JAPAN / Kyoto Kinkakuji Temple, Kyoto City

Postcard from michiko-san (or Satoda) 

JAPAN / Hello Kitty

JAPAN / Kyoto

Iris in Kajuji Temple

 

JAPAN / Cherry blossoms

JAPAN / Nagasaki

Jya-odori, the dragon dance

JAPAN / Nagasaki

Nagasaki: Oranda-zaka, Dutch slope

Oranda-zaka ("Dutch slope") refers to the steep streets of a pleasant hillside residential area of Nagasaki. Western merchants, most notably from the Netherlands, settled in the area in the second half of the 19th century. The former residences of several Western merchants are exhibited in the nearby Glover Garden open air museum.

JAPAN / Famous train station in Kyushu

JAPAN / Maiko Girl, KYOTO

JAPAN / Horyuji Temple in Nara

A scene of Horyuji Temple in Spring

Horyuji (Flourishing Law Temple) is an important Buddhist temple in Ikaruga near Nara. Horyuji is of great historical importance: it was from here that Buddhism blossomed and spread throughout Japan. Today about 45 buildings remain, some of them dating from the end of the 7th century and including the oldest wooden structures in the world. The atmosphere at Horyuji is serene and authentically ancient.
The temple was founded in 607 AD by the much-revered Prince Shotoku, who is credited with first promoting Buddhism in Japan. Buddhism had arrived in Japan only 50 years before the temple was built. The main purpose of the temple (which was then named Ikarugadera) was to properly house a statue of the Medicine Buddha.
The original temple burned down in 670, but was gradually rebuilt until the early 8th century. Several buildings still survive from this early rebuilding period, making Horyuji the oldest surviving Buddhist temple in Japan.
In 1993, Horyuji was the first site in Japan to be added to UNESCO's Cultural World Heritage List. The Japanese government lists a number of buildings and artifacts of Horyuji as National Treasures.

JAPAN / People

JAPAN / NIIGATA

Japanese statue of Buddha

HELLO KITTY

JAPAN / Hokkaido

Hakodate city night view

Hakodate is Hokkaido's third largest city, located at the island's southern tip. Hakodate is best known for the spectacular views to be enjoyed from Mount Hakodate.

As one of the first Japanese harbor cities to be opened to international trade after the country's era of isolation, Hakodate has experienced notable influence from overseas, and the foreign population's former residential district and a Western style fort are among its main tourist attractions.

JAPAN / Kinkakuji Temple, Kyoto

Maiko Girls in the Garden of Kinkakuji Templ.

Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. Kinkakuji was the inspiration for the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu's grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, on the other side of the city a few decades later.

JAPAN / Hello Kitty

JAPAN / Hirosaki Castle Tower and Inner Moat

Hirosaki Castle Tower and inner Moat

Hirosaki Castle was built in 1611 by the Tsugaru Clan. A three-story castle tower, fortified moats, castle gates and some corner turrets (yagura) survive or were reconstructed. The castle is located in Hirosaki Park, a spacious public park of about 0.6 square kilometers.
The castle's original five-story keep burnt down in 1627 after being struck by lightning. Rebuilt in 1810, the present three-story keep is the only one in the Tohoku region that was not rebuilt in the modern era, amongst only a handful in all of Japan.
Hirosaki Park is one of Japan's most famous cherry blossom spots with several thousand cherry trees. Over a million people visit the park during the sakura matsuri (cherry blossom festival) from April 23 to May 5, when the blossoms are usually in bloom. This coincides with the Golden Week holidays.