More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

Gassan, at only 184 meters above sea level is not particularly high, but its shape makes it an obvious choice for a castle, so its not sur...

Started walking the Chugoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage last week. At Yokei-ji the lotuses were in bloom. It's a Tendai temple, and n...

Monday was Marine Day, a national holiday when everyone goes to the beach. Well, everyone who CAN  go to the beach, go to the b...

When it opened in 2004, Aeon Mall Hiroshimafuchu Soleil, had the much snappier name of  Diamond City Soleil, which is the name it is s...

Iwakuradera the 18th temple of the pilgrimage is just a single, small hall located right next to temple 19. It is actually probably mu...

Shinshoji, temple number 25, is only a few kilometers north of number 24, Hotsumisakiji on the tip of Cape Muroto. According to the l...

After several temples without Nio it was nice to get back to one with. Temple 19, Kannonji, is located at the bottom of Gassan in Hirose...

These first 2 photos are of a rather fine statue at the mountain temple of  Konomineji, number 27 on the Shikoku 88. It is obvi...

This is a follow on post from the previous . The defensive gate at Toda Hachimangu. As a Hachimangu, the enshrined deity is Hachiman...

Toda Hachimangu was the tutelary shrine for Gassan Toda Castle which lay across the river. The approach to the shrine is on a direct lin...