Artchitecture in Japan, has traditionally been typified by wooden structures, elevated slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched roofs, seen as Shrine, Temple, and Castle. There, you can see the unique carpet (tatami), and sliding door (fusuma), chairs and high tables were not widely used until the 20th century.
Tag: Architecture
Power spots in Japan: Temples and Shrines of Osaka That Will Surprise You
Osaka is famous across Japan for its delicious cuisine, vibrant nightlife, and friendly people. It’s a crazy city full of neon lights, posters and facades with singular decorations and street food stalls. But, unlike the neighboring Kyoto, Osaka is not particularly known for its temples…
Mameda, the “Little Kyoto” of Hita, Oita, Japan
Kyushu (九州) is a largely unexplored island for Western tourists. Unsurprisingly, most of them won’t know about a true hidden gem of this area, the old town of Hita, Japan, located in Oita’s Prefecture (大分県). Hita has many attractive experiences year round. These range from…
Visiting Kitsuki and Futagoji, a Japanese temple
After visiting Hita, Tensui ryokan, and Oita city, I said goodbye to Oita Prefecture with my last visit to its sacred mountains of Kunisaki, the impressive Japanese temple of Futagoji hidden in nature, and the samurai city of Kitsuki. The sacred mountains. Kitsuki – The…
Matsuyama, Japan – Shikoku Pilgrimage and Dogo Onsen
Matsuyama in Shikoku, Japan is known for the Dogo Onsen, but also as a stop on the Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail. We were lucky enough to experience the many facets of Matsuyama city in Shikoku during our three-day trip, and of course we want to share…
History and Architecture at Maizuru Red Brick Park
In the beautiful stretch of coastal scenery in northern Kyoto prefecture (京都府), lies a port town of lovely red brick buildings at Maizuru (舞鶴) Brick Park. Facing the Sea of Japan (日本海), Maizuru was originally a fishing village before turning into one of the most important…
Soba Noodles Eating Tour in Izushi Castle Town, Hyogo
“Itadakimasu!“ With my stomach already dangerously at capacity, I dove into my last order of soba (buckwheat) noodles in the Japanese castle town of Izushi (出石). As my favourite go-to cold noodle dish during the summer months in Japan, I’m normally a bottomless pit when…
Tea Ceremony in the Izumi Samurai Town
Izumi (Kagoshima prefecture) is a city with many surprises. After my experience staying in a traditional rural house and seeing the Izumi’s cranes, it was time to explore the samurai town. It was a complete immersion in Japanese culture: I took part in a Japanese…
Pilgrimage to Ibaraki’s Giant Buddha: Ushiku Daibutsu
Ibaraki is a lush, green prefecture north of Tokyo full of natural beauty, peaceful towns, and plenty of tradition. It’s a mere train ride from Tokyo and full of enough activities for a day trip, if not an overnight trip. One of Ibaraki’s prime sightseeing…
Culinary and Artistic Traditions in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture
Matsudo in Chiba Prefecture is a link between cities and times. It connects to its neighbors Noda, Kashiwa, and Nagareyama, and along with them, forms a network of history and traditions that include all manner of Japanese craftwork, arts, architecture, religious customs, and the richness…
Trekking Nozakijima: Discover an Abandoned Island in Japan!
Mysterious, quiet, impressive, even confusing. Landing on Nozaki, an abandoned island with but a single resident, all these adjectives come to mind. And we are surely going from surprise to surprise by going to discover this nearly uninhabited island. Let’s go! Discover this amazing island…