More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

Haruta Shrine is located on the east side of Asuka, right next to Okadera Temple. The two were a temple-shrine complex until the seperation ...

Probably the first thing you notice at Tanzan Shrine is the rather unusual 13-story pagoda. Pagodas are of course Buddhist, and this was a t...

Ketsuwake ( or Kitsuwake) Shrine is located at the head of a valley running east out of Asuka in a village called Kamura. The area is known ...

These 4 statues, located now at the tomb known as Kibitsuhime Kofun in Asuka, are known as Saruishi, Monkey Stones, as their faces somewhat ...

When I am planning my walks I usually spend quite a lot of time studying maps. I usuallu use a combination of Google maps and the Japanese g...

There is a collection of phallic stones at the Asuka Nimasu Shrine that I would guess have been collected from the surrounding area. A few o...

Asuka Nimasu Shrine in Asuka, the ancient capital of early Japan is a very old shrine and is one of the possible sources of the name of Asuk...