is the starting point for most visitors to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle.

A wall mural in Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture.

One of the main streets of Takahashi lined with festival lanterns. A festival was supposed to be held but was postponed because of the rain.

Takahashi mall – very old and very quiet, just the usual for this sleepy little town.

Yakushi-in (薬師院) is in the town, just a few short blocks from the train station. The temple isn’t very big, but its features take on very traditional Japanese form. Set into a hillside supported by a stone wall it almost mimics Bitchu Matsuyama Castle itself. Next to Yakushi-in is Shoren-ji Temple, so you can enjoy two sites within minutes of each other.

The roof of Yakushi-in in Takahashi.

Being a mountain town next to a river, there are many sakura-lined streams funneling their way into the Takahashi River (高梁川). We were lucky enough to visit in the days leading up to full bloom of the cherry blossoms in Takahashi and enjoyed many scenes like this one…

The small Konya River runs near Raikyu-ji temple into the Takahashi River.

On the outskirts of town the mountain path begins. It is possible to drive part of the way or take a taxi to a parking area on the mountain, otherwise it’s an easy hike up Mt. Gagyu to Bitchu Matsuyama-jo. While the castle at 430 meters above sea level sounds high, the town of Takahashi itself is 200 meters above sea level… doesn’t sound so big now does it?!

This map shows the hiking routes up to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle.

Exploring Bitchu Matsuyama Castle

After a short hike, on approach to the castle the first thing you see is it’s winding/stacked walls. After paying the ¥300 entry fee and entering the castle grounds it’s time to explore. The castle is small, just two stories high, but being an original castle the entire place feels and looks very authentic.

This diagram is outside the entrance to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle and shows the layout of the grounds and buildings.

Early photos can be found outside the castle and more photos and artifacts are inside. On the lower floor inside the castle is a kind of mini-museum, showing the history of the castle and info on its past renovations (it’s had 3 in the last 100 years).

Bitchu Matsuyama-jo has a long history.

This old drawing shows the town of Takahashi and Bitchu Matsuyama-jo.

The castle is built in an Meiji era style and looks like the buildings of the historic Bikan district in Kurashiki, which is only about 40km away. You can enter the castle’s main keep and explore the two floors inside. There are many shielded/slit windows (called yasama, used for arrows) where you can get a great view of Takahashi and the river below.

A “yagura” (turret or keep) of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle.

Inside the castle on the lower floor are many interesting relics from the castle. My favourite were the shachiko (pictured below) – they seemed so much larger when standing next to them (compared to seeing them on the roof of a castle).

Shachihoko of Bitchu Matsuyama-jo. Shachihoko are mythical creatures, with the body of a killer whale/dolphin/carp or some kind of fish and the head of a dragon/tiger or something equally as ferocious. These were probably removed during a previous restoration.

Now I don’t know exactly why the castle has survived for so long – probably because of its remoteness – but the fortifications and position of this castle would have made it very easy to defend and a nightmare to attack. There is a twisting maze of several layers of walls. Along the tops of walls are holes for riflemen or possibly the pouring of hot sand or oils.

The tenshu (main tower or main keep) and inner walls of the castle.

In the foreground is a hirayagura (single storey turret, used for storage but also used in battle) of Bitchu Matsuyama-jo.

There are many vantage points for viewing Takahashi from Mt. Gagyu. The photo below was taken from a lookout just outside the castle walls. You can also get a great view through the yasama (windows with slits used by archers) on the top floor of the castle keep.

Looking down at Takahashi from Mt Gagyu. Cherry blossoms make a welcome cameo.

Walking down Mt . Gagyu from the castle

The route back down the mountain to Takahashi is a very easy stroll which follows a road most of the way. This is where you get to see some very inaka (Japanese for countryside) scenes. Levels of rice fields, cherry blossom lined streams and old Japanese farm houses are just some of the unique things you’ll walk past which you wouldn’t see in the cities.

Japanese festival lanterns lined the roads on the way down the mountain from the castle back to the town of Takahashi. The weather ended up being very nice, it’s a shame the festival was postponed.

This sign is at the bottom of the Mt Gagyu. It’s not a big hike to see the castle, it took us under an hour to walk up the mountain.

On the way back to Takahashi, we took a different route and were greeted by some very quaint scenery.

Just past the small bridge in the photo above is this old water wheel. Although more decorative than useful these days, it just adds to the authentic small town feel of Takahashi.

History of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle and Mt. Gagyu

Outside the castle walls is this large sign with a history of castle. Below the photo is a transcript of the sign.

Sign outside Bitchu Matsuyama Castle’s walls.

Mt. Gagyu is designated as a national forest. It is also valuable as a natural botanical garden, containing more than 1,000 different species of plants.

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is located on Mt. Gagyu at 430 meters above sea level, making it the highest mountain castle in Japan. The ruins of the castle, the donjon, the turrets and a section of the surrounding mud wall have been designated as important cultural properties.

The evolution of Matsuyama Castle began when Saburo Shigenobu Akiba built a fort on Omatsuyama in 1240. Later Kurozaemon Muneyasu Takahashi, an officer of the area, enlarged the fort to include Komatsuyama, the castle’s present site. When Motochika Mimura became a feudal lord of the region, Matsuyama castle* was enlarged again and the site extended to cover the entire mountain. With the help of the Mori clan, Motochika Mimura conquered the whole Bitchu area but was forced from the castle and killed when the clan discovered that he had betrayed them.

In 1600 Masatsugu Kobori and his son Masakazu came to the area as the officers of the Tokugawa Shogunante and repaired the castle as part of the efforts to turn Matsuyama into a castle town. The next feaudal lord, Katsutaka Mizunoya, rebuilt the donjon, turrets and other gates in addition to building Onegoya house on the southern side of Mt. Gagyu where public affairs were administrated. The Mizunoya contributed to the development of the area by arranging the castle town and expanding the Tamashima district.

In 1744 Katsuzumi Itakura became lord of Matsuyama castle, followed by a succession of eight Itakura lords who ruled the castle for a period spanning 126 years. The order to abolish castles early in the Meiji Era left the castle in ruins, but a citizen’s group was set up in 1929 to preserve the castle and repair the turret. After this work was completed the Takahashi City authorities repaired the donjon turret and mud walls. Matsuyama Castle was designated as an important cultural property in 1950 and in 1957 the government began restoring the castle to its original state. Restoration was completed in 1960**.

March 1990, Bitchu Matsuyama Castle Administration Office.

*Bitchu Matsuyama castle is sometimes referred to as Matsuyama castle, which is less often used as it is confused with Matsuyama castle in Matsuyama city, Ehime Prefecture. ** The most recent restoration took place in 2003.

For more details on the history of the castle, see Japan Castle Explorer’s Bitchu Matsuyama Castle page.

How to get to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle

From JR Okayama station a Japan Rail Pass can be used to take the local train to Bitchu Takahashi station. JR Okayama is a major station (the bullet train stops here) and is about halfway between Osaka/Kyoto and Hiroshima. At JR Okayama station, find the JR Hakubi line. There’s a train about every 30 minutes during the day and the trip takes 56 minutes.

If you don’t have a Japan Rail Pass, or would like to get to Bitchu Takahashi station 20 minutes quicker, take the Limited Express Yakumo, which costs ¥730 and takes 34 minutes.

From the station you can take the easy option of a taxi to the castle parking area. Taxis will be outside the station, the fare should be around ¥1300 and from the castle parking area it’s a 20 minute walk to the castle.

If you are walking, you can use this walking route map from Bitchu Takahashi station to Bitchu Matsuyama castle.

View Larger Map

Opening hours and admission cost

Opening hours: The castle is open from 9am to 5:30pm from April to September and from 9am to 4:30pm from October to March. The only days it is closed is for the New Year period of December 28 to January 4.

Admission cost: Entry is ¥300

Admission ticket for 1 person.

Traveler’s tips

• If you’re doing the walk, grab a bottle of drink and some snacks from the Lawson across the road from the Bitchu Takahashi station via the west exit.
• If this will be a day trip and you’re travelling from and returning to JR Okayama station, you can leave your bags in lockers at JR Okayama station for the day. I use them often, found at just about every major JR station across Japan. Costs start from around ¥300.

Other things to do in Takahashi

Eat at Joyfull

If you’re looking for a decent meal and have never heard of or tried Joyfull, check out this restaurant. Joyfull is a 24 hour restaurant serving western style food. It’s a relatively cheap place to eat and it’s interesting to see how western food is represented in Japan. There are Joyfull restaurants all over Japan (Saizaria is another similar chain with Italian food).

The classy Joyfull

The restaurant is a 10 minute walk south from Bitchu Takahashi station. View Joyfull’s Takahashi restaurant on Google Maps.

Visit local shrines and temples

• Yakushi-in and Shoren-ji Temple are a few minutes walk east of the station.
• Raikyu-ji Temple is on the way to the castle from the station.

Visit samurai residences

There are two samurai residences north of the station, on the way to the castle. Orii Samurai Residence and the Haibara Samurai Residence are very close to each other.

Things to do near Takahashi and Okayama city

• Visit Korakuen, one of Japan’s 3 most beautiful gardens in Okayama city.
• Visit Kurashiki which has a historic area with buildings in the Meiji era style.

I don’t usually publish these types of blog posts (i.e. blogging about other people’s content) – but this is just too special to share…

Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto at night

I’ve blogged about my visit to this place, perhaps my favourite place in Kyoto (read Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine and the 10,000 Vermillion Gates), and I’ve always wanted to visit at night when the gate lined paths are lit up by lanterns. Well now I can experience it in 360°!

KYOTO Fushimi Inari Shrine in the Night 伏見稲荷.

Luxury dining at Kanga-An in Kyoto

Without drinks, a dinner here costs around $150! This luxury restaurant is inside a centuries-old temple. If only I had a few hundred dollars to spare…

閑臥庵 Kyoto Kanga-An.

Tokyo Skytree at Night

Opened in May 2012, Tokyo Skytree reaches some new heights for some impressive records: tallest structure in Japan; tallest tower in the world; second tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa.

Tokyo SkyTree Night Scene.

Glico Man at Dotonbori Canal in Osaka

The center of activity in south Osaka is Nanba. Read about Osaka/Nanba and Dotonbori Nightlife.

The Glico Man.

Himeji Castle

This panorama of Himeji Castle must have been taken before 2010, when the 5 year construction started which saw it wrapped in a shroud.

The magnificent White Heron (Himeji Castle) – Unesco world herritage & Japan national tressure.

Kendo in Shimogamo Shrine

A great UNESCO World Heritage site in Kyoto, one of the few that’s free to enter and visit. It sits on the banks of the Kamo river which runs through Kyoto.

Playing Kendo in Shimogamo Shrine.

Cherry blossoms by night in Ueno park

This is called “ohanami” which means cherry blossom viewing. The lucky people of Japan enjoy outdoor festivities under the full flowering cherry blossom trees during spring every year.

Cherry blossoms by night in Ueno park.

Ana Manza Beach Okinawa

Okinawa offers a very different Japanese experience…

Ana Manza Beach.

Wedding at Korakuen Okayama

One of The Three Great Gardens of Japan, Korakuen is situated next to Okayama cast and has many special events throughout the year.

Korakuen Park in Okayama.

Sudo Valley near Mt Fuji

Japan is quite a mountainous country, so you don’t have to go far to experience some of its great wilderness.

Sudo valley.

Buckwheat fields and Mt Fuji

Photographers gather for some iconic shots of Japan’s most famous natural spectacle.

Buckwheat fields and Mt.fuji.

Inside the Great Buddha Hall in Nara

This hall in the Tōdai-ji (Eastern Great Temple) complex in Nara is a UNESCO World Heritage site, houses the world’s largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana and until 1998 was the world’s largest wooden building.

Daibutu-den(Great Buddha Hall)of Todai-ji Temple,Nara.

Akihabara in Tokyo

AKA: Akihabara Electric Town.

Space satellite strike the Radio-kaikan.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

At Kōtoku-in (a Buddhist temple in Kanagawa) is the great statue of the seated meditating Amida Buddha.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura in meditation.

Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome

In Japanese it’s called the Genbaku Dōmu, located at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is a very moving and emotional place to visit.

Hiroshima, A-Dome.

Japan is a wonderful, historical, beautiful place to visit. While these panoramas are amazing, they are no substitute for the real thing.

Find more of these panoramas at 360Cities Japan page.

If you liked this post, please share and like using the buttons below.

Traffic to the site grew at an amazing rate! In September I had to upgrade the website’s hosting as the previous one just couldn’t handle the huge amounts of traffic!

Interesting stats from 2012:

• 18 new posts were published on JapanTravelMate.com. Although this is about 1/3 of what was published in 2011, I’ve been focusing on higher quality content.
• JapanTravelMate.com enjoyed double the amount of website visitors compared to 2011.
• The post ‘50 Reasons Why Japan Is Awesome‘ was liked over 62,000 times on StumbleUpon.
• JapanTravelMate’s Facebook page grew to almost 300 likes. I’ve only really started using Facebook since August 2012.
• JapanTravelMate on Twitter surpassed 500 followers.

In 2013 I’ll continue regular articles (at least 1 per month), daily sharing cool stuff Japan stuff on Facebook and tweeting all sorts of Japan related things on Twitter, so be sure to follow and get all the good Japan stuff!

Without any further rambling, I present to you…

JapanTravelMate.com’s Top 10 Posts of 2012

#10 – Osaka Nightlife

Osaka Nightlife – 5,328 views

Dōtonbori in Osaka, the centre of Osaka nightlife for the foreigner and many Japanese people… All around Namba and Dotonbori are many bars… Just be careful, if the sign says something about girls then it is probably a hostess bar. A hostess bar is a place where girls that work at the bar are very flirty and usually very cute…

#9 – 7-Eleven Japan International ATM

7-Eleven Japan International ATM – 5,358 views

Using your ATM card while travelling in Japan simply couldn’t be easier. You’ll get one of the best rates for converting foreign currency to JPY.

You can use your normal ATM card or credit card to withdrawal cash in Japan from your foreign account at 7-Eleven convenience stores from the 7-Bank ATM.

All 7-Eleven convenience stores in Japan have the Seven Bank International ATM, well everyone I’ve been to anyway, and I literally would have visited hundreds.

#8 – Sushi Train Restaurants in Japan

Sushi Train Restaurants in Japan – 7,033 views

All sushi train restaurants have a conveyor belt with fresh(ish) sushi travelling around, so you can just snap up whatever you want to eat. However at some sushi train restaurants, they have this very cool actual mini-train that delivers your food fresh from the kitchen, to your table. The one in this photo is a mini bullet train, and our table even has a train station name!

#7 – AUD to JPY – Get More Yen For Your Australian Dollar

AUD to JPY – Get More Yen For Your Australian Dollar – 7,659 views

I wrote this post to help Aussie’s traveling Japan get the most YEN for their AUD! Two years on, it still proves to be a popular and helpful post.

#6 – Japan on a Budget, Tips for Cheap Travel!

Japan on a Budget, Tips for Cheap Travel! – 8,268 views

Here’s a non-exhaustive collection of ideas for travelling Japan without spending a lot of money. These ideas for cheap travel are somewhat random, and unordered, but take a look and you’ll be sure to pick up a tip or two to save money on your Japan holiday.

I continually test these out and look for more every time I travel in Japan, which is just about every week!

#5 – Is It Safe To Travel To Japan?

Is It Safe To Travel To Japan? – 8,456 views

For travellers wanting to visit Japan, the best regions are those in Central and Southern Japan. Flights to Japan are relatively easy to find and tourists will still be able to access a range of travel choices. These areas have been little affected by the problems noted and can be safely travelled to without fear of radiation poisoning or negatively affecting ongoing relief and clean up efforts.

#4 – Why go to Japan?

Why go to Japan? – 11,400 views

If you are looking for reasons to travel to Japan, then look no further then this highly refined article from a foreigner (i.e. me) who has holidayed in Japan and now lives in Japan. When I first started this blog, the very first post was about reasons to visit Japan. Since then, I have discovered more of its hidden culture and surprises. A revision to the original list was needed, so here is the new Why go to Japan post.

#3 – iPhone/iPad App Reliably Recognises Kanji

iPhone/iPad App Reliably Recognises Kanji – 11,448 views

Looking for a way to learn and/or read kanji? Use your iPhone (or iPad) to draw kanji and find its meaning. As there are literally thousands of kanji, paper dictionaries and most iPhone/iPad Japanese dictionaries on their own are almost useless, as it can take a long time to look for just one kanji. I have discovered a method of translating kanji which is free and very reliable.

#2 – Why travel to Japan? Top 10 reasons to go and visit

Why travel to Japan? Top 10 reasons to go and visit – 12,747 page views views

There are so many reasons to visit Japan. Here are my top ten reasons why you should travel to Japan

#1 – 50 Reasons Why Japan Is Awesome (or, 50 Things To Do & See In Japan)

50 Reasons Why Japan Is Awesome (or, 50 Things To Do & See In Japan) – 66,058 views and 745 Facebook likes

This is a MONSTER post with lots of photos, so let’s get straight into it. In no particular order, here is 50 cool things about Japan?

My personal favourite…

If I could choose one post from 2012 which I think was the best, it’d have to be…

Inside a Modern Designer Capsule Hotel – 9hours, Kyoto

Inside a Modern Designer Capsule Hotel – 9hours, Kyoto – 3,996 views

I stayed here during summer whilst on a World Heritage site seeing mission in Kyoto. I’d been excited for months because this place looked so cool – and my 9 hour stay did not disappoint!

That’s it!

Another year has gone and the prospect of another full year is now here. Lots of cool new things are coming up from Japan Travel Mate, so be sure to follow:

• Like Japan Travel Mate on Facebook
• Follow @JapanTravelMate on Twitter
• Get new post alerts by RSS
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See Kyoto by bike

In this article:

• How to hire a bicycle in Kyoto (Starting at JR Kyoto train station)
• Stop 1: Golden Pavilion Temple
• Stop 2: Collect your bike
• Book your Kyoto bicycle hire online
• Stop 3: Nijo Castle
• Stop 4: Kyoto Imperial Palace
• Stop 5: Returning you bike
• Alternate return routes
• Have fun and get lost
• Traveler’s tips

Years ago when I first traveled Japan, I spent 3 weeks backpacker style, seeing cities by train or walking. I was so jealous of the hundreds of people I saw riding the city streets.

This is the article I wish I read – to show me how to hire a bicycle in Kyoto – before I first traveled to Japan.

Since then I’ve moved to Japan and own my own bicycle. Now when I travel to other cities, I usually hire a bicycle to easily get around.

My favourite place to hire a bicycle is Kyoto. Most of the iconic tourist sites are within easy riding distance, the city is relatively flat and the layout is an easy to navigate grid pattern.

This post will show you in detail how to hire a bicycle, where to hire it from and see 3 amazing site in one day – starting at Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion Temple), then Nijo-jo (Nijo Castle), Kyoto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace) finishing with shopping and dinner in the city center – on a hired bicycle…

How to hire a bicycle in Kyoto

Starting at JR Kyoto train station

Front entrance of JR Kyoto station – the second largest train station in Japan and one of Japan’s largest buildings.

Get off the train, as a tourist you’ll probably be arriving by the bullet train using your Japan Rail Pass. Stash your bags in the hire lockers (they are clearly signposted and near the information desk and quite cheap to hire for the day).

Follow the signs to the north exit where you can catch a bus.

Stop 1: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion Temple)

The brilliance of the temple in real life just can’t be done just through photos, even HDR photos.

The bus stop at Kyoto station is called “Kyotoeki-mae” – literally translated to Kyoto station (eki) front (mae).

Take the bus from Kyotoeki-mae to Kinkakuji-michi (Kinkakuji road). There are signs in English, you need to get on bus number 101 or 205.

When you get on the bus, enter via the rear-most door (usually at the middle of the bus). Just inside the door is a ticket, take a ticket as you get on. When you get off at Kinkakuji-michi, put your ticket and ¥220 into the machine beside the driver.

Remember the Kinkakuji-michi bus stop, as just across the road is where you will pick up your hire bicycle (a picture of the front of the bike hire place is below, you can actually see it from this bus stop).

Aim to get to Kinkakuji at 9AM. This is when the temple grounds open. The grounds are surprisingly small, so you’ll probably only spend about 30-45 minutes inside the temple grounds.

Related article: HD video and photos from my visit to Kinkaku-ji.

Stop 2: Collect your bike from the Kyoto Cycling Tour Project – Kinkakuji Cycle Terminal

Here’s the High Class Comfort hire bicycle outside the Kinkakuji Cycling Terminal (CT).

After exiting Kinkaku-ji, walk to to the Kinkakuji Cycle Terminal and pick up your bicycle.

View Larger Map.

Book your Kyoto bicycle hire online

Make a reservation before you arrive in Kyoto. Although the hire company’s website says you must have a booking between January 5 and March 15, make a booking whenever you are going to be sure you get a bike!

Make a booking through the Kyoto Cycling Tour Project’s website. It’s all in English and you don’t need to pay online (you pay when you pick up your bicycle). From KCTP’s Types of Bicycles Available to Rent page, choose which bicycle you’d like to hire and then click on the Booking Form button.

On the form, you’ll be picking up your bike from Kinkakuji CT and return it to Kyoto Station CT.

I hired the High Class Comfort bike. I prefer the comfort bikes because the front basket is very handy (and it’s not girly! I’m a guy and this is the standard type of bike in Japan).

The bikes have a built in lock for which you’ll be given the key. Pick up a map (for ¥100 if I remember correctly) and read the simple rules about riding and parking your bike.

Stop 3: Nijo-jo (Nijo Castle)

Nijo Castle’s Main Gate (from inside the castle walls).

From the hire cycle terminal to Kyoto’s castle Nijo-jo (click the link to see my visit with lots of photos) is about 4.5km and is a 30 minute ride. It’s basically all downhill and a very easy ride.

View Larger Map.

The route I’ve marked on the map takes you past a couple of shrines if you’d like to see them on the way.

Near the entrance to the castle is a bicycle parking station. The parking fee is ¥200 for the day.

Take your time and look around Nijo-jo, the grounds and buildings.

Related article: my visit to Nijo Castle.

Stop 4: Kyoto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace)

“Shishinden” Kyoto Imperial Palace’s Ceremonial Hall is one of the largest buildings of the Palace.

You can get a free English spoken tour of Kyoto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace), but you must book your tour in advance. There are two ways to book the tour (be sure to have your passport/visa with you when you go to the tour):

1. Book online: complete an application for visit. Follow the links and be sure to select the Kyoto Imperial Palace 60 minute English guided tour which starts at 2PM. There are a limited number of spots available to apply online, so if you miss out, you’ll have to go in person to the office next to the palace and make a booking before the tour.
2. In person: visit the Imperial Household Agency Office in the northwestern corner of Kyoto Imperial Park to book your free tour. You can book anywhere from 3 months to 20 minutes in advance.

Important note: If you don’t get to book online and have to go into the office, you must book the tour in advance. I managed to ride straight from Kinkaku-ji to the Imperial Household Agency Office, book the tour, go visit Nijo Castle and then back to the Kyoto Imperial Palace for the tour.

View Larger Map.

From Nijo-castle, the route marked should take about 20 minutes. It’s probably about lunch time by now, so find something to eat at one of the many convenience stores along this route. Take your lunch and eat it in the Kyoto Imperial Park where there are lots of nice areas to sit on the grass and eat.

A general rule when parking your bicycle in Japan is not to obstruct pedestians. In the park grounds, most people park at the edge of the very wide gravel walkways, with their front tyres in the gutter. Another good rule is to park where you see lots of other bikes parked!

Related article: inside the free English tour of the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Stop 5: Return you bike, then do some shopping or have dinner

When returning the hire bike, you’ll be bringing it back to a different location from where you picked it up. The Kyoto Station Cycling Terminal is right next to JR Kyoto station and will put you in the perfect place to do some shopping and grab some dinner.

View Larger Map.

The ride back is 5km, but it’s really easy because it’s all downhill and you simply head south. It will take you 40 minutes or more depending on how slowly you go. You have to return your bike by 7PM.

Instead of taking the main roads, I suggest you take the smaller back streets. You’ll pass lots of mini-temples and shrines, unique old houses, specialty shops and any other number of surprises that you wouldn’t see if you stuck to the beaten tourist path. It’s difficult to get lost, the streets are straight and you just keep heading south. When you get close to Kyoto station there will be plenty of signs.

Once you’ve returned your bike, you can go shopping at Bic Camera, or the shopping area the other side of Kyoto Tower (the north side). Inside Kyoto station (on the upper floors, level 8 or 9 if I remember right) are some nice restaurants, I had some delicious cold soba (it was a hot and muggy summer day).

Alternate return routes

If you have time and are feeling energetic enough after your Kyoto Gosho tour, here are some alternative routes back to the Kyoto Station Cycling Terminal where you can visit another site:

Spend a day seeing Kyoto by bike

• Kyoto Gosho to Shimogamo-jinja to Kyoto Station Cycling Terminal: This is the longest route back (over an hour, not including the shrine visit) but easily the best. Shimogamo-jinja (Shimogamo-shrine) is a World Heritage site and is free to visit. After visiting the shrine, you return to Kyoto station riding along the banks of the Kamo River.
• Kyoto Gosho to Gion/Kawara-machi area to Kyoto Station Cycling Terminal: More direct than visiting Shimogamo-jinja, this route takes you to the famous Gion area. Not including time spent in Gion, this will take just under an hour to ride. From Kyoto Gosho, riding along part of the Kamo River you arrive at a bridge between Kawaramachi and Gion stations.
• Kyoto Gosho to Hongan-ji to Kyoto Station Cycling Terminal: Hongan-ji (Hongan Temple) is another one of the 17 World Heritage sites in Kyoto. This is the most direct route, which takes you just a few blocks west of the original direct route from Kyoto Gosho to the Kyoto Station Cycling Terminal.

Have fun and get lost

I’m the kind of traveler who is super prepared. I created the itinerary above and followed it closely when I hired a bicycle for the first time in Kyoto. After some dinner at Kyoto station, I took a bus to Kawaramachi station and stayed at the 9hours capsule hotel Kyoto.

But some of the best times I’ve had in Kyoto are just getting lost. If you collect your bike from Kinkakuji CT at 9:30AM, you then have until 7PM to explore Kyoto before returning it to the Kyoto station CT. Make the most of it, use your map and take the back streets.

Enjoy, and as always, if you need any advice don’t hesitate to ask!

Traveler’s tips

Buy the Kyoto city cycling map when you collect your bike from the Cycle Terminal, for two reasons:

1. It explains in English the road rules of Japan and how to use and park your bike in Kyoto. If you park your bike in the wrong spot you could end up with a fine – or worse, having the hire bicycle impounded.
2. The map is of very good quality and has many back roads you can ride through to get from site to site. You’ll have a lot of fun doing this – exploring a different side of Kyoto – and won’t get lost!

The museum contains some fascinating artifacts and exhibitions: Japanese Paleolithic 30,000+ year old polished stone tools (the earliest known in the world); modern thematic exhibitions; traditional Japanese gardens; special international exhibitions like ‘China: Grandeur of the Dynasties’ including statues from the Terracotta Army; treasured Buddha statues; millennia-old samurai swords and warrior armour; and much more.

On a cold winter’s day shortly after New Year, I spent the afternoon in the Tokyo National Museum’s Honkan (本館) Building which is the Japanese Gallery, 1 of 5 buildings in the museum. The view from entering the gates of the museum looks towards the grand Honkan across a large pond.

The Japanese Gallery (Honkan) of the Tokyo National Museum.

To the left of the pond is the Asian gallery, which as of December 2011 is temporarily closed.

The Asian gallery (Hyokeikan) of the Tokyo National Museum

Traditional and Ancient Japanese Art and Artifacts

The first display encountered upon entering the Honkan was this brilliant carved wooden statue.

Ancient wooden carving of a shinto god riding a dragon – Japanese gallery of the Tokyo National Museum.

Many paintings in various formats on various materials are found in the Honkan, depicting scenes of life in Edo period Japan (1603 – 1868) and earlier.

This painting shows an almost royal like scene in ancient Japan. If this was the emperor, the main man in the center of the stage would have been shrouded behind a screen, as most people were not allowed to see the emperor.

While some criticise Japanese portraiture from the Edo period as lagging behind the rest of the world – plain line drawings compared to the detailed and life-like art of the western world, like the Mona Lisa – the craftsmanship of the artificacts found in this gallery are simply stunning. From 1500+ year old samurai swords which look brand new, to glimmering and intricate illustrations on stone and wood, you are constantly in awe of the ancient artwork on display in the museum.

This photo doesn’t do this amazing piece justice. The colours glimmered and shone in the light – this would have been a spectacular piece in ancient Japan.

A special Japanese mask exhibition was in the Honkan during my visit. The exhibition contained masks from the 10th century BC to the Edo period. Used in ceremonies at shrines and temples, as well as “Noh” plays, Japan has one of the largest collections of ancient masks in the world.

One of the many Japanese devil masks… watch out for an upcoming post on JapanTravelMate.com, with lots of photos and details of these Japanese masks from the museum.

Like JapanTravelMate on Facebook and be the first to know when the Japanese masks post and photos are published – plus I’m constantly posting lots of other cool stuff from Japan.

Japanese Swords and Samurai

One of the classic symbols of Japan – the samurai sword – is on display in a Japanese Swords section. The collection includes the earliest straight swords from the 5th century, curved “tachi” swords from the 11th century and the superior “katana” sword from the 14th century.

A red-lacquered scabbard – uchigatana style sword mounting for a samurai sword. Edo period, 16th – 17th century.

Stunning lace and gold warrior armour are on display after the sword section. The display contains a few “gusoku” – full armour sets – which look quite regal and likely from a very high ranked warrior. Most of the armour is from the Edo period.

Samurai warrior armour. Edo period, 16th – 17th century.

It’s said that Japanese sword making reached its pinnacle in the 14th century, and the Honkan contains many pristine blades from this period. This “tanto” – a samurai’s short sword – is centuries old, but looks like it was made yesterday.

A tanto sword – the samurai’s smaller blade – dated at 1324 (the Kamakura period). The maker’s name – Kunihiro – is still clearly visible on the handle almost 700 years after it was made.

Ancient Japanese Clay Artifacts

Artifacts from ancient Japan can be found in the Honkan. These are thousands of years old and have been excavated from all parts of Japan.

This ancient clay mask is dated to the Jomon period (2000 – 1000 BC) and was unearthed in the village of Kami Hata (today the town of Hata), a district of Matsumoto in Nagano prefecture.

This Dogu (ancient Japanese clay figurine) was excavated from Tatsugi Shell Mound in Ibaraki prefecture. It is dated to the Jomon period, 2000 – 1000 BC.

Visit the Tokyo National Museum

Time can fly inside the museum. Allow yourself at least half a day. I entered just after lunch and spent at least 3 hours inside the Honkan. I could have stayed longer, but I wanted to get to Asakusa and see the famous main gate, shopping street and temples, as well as Sky Tree Tower, before it became dark.

Below the Honkan is a souvenir shop, with lots of goodies to remember your visit by. You can also pick up some photo books, the only way to take home photos of some of the National Treasure artifacts, which are not allowed to be photographed by museum visitors.

Inside the Japanese gallery (Honkan).

Situated in the northeast of Tokyo – near Ueno, north of Akihabara and west of Asakusa – the museum is adjacent to Ueno Park which contains Ueno Zoo and several other museums.

View Larger Map

How to get to the Tokyo National Museum:
Accessing the museum by train is very easy, there are several stations which are a short walk to the museum:

• JR Uguisudani is the closest, about a 5 minute walk to the museum. Take the south exit and follow the signs to the main gate of the museum.
• JR Ueno station is also very close, a 5 minute walk to the museum. Take the Park Entrance Exit (confusing name!) and follow the signs.
• Keisei Ueno and Tokyo Metro Ueno stations are about a 10 minute walk to the museum. I got off at the Tokyo Metro Ueno station and enjoyed a nice walk through Ueno Park on the way to the station. I recommend this route.

Opening hours and admission cost:

• 9:30AM to 5PM with last admission at 4:30PM.
• Closed Mondays and New Year holidays (December 25 to January 1).
• Admission fee is 600 yen for adults.

There are exceptions on opening times, additional special days and prices for special exhibitions. For detailed information visit Tokyo National Museum’s Getting Here, Admission & Hours page.

This is JapanTravelMate.com’s first movie review. I’ve been wanting to watch this Studio Ghibli production for a while, after seeing it promoted by Madman Entertainment as part of the Reel Anime 2012 road show of screenings.

P.S. You can find the trailer with English subtitles at the end of this post.

UPDATE: February 18, 2013 – an English dub version of the film is being released in March 2013. At the end of this post you’ll also find the trailer for this English dubbed version.

The film’s screenplay was created by Hayao Miyazaki, the anime legend who directed four of Studio Ghibli’s most famous animated movies: Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo. Hayao takes a step back from the role of director, which is taken on by his son Goro Miyazaki in only his second film.

It’s 1963 in Yokohama (just south of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay) and the busy port city is growing and re-building along with the rest of Japan. The Tokaido line of the bullet train (from Tokyo to Osaka) would open a year later to coincide with the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. Families are re-adjusting after the devastation of World War II and the neighbouring conflict of the Korean War, many without fathers and grandfathers.

All of Japan, not just Tokyo, underwent a huge transition into a new era of infrastructure leading up to the Tokyo 1964 Olympics.

On top of a hill – let’s call it Poppy Hill – overlooking the port lives a young girl, a junior high school student named Umi. Umi’s parents aren’t around much and she lives in a boarding house that her grandmother owns, along with her sister. As the oldest of the younglings, Umi has a lot of responsibility and takes on duties like cooking and cleaning in the boarding house, while dealing with school and a potential love interest.

The boarding house where Umi lives with her sister and grandmother is at the very top of Poppy Hill.

Enter – Shun.

Shun is a strong willed student who goes to high school with Umi. The romance starts when Shun performs a dare-devil trick – jumping from the student’s club house as a protest to save it from demolition. The young love story with its twists and turns, and the students campaign to save their beloved, but aging club house, comprise the two main plots of the film.

Traditional over-the-top anime emotions in a Japanese junior high school.

This is where I thought the movie was getting into stereotypical love-drama territory, as gaping crowds cooed in awe at the touch of a helping hand as the girl’s cheeks lit up with red blushes. So as not to be a spoiler, I’m not going to say anymore except that it doesn’t continue in the stereotyped fashion – which makes for an interesting story.

All the teasers on this film talking about the most cutting edge and vibrant animation are all doing their bit to over-hype this award winning Japanese animated film from Miyazaki and son.

Trams were to disappear from Yokohama to make way for cars on street level. Underground railway and subway systems replaced the electric trams.

This is what Yokohama actually looked like in the 1960s. Source: CardCow.com Vintage Postcards.

Although not “cutting edge”, the animation definitely lives up to its description, that it “captures the entrancing beauty of Yokomaha’s harbour and lush surrounding hillsides”. The streets of the port city are bustling with traditional vendors and rickshaws alongside speeding Toyopets. At night, red lanterns light up narrow alleyways filled with standup bars and fish sellers. Every scene is filled with hurrying people and flashes of new technology.

In the hillsides, the soundtrack changes to a lazily paced song that could slow your heart to 60 beats per minute. Neighbourhoods are filled with greenery and life seems to go by slowly.

Then, it’s back to school.

The campaign to save the club house is underway with a renovation makeover by the students.

The students are keen on defying the rule of the board that governs the school, and the once boys only club house is filled with students of both sexes all pitching in to pretty the place up. This is where the familiar feeling of junior high school drama comes in – camaraderie, teamwork and cheeky antics. But will the club house be saved?

Will their efforts to save the precious clubhouse pay off?

Studio Ghibli is basically the Walt Disney of Japan and produces films for families and kids that have appeal to just about anyone.

But being based on the girl’s manga of the same name, this movie seems targeted a bit more towards the ladies. This is definitely a movie for:

• girls to watch,
• to watch with girls,
• or to practice your Japanese listening skills – which is 50% of the reason I watched the movie.

Girl’s manga “From Up On Poppy Hill” with the film advertised on the cover. Source: the blog of Found! Diary Favourites (発見！お気に入り日記).

I definitely enjoyed the film and can see why it won the 2012 Animation of the Year award from the Japan Academy Prize.

Put this one on your “to watch” list – but go see Spirited Away first if you haven’t already.

An easter egg from Ghibli Studios. I wonder if they do this in many other movies?

From Up On Poppy Hill – Trailer with English subtitles

From Up On Poppy Hill – English dubbed movie trailer

Did I say 10,000 gates… that’s just a wild guess, but it couldn’t be far from the actual number. With the large gates along the mountain, and smaller gates at the mini-shrines and graves – it could even be more!

Fushimi Inari is easy to access, only two stations from JR Kyoto station. Entry is free of charge and the shrine is open every day.

So let’s take a look around Fushimi Inari…

12 Photos of Fushimi Inari Shrine

This amazing mountain shrine complex is characterised by the thousands of vermillion coloured gates that line the 4.2km main path.

Closely packed together, some of the torii are brand new, some are falling apart.

The main suggested path is about a 2 hour walk, starting at the bottom of the mountain at the main shrine complex. We spent over 3 hours, taking our time exploring the mountain and also the shrine complex at the main entrance.

One of the entrances to the mountain path.

Smaller sub-shrines are found along the mountain path – making for a good rest stop on your hike up the mountain.

HDR photo of a sub-shrine in the mountain. Click the image to view the full size version.

Fushimi Inari’s name comes from: Fushimi-ku, the name of the area where the shrine is located and; Inari, a Japanese deity. The Inari deity is most well know as the god of agriculture and business. As such, Fushimi Inari Shrine is frequented by businesses and businessmen praying for success. Over the new year period, millions of Japanese come to pray for happiness.

Statues of foxes are found all over the shrine. You’ll first come across them in pairs at the main gates of the shrine at the bottom of the mountain. One of the pair is holding a rice granary key in its mouth, and together the foxes stand guard and protect the shrine from evil and bad luck. Foxes have always been closely associated with the Inari god.

The Inari god and his foxes have a fascinating history, read more about the Shinto God of rice and his foxes at the Japanese Buddhist Statuary site.

The magical shape shifting fox “kitsune”.

The torii are sponsored by companies or business people. The inscriptions on the gates themselves show the business name (on the left) and the date their sponsorship started (on the right). The largest gates cost 1.3million yen – about $15,000.

The thousands of torii are paid for by business, praying for success. Click the HDR photo above to view a full size version.

Individuals who wish to pray for happiness and success – but don’t have thousands of dollars to pay for a large gate to be installed on the mountain path – can buy a smaller ornamental sized gate, and have their name painted on it. They are then placed in the smaller sub-shrines and graves on the mountain.

The ritual of praying for happiness and success includes leaving your own mini-torii at the mountain shrines.

As well as the smaller shrines of Fushimi Inari, a handy rest point is found on your journey up the mountain. A lookout and rest area are located here, giving you a great view of Kyoto city.

Kyoto city from a lookout on Mount Inari.

One thing you’ll notice about the torii is that some are very old and in poor condition. We happened upon this old man who was either performing some maintenance on one of the gates, or perhaps working on the installation of a new sponsored gate.

Fushimi Inari Shrine maintenance.

Maintenance must be a never ending job…

The bigger the gate, the bigger the payment = more success in business and happiness.

Located at the bottom of the mountain is the main shrine, across from Inari station. The photo below shows the lower shrine complex when coming down from the mountain.

Many large shrines and souvenir stores can be found in the main complex.

The main shrine complex contains the large main tower gate, main shrine, halls and souvenir shops.

The main hall – behind it is the go-honden (main shrine).

The main tower gate (romon).

One of the best free things to do in Kyoto

The ancient, UNESCO World Heritage site of Fushimi Inari Taisha is a “must-do” for anyone visiting Kyoto.

Just be sure to wear some good walking shoes – there are plenty of places to buy food and drink along the track, so don’t worry about packing supplies for a hike. Signs say the track length is 4.2km (2.6miles) which reaches the top of the mountain where a shrine is located, but if you wanted to explore all the tracks, there could be about 10km of track to explore. If you’re feeling unfit, there are much shorter routes along the path – for example, you can get to the lookout in 30 minutes and then take an alternative route back down the mountain to the main complex.

How to get to Fushimi Inari Shrine

The easiest way to get to Fushimi Inari is by train – a bit unusual as most sites in Kyoto are accessed by bus.

From JR Kyoto train station, find the JR Nara Line Local service to Inari station. The ticket is 140 yen and it’s only a 5 minute train ride. You’ll go through only one station (Tofukuji) before arriving at Inari station.

The entrance to the shrine is literally directly across the road (to the east) from Inari station, you’ll see the familiar red torii guarded by a fox statue.

Entry is free and the shrine is always open, you can even visit at nigh-time and experience the eerily-lantern-lit paths of the mountain!

Where to stay

I’m not really the conventional traveller and don’t like to stay at hotels in Japan. But I’m a big fan of capsule hotels… You should try Kyoto’s modern designer capsule hotel 9hours near the Gion district, which is an amazing experience in itself!

Read about more things to do in Kyoto

• Free English speaking tour of the Kyoto Imperial Palace.
• Visit Nijo Castle in central Kyoto.
• Check out the famous Golden Pavilion Temple.
• Fushimi Castle (Japanese Castle Explorer).

The interactive Japanese Castle Explorer map is a must see.

This article will take a look at the Japan Castle Explorer site and then get some insights from the man behind it all.

Site Showcase – Japan-Castle-Explorer.com

Interactive Map Explorer

The first thing I saw of this in-depth site was the castle explorer map – http://www.japanese-castle-explorer.com/map.html – and it’s still the first place I go to plan my next castle visit. The map uses Google Maps’ API for very accurate map data, with castles overlaid on top.

Most of the 140+ castles profiled are located on Honshū, Kyushu and Shikoku.

Because the controls are very similar to using Google Maps, the map is very easy to use. After 10+ years working in the digital industry, with formal education and training in user interface design and interactive principles, I can say this map has an excellent user interface…

• Icons for the different types of castles:
  • The red icon is a castle with an original keep.
  • The gray icon is a castle with a reconstructed keep.
  • The gate is a castle with a gate or a turret but no keep.
  • The stone foundation icon is a castle with no keep, gate or turret.

• Quick info box showing the castle’s vital stats, with links to photos/info, 3D virtual tour (if available) and best view (zoomed in satellite pic). The info box is displayed on the map after you click on a castle which makes for a great user experience – not too much jumping between map and castle info page.
• Link to the current map state, so you can bookmark exactly what you’re looking at.
• Easy share options and the standard Google Maps functions (zoom, pan and map view: satellite; hybrid; street; terrain).
• Photo overlay – the photos are all user submitted and castle related.
• The map even works well on the iPhone – super handy for when you’re out travelling!

Works just like the Google Map app on your iPhone, using gestures to interact with the map – http://www.japanese-castle-explorer.com/map.html.

Castle Profile Page

At the time of writing, there are over 140 castle profile pages on the site. The depth of information about each castle is stunning:

The castle rating matrix for Fukuoka castle on Japanese-Castle-Explorer.com.

• Usually 10 or more photos of the castle and its features,
• Many profile pages have a video, taken by Daniel himself,
• Detail about the type of castle and its location,
• History and timeline, including associated clan/s,
• Historical recognition (i.e. Important Cultural Property, UNESCO World Heritage, etc)
• Other castles in the area,
• Blog posts about the castle, and
• My personal favourite, the castle rating matrix!

So whether you’re a tourist looking for a castle and where it is, or a history buff wanting to learn as much as possible about each castle, all the info you need is on (or accessible from) the one castle profile page.

Take a look at Kumamoto castle’s profile page for a great example with lots of pictures, HD video, extensive history and timeline and even a virtual 3D tour!

The rest of the site…

The standout of the site is easily the map and castle profile pages, but there is so much more to the site.

There are various ways to browse the castles (by condition or region, and castle videos) and photo galleries organised by feature (main tower, turret, interior, etc). The site is really well organised, giving you the ability to find exactly what you need.

The blog is regularly updated and there’s even a shop with castle related paraphernalia!

The site itself has an amazing backend, allowing all this data to come through nicely, and announced in a recent blog post (read I’ve been a very busy boy) the site is now responsive – mean it has a different layout for iPhone/smartphones, iPad/tablets and computer screens – making it easy to use on just about any device!

Interview with Daniel O’Grady of Japan-Castle-Explorer.com

Daniel is very active online and I started chatting to him on Twitter (@jcexplorer) when I moved to Japan in 2011 – probably because we’re both Aussies who don’t mind a beer. I’m constantly getting questions through japantravelmate.com from soon-to-be-Japan-tourists about cool things to do in Japan and always say “go see a castle” and point them to Japan Castle Explorer.

So I fired off an email to Daniel to see if he would do an interview, to get some insight into the man behind the scenes and what castles are the pick of the bunch in Japan. He gladly accepted a 5 question interview… check it out below (I’m ‘JTM’ and Daniel is ‘JCE’):

JTM – Tell us a little bit about yourself.

JCE – Well, first I’d like to thank you Dean, for inviting me to this interview, so thank you. Okay. So, I’m an Aussie who has been living in Japan since 2001. And, it was my interest in Japanese castles, shrines/temples and also martial arts that brought me here. I found someone special early on so that’s why I’m still here.

With regards to my hobbies, which is most likely what you and the reader will be interested in, I enjoy castles (as mentioned), cars (real ones, not expensive, unattainable ones) and making websites. Lately, I’ve been going full-tilt with a car-spotting website (wasabicars.com) which I’m finding much pleasure and satisfaction in. Cars “come to me” as it were. With castles, I have to go to them.

JTM – What’s the first Japanese castle you visited?

Fukuoka castle.

JCE – The first castle… Well, I remember it as if it were just yesterday. It was Fukuoka castle, and I saw it the day following my arrival in Japan. It was epically underwhelming. The pictures of castles I’d seen up until that time had huge gracefully-curved towers, exotic gates and all the rest of it. The ruins of Fukuoka castle were quite flat looking, and the only semi-interesting part of the castle that I saw that day was closed off for repairs that wouldn’t end up starting for many years to come.

I think the major contributing factor for my disappointment was that I simply didn’t know anything about Japanese castles. I just liked how they looked, and Fukuoka didn’t look anything like what I liked. Now, and after all those years of travelling to castles and learning about them, Fukuoka is one of my favourites.

JTM – What’s your favourite castle?

Kumamoto Castle.

JCE – The first one that springs to my mind is Kumamoto castle.

Here’s an interesting fact: you will be blown away! If you can stand it though, I suggest you avoid entering the central tower (the “keep”). The same goes for castles like Osaka castle and Nagoya castle. The spectacle of these places is that grand and beautiful tower with all its layers and curved gables. Inside you will only find disappointment, and that disappointment will take the form of the interior of a 1960′s, concrete building. Enter these concrete reproductions at your peril.

Oops, getting back to Kumamoto castle, the grounds are huge and there is so, so much to see in and around the castle.

JTM – Hypothetical:

Uwajima Castle.

A traveller asks you what are the best castles to see which are off the normal tourist track, but still easy enough for tourists to access, what do you recommend?

JCE – I’d suggest heading to Shikoku, the smaller of the four major islands. In Ehime Prefecture (West-coast) there are the castles of Matsuyama, Ozu and Uwajima, and there’s plenty else to do in Ehime.

The castle of Matsuyama is more-or-less complete.

Ozu is a modern but faithful reconstruction.

And finally there’s Uwajima with what would have to be the most charming main towers in the land of the rising sun.

JTM – Can you spill any secrets about the future of Japanese Castle Explorer?

JCE – More video! But, I don’t think there’ll be any major developments. I really can’t imagine any feature that will top the interactive map. Seriously, even when I look at it, it surprises the hell out of me! There will be some additions of castles & information when I’m able to travel next, but that’s about it.

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Japan Travel Mate’s Castle Adventures

I’m a castle fan myself, here’s a couple I’ve visited:

• Nijo Castle in Kyoto
• Okayama Castle (at night)