More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

Ryoma Sakamoto was one of the most famous and popular figures from the time leading up to the Meiji Restoration. He was from Tosa, no...

There are quite a few species of Egret (sagi in Japanese) in Japan, but I am not sure which one this is. There are common, especially ...

Temple 22 of the Shikoku 88 temple Pilgrimage is Byodo-ji, located near the coast in Anan City, Tokushima. Its name means ...

There are two shrines occupying the same site here, located just east of Izumo City across the river in Hikawa. The older shrine is ...

Here are some more examples of my favorite Buddhist deity, Fudo Myo, taken while I was walking the Shikoku Pilgrimage. This first, rat...

Enya Shrine is the tutelary shrine of Izumo and is located south of downtown. It used to be called Yamuya Shrine, and the main kami ensh...

The carp -filled Aiba waterway runs through a quiet neighborhood in the southern section of Hagi. Originally a stream, it was c...

The fifth temple on the Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage is Kando-ji. It is also temple 23 of the Chugoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. The Niomon ...

Shikina-en is the royal garden of the Ryukyuan royal family near Shuri castle in Naha, Okinawa. The Udun is the palace within the gard...

Temple 4 of the Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage is Kannon-ji located in downtown Izumo City just off old Route 9. It is a Rinzai Zen temple...