Ginkaku-ji 「Silver Pavilion Temple, 銀閣寺」 – officially called Jishō-ji 「Temple of Shining Mercy, 慈照寺」 – is 1 of 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto and isn’t actually silver. In this article: Explore Ginkaku-ji (photos and info) ...
Formally nishikigoi 「錦鯉」, the decorative carp is more commonly called koi 「鯉」 and since the 1800s has been bred purely for its aesthetics. The formal name nishikigoi literally means “brocaded carp”, brocade being the art ...
There are 17 World Heritage Sites in Kyoto. Nijo Castle is the only castle of them all. In the middle of Kyoto, Nijo-jo is easy to get to, and with such a long history is ...
Good luck in exams, safety in traffic, prosperity in business and finding someone to marry… all types of good fortune that can be obtained from a small amulet – the Japanese omamori 「お守り」. Omamori 「amulet, ...
Just about everything you see at a shrine in Japan is a symbol. At Kamigamo-jinja, 1 of 17 World Heritage sites in Kyoto, the most predominant symbols are two standing sand cones, immediately visible upon ...
On a Thursday morning in April, just before lunch time, Hiroshima is quiet. Very quiet. I take a little nap, head propped against my backpack, as I wait to check into a capsule hotel. The ...
Daigo-ji is a hidden gem in the 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto. The temple complex is in the same ward as the impressive Fushimi Inari Taisha. It’s just far enough out of Kyoto ...
The imposing Japanese Shinto shrine tower gate 「rōmon, 楼門」 is an impressive structure, acting as an entrance to sacred ground. The bright vermillion coloured paint makes it an unmissable shrine landmark. Intricate under-side of Shimogamo-jinja’s ...
[dropcap]H[/dropcap]ousing the entire collection of Buddhist sutras and scripts published by Tenkai, this small structure contains a hexagonal revolving bookcase which is where the building gets its name. Tenrinzō 「てんりんぞう, 転輪蔵」in English means “revolving cylindrical ...
The Kamo Shrines – Kamigamo Shrine and Shimogamo Shrine – are surrounded by wonderfully peaceful ancient and sacred forests. Kamigamo-jinja is a UNESO World Heritage shrine which claims to be the oldest shrine in Kyoto ...
Kamigamo Shrine lays claim to the oldest shrine in Kyoto. This UNESCO World Heritage shrine in Kyoto is a hidden gem in the treasure of the ancient city’s historic sites. In this article: Explore Kamigamo-jinja ...
Although Kiyomizu-dera isn’t actually open at night, you can get pretty close to the entrance for some great night photography. This UNESCO World Heritage site in Kyoto is a very popular place to visit during ...
This sacred Shinto music and dance hall is used to offer prayers in the form of kagura 「sacred music and dance, 神楽」 to Inari 「God of rice, 稲荷」 at Fushimi Inari Taisha, a World Heritage ...
This small structure is a sub-shrine of the World Heritage Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto. Many shrine complexes contain multiple shrines, often dedicated to deities who have a connection to the area. Another example is the ...
Stepping through Kamigamo-jinja‘s second torii is like stepping through a time portal. Together with Shimogamo-jinja, Kamigamo-jinja’s sister shrine, the two sites are called Kamo-jinja and are the oldest shrines in Kyoto. Torii indicate that you ...
The pagoda at To-ji is the most viewed temple in Kyoto. Not only because it is almost 55 metres high, making it the tallest wooden tower in Japan… but because it is easily seen from ...
Visitors to Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto will notice that the 1000s of torii lining the paths aren’t all the same. Torii is Japanese for a traditional gate, typically found at shrines and some temples. Not only ...
There are 17 individual shrines, temples and one castle on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in Kyoto. Collectively the sites are known as the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. List of World Heritage ...
Kyoto looks beautiful in all seasons. In summer, the bright green trees shine to provide great contrast against the cities temples and shrines. Kinkakuji in Summer But there’s a downside to summer in Japan… it’s ...
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