More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

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...

24 Eyes On my first morning walking the Shodoshima Pilgrimage I took a short detour to visit the 24 Eyes Movie Village. 24 Eyes ( Nijyus...

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

At the start of my second day walking the Chugoku Kannin Pilgrimage I was at Yokeiji Temple on a hilltop overlooking the Yoshii River. ...

Yasaka Shrine This is  branch of the famous Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto that was known as Gion-sha, and is still referred to by that name lo...

Located in the capital, Naha, the Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum share the same massive structure and have a common lobby. ...

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...

As I wander around Japan I notice that some areas seem to have a lot of shrines, and in some areas they are far less common. In the area...

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...

The small ferry that connects Ocho on Osakishimojima Island with Akashi on Osakikamijima Island is only a ten minute journey and the dis...