More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

Kotogahama is yet another of the fine beaches we have here in Iwami. It is located just before Niima. Like most of the beaches, there ar...

Okinawa World is a theme park at the southern end of the main island. It is very touristy and really is only worth visiting for the Gy...

Yumachi is the settlement between Tamatsukuri Onsen and Lake Shinji and has a quite substantial Hachimangu. Unfortunately there was n...

Towards the end of my first days walk across and around  Kunisaki  the valley narrowed and the road started to climb towards the middl...

Both the manhole designs for Tamatsukuri feature magatama, the "comma" shaped jewels. This first design also includes an image...

Mitarai, on Osaki Shimojima in the Inland Sea grew into a major seaport in the mid 17th Century. Initially it was a good spot for boat...

The main shrine in Tamatsukuri is the Tamatsukuriyu Shrine. The three main kami are Kushiakarutami, Onamuchi (Okuninushi), & Sukunah...

Saikoku-ji is a major temple complex in Onomichi, and along with Senko-ji and Jodo-ji it is one of the three temples that shouldn'...

The biggest shrine in Tamatsukuri is Tamatsukuriyu Shrine, and within its grounds is a small Inari Shrine. Guarded by a pair of fox s...

A few of the temples on the Iwami Kannon Pigrimages are likely to be quite large and important, but I expect most to be like this one,...