More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

Ochidani Shrine is at the far end of Ochidani Park a little to the south of Tottori castle ruins in Tottori City. There is a long approach...

Shimenawa, the ropes usually made of rice-straw though increasingly of plastic , are found in many places in Japan though typically at shr...

The Kuman shrine in Awa City is located about halfway between Anrakuji and Jurakuji, temples 6 and 7 of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. There are ...

When I first visited Hiroshima City I could not find any manhole covers with interesting designs, but in the past year or so 2 new ones ha...

Located on the island of Omishima, just a few hundred meters from Toyo Ito's Museum of Architecture, the Tokoro Museum houses a collec...

The Shichifukujin, the 7 lucky gods, are very popular in Japan despite their being mostly "foreign" gods. On my little walk arou...

Kumadaniji means Bear Valley Temple and is located up a valley, though it is believed it was even further up the valley originally. Some d...

When Christianity was outlawed in Japan in the early 17th Century many people took their faith underground and are now known by the ...

The next dance at last years all-night matsuri in Kanzui was Oeyama, a big production with an unusually large cast for a kagura dance so I...

Yamabikokan is the name of Tottori City History Museum. Its located near Ochidani Park to the south of the castle area. I didnt have...