Located an hour or so by car from Koyasan in the small Onsen village of Ryujin, Kamigoten is a small ryokan with a unique history. Built in 1657, Kamitogen was actually designed to please Yorinobu Tokugawa, a Japanese Feudal lord of Kinokuni. [...]
Read more
Koyasan Daimon Gate was originally built in the 11th century in the Tsuzuraori Valley and was moved a century later to its current location, marking the entrance to the city of Koyasan. Danjo Garan is another important place of worship in Koyasan and where Kobo Daishi is also worshiped. [...]
Read more
The Kumano Hongu Taisha is one of Wakayama Kumano region's three famous shrines. Enshrining its own deity, Hongu Taisha and also the deities of the other two Kumano shrines, Hayatama Taisha and Nachi Taisha, and the sun goddess Amaterasu. It serves as the head shrine of over 3000 Kumano shrines […]
Read more
Located in the heart of Koyasan, Kongobuji was originally constructed in 1593 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to commemorate the death of his mother. Later Kongobuji was merged with a neighboring temple and reorganized into the head temple of Shingon Buddhism, the sect introduced to Japan by Kobo Daishi in 805 […]
Read more
What once was a popular sento (bathhouse) in the center of Yuasa city in Wakayama, Jinburo is today a free to visit open-air museum where you will not only have the chance to discover an old Japanese sento looked, but also enjoy Jinburo’s annex full of memorabilia of […]
Read more
Essential to Japanese cuisine, shoyu, or soy sauce originated from the city of Yuasa in Wakayama. Legend has it that in the 13th century, the Zen Buddhist monk Shinichi Kakushin discovered the wonders of soy sauce totally by accident while making kinzanji miso, a type of bean paste. [...]
Read more
One of Wakayama’s geological wonders, the Sandanbeki rock formation, known as the Sandanbeki Cliffs hide one of Wakayama’s most interesting secret temples in a cave full of history and pirates! [...]
Read more
Japan is full of amazing small and unique matsuris, or festivals. Kinusaki City Kebesu fire festival is by far one of the most interesting Matsuri we had the chance to see. [...]
Read more
Located in the south part of Hokkaido in the town of Noboribetsu Onsen, the Hell Valley, also known as Jigokudani, is divided in into two amazing natural wonders. Jigokudani and Oyunuma. Oyunuma Pound a sulfurous pond with a surface temperature of 50 degrees Celsius [...]
Read more
Jigokudani or Hell Valley is one of the most stunning scenic areas of Noboribetsu in southern Hokkaido. Located just above the Noboribetsu Onsen village, Jigokudani displays hot steam vents, sulfurous streams and other volcanic activity. It's the main source of water for the Onsen village! While beautiful all year […]
Read more
Ukai is a traditional fishing method using trained cormorants to catch river fish such as Ayu also known as sweetfish. Ukai cormorant fishing has been around for over 1300 years, most prominently along the Nagaragawa River in Gifu City [...]
Read more
Also known as the Amasagi Village Amasagimura (Akita), is a small yet extremely interesting museum. A collection of old farmhouses and samurai residences from the area have been moved from their original location and preserved in Amasagimura. [...]
Read more
