More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

  Miyano Shrine in Asakura, Fukuoka, is located just a stone's throw from the site of the temporary palace of Empress Saimei who was her...

Friday September 23rd, 2011, the tenth day of my walk along the Shikoku Pilgrimage and I was still in Tokushima. By 8:30 I had fini...

Just after dawn I crossed the isthmus into the fishing village of Horikoshi. In the middle of the island the mountains were still draped...

On the sunday morning all signs of the previous night had disappeared and ceremonies were held. The first took place in front of a si...

Though technically Hatsumode refers to the first shrine visit of the year, and of course there can only be one first, many people, myself in...

Omiki is the name given to sake that is left on altars as offerings to the Kami. At major shrines it will be donated by the barrel . At most...

If you are a sake brewer or are rich you can donate a barrel of sake to a shrine . For most people, however, a bottle of sake is normal. The...

A huge stack of sakedaru (sake barrels) at Matsuo Shrine near Kyoto. Matsuo is the home of the patron kami of sake brewers. Sake when offere...