JAPAN TRAVEL
 
 
The Hydrangeas of Meigetsuin Temple in Kamakura
The first rain in April stirred the growth of the solitary hydrangea (Ajisai 紫陽花) shrub in my little garden. It stimulated its hibernating leaves and awakened its tiny buds. In May, they started to blossom. It’s June, they are no...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
A small shrine that holds an interesting yearly event
Shimomiya, a small shrine sitting amidst rice fields in the Aso caldera, would be totally unremarkable if not for one thing: an unusual event that takes place here every year from August to October. It’s a religious rite related t...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Hiking and a great shrine in the western part of Tokyo
Located just 90 minutes from central Tokyo, Mount Mitake offers the beauty of nature and panoramic views from its height of 900 meters. At the top of Mount Mitake, there is Musashi Mitake Shine which is said to have been founded ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Buddhist Sculptures and beauty in the Yamato Area
Perched in the mountains of Yamato, a short distance from Sakurai City in Nara Prefecture, are two of the four temples of the Yamato spiritual pilgrimage. The Hasedera Temple overlooks a narrow valley where traditional Japanese houses...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Celebrate spring in classic style
As I walk up the hill to Ikegami Honmonji, I pull my hat down a little further against the February wind. Located deep in the heart of Ota-ku, one of Tokyo’s 23 wards, the temple is the largest and most famous of this area. Established near the end o...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
A modern take on spirituality
During our trip to Japan, my friends and I took a leap of faith and decided to veer off-road in order to visit the rather unknown island of Awaji. We had the chance to visit many interesting places in this friendly environment where people will do their ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
A secluded forest temple in Awaji-shima
Resting upon a scenic hilltop of northern Awaji-shima is the Joryu-ji Temple, a secluded Buddhist temple surrounded by the tall trees of Ise Forest. As we drove uphill along a lush, green, winding road, I felt as though I was transcending to a ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Shinto shrine a short distance from Haneda Airport
Just a short distance from Haneda Airport, visitors to Japan can get their first taste of traditional culture at the Haneda-jinja Shrine.
Haneda-jinja Shrine can trace its history back eight hundred years to the Kamakura Period. In t...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
A sanctuary for all seasons
When I was at school, one of the favourite things I looked forward to was riding my bike with my friends after school. You can go anywhere, like the secret hills and the countryside streams that were framed by reeds. All you would hear is the gentle trickl...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
 
If you’re passing by Ota City during your trip to Japan, be sure not to miss the Kamata Hachiman-jinja Shrine.
Originally founded in 1600, the Kamata Hachiman-jinja Shrine is dedicated to Inari which is the Japanese god of foxes. Even though the shrines were partially burnt in 1945...

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