Category / Japan / Kansai / Kyoto / Temples and Shrines
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Hatsumode at Fushimi Inari Shrine
While most of the world rings in the New Year with partying and fireworks, celebrations in Japan are a little more subdued. That’s because shōgatsu, as it’s known here, is the most…
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Hofu Tenmangu Shrine
Hofu Tenmangu is an impressive shrine that sits atop a hill in Hofu, Yamaguchi. It was the first in Japan to be dedicated to Tenjin, the god of learning. Tenjin is the…
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Motonosumi Inari Shrine
In case you missed it, I’m back in Japan. And one of the best things about it is getting to catch up with old friends. I recently spent the day with Chiharu,…
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Udo-jingū: A Most Unusual Shrine
During the Age of the Gods, the daughter of the Japanese sea King Ryujin, Toyotama, lived with her father in the underwater palace of Ryugu-jo. One day, the dragon goddess met a…
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Senganen Garden and the Cat Shrine
“This… is so wonderful that I don’t know how to express it,” said British diplomat Harry Smith Parkes of his sojourn at Senganen in 1866. “Anyone who visits there must be stricken by a desire…
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Toshogu Shrine Nikko
More than 1 000 years ago, a Buddhist priest named Shodo Shonin crossed the Daiya River on his way to Mount Nantai and founded the first temple at Nikko. Today, 103 buildings…
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Zenko-ji Temple Nagano
“Oh this isn’t so bad,” I thought as we entered the tunnel. But as we walked further and further, the air became thick with black and eventually I couldn’t even see John…
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Nichinan Coast Part 2: Monkey Island and the Red Shrine
In early November, my former roommate and longtime bro, Matthew, came to Miyazaki for a visit. This is Part 2 of our road trip down the Nichinan Coast. Part 1 is here. I chased his…
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