More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

Every year in December and January I take advantage of the cheap travel provided by the Seishun 18 train ticket and head off for a walk ...

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...

Kosanji On the second day of my walk along the Shimanami Kaido I stopped in at Kosanji Temple to take some more photos. This first one i...

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...

Iwami Kannon Sunday 16th December 2012, and I begin my third day walking the Iwami Kannon Pilgrimage with Mount Sanbe silhouetted  inlan...

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 ...

On the night of my tenth day walking the Shikoku Ohenro pilgrimage I stayed in the tsuyado at Saba Daishi Temple . Next morning, Sa...

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 ...

I won't be posting for a week or so as I am off on the pilgrim trail, and as we are approaching Halloween I thought these would be a...