More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

Nioza Historical Road Nioza is the old district of the former castle town of Usuki in Oita. One of the narrow lanes is stone paved and w...

Kozanji, the 28th temple on the Kyushu pilgrimage is in the hills south of the main town. It was established here in 1590 but was m...

Matsushima Shrine Located on a long, narrow island near the mouth of the Usuki River, Matsushima Shrine was founded in 1707. The t...

The Inaba were the feudal lords of the Usuki Domain in present-day Oita for most of the Edo Period. When the domains were abolished in t...

In the grounds of Usuki castle was another small shrine, founded in 1879 after the castle had been dismantled, the size of the trees and...

Originally situated atop a small island that connected to the mainland by a sandbar at low tide, Usuki Castle is now in the middle of th...

Utono Inari Shrine is within the grounds of Usuki Castle ruins. The Utono Gate used to lead down to the sea but the island the cast...

Kote-e are a traditional type of plaster relief often found on storehouses, temples etc. A kote is a type of spatula-shaped trowel used ...

Ryugenji is a small temple in the old district of the former castle town of Usuki on the coast of Oita. The pagoda was constructed ...

On a hilltop among the Stone Buddhas of Usuki is a small Hiyoshi Shrine. One of about 4,000 Hiyoshi Shrines around the current, it is a ...

Just outside the old castle town of Usuki in southern Oita are a collection of truly magnificent Buddhist stone carvings known as the Us...