buddhism
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Nakamise Shopping Street, Tokyo | Beautiful street with a lot of history and bustling with people
The long Nakamise shopping street in front of the Sensoji temple in Asakusa is a popular area for souvenir shopping and food tours. What is the history of this popular street?
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Eiheiji Temple, Fukui | Beautiful natural environment and practicing monks
Eiheiji, ‘The Temple of Eternal Peace’, is one of the two most important temples of the Soto Zen School. It is located deep in the mountains near the northwest coast of Japan, not far from the city of Fukui.
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Kiyomizu Dera Temple, Kyoto | Beautiful natural scenery and various power spots
The Kiyomizu Dera temple in Kyoto is one of Japan’s most famous Buddhist temples and with good reason, as it is one of the most beautiful constructions in the old capital city.
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Arashiyama, Kyoto | Mysterious and beautiful bamboo forest
Arashiyama in Kyoto is famous for its mystical bamboo grove, but the area is actually a lot larger than just the bamboo forest. It is a very pleasant environment to have a walk past traditional shops, temples, and nature.
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Kunisaki Peninsula, Oita | Enjoy the beautiful sea and historic sites
There are lots of attractive places on the Kunisaki Peninsula in the northeastern part of Oita Prefecture in Kyushu. Because the peninsula is not easy to access, its towns, shrines, and temples have retained their original atmosphere.
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Rurikoin Temple, Kyoto | Spectacular view shining in lapis lazuli
When we hear or see the words ‘yuka midori in Japan’, it is considered as a herald of early summer. Learn what this means in this personal account of our visit to the Rurikoin temple in Kyoto.
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Religions unique to Japan
While Japan’s first main religion is Shinto, the second main religion is Buddhism. How did Buddhism come to Japan, and which influence does it have on daily life in Japan?
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Omamori | Big good luck in a small bag
Small amulets called ‘omamori’ are sold at most shrines and temples in Japan. What is the meaning of this custom?
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Horyuji Temple, Nara | The oldest wooden building in the world
The Horyuji temple in Nara was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku and has the oldest wooden buildings in the world.
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Nara National Museum | An overwhelming array of exhibits
Nara National Museum is located in Nara Park where you can also see famous temples such as Todaiji Temple and Kohukuji. The museum exhibits mainly Buddhist art.
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Kofukuji Temple, Nara | The largest number of national treasure statues in Japan
The Kofukuji Temple was moved to its current location in Nara from Kyoto in 710, the year when the capital was moved to Nara. The pagodas and the museum are worth a visit.
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Hasedera Temple, Nara | Beautiful flowers of each season
Various kinds of flowers blooming throughout the year on Hasedera’s grounds, the temple has been nicknamed ‘Flower temple’ since ancient times. I especially love to visit the Hasedera to view the hydrangea in the early summer season.
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Nara Mantoe Matsuri Festival | Fantastic atmosphere with beautiful lighting
On August 15th, an annual event called Mantoe matsuri is held at night in the Todaiji temple in Nara. This festival commemorates our ancestors with lit-up lanterns.
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Todaiji Temple, Nara | The world’s largest and most beautiful wooden structure
The Todaiji Temple is located in the famous Nara Park and is the world’s largest wooden structure. Discover more about its long history!
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Byodoin Temple with its shining golden phoenix
The Byodoin temple is the most famous landmark in a part of Kyoto that is especially known for its green tea production, Uji. The image of the temple is very well-known throughout Japan.
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Kodaiji Temple, Kyoto | Beautiful landscape gardens and decorations
Kodaiji Temple is located in Higashiyama. It was founded in 1605 by Kita-no-Mandokoro as a memorial to her husband, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was one of the most important men of his time.
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Sanjusangendo, Kyoto | Thousand golden-colored statues of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
The Sanjusangendo temple in Kyoto was established by the powerful warrior-politician Taira-no-Kiyomori in 1164, and it is especially famous for its 1001 statues.
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Chionin Temple, Kyoto | The largest wooden gate in Japan
The Chion-in temple in Kyoto is a Buddhist temple and is the home of Jo-do Buddhism. It was founded in the 12th century, and besides its historical significance, there are a few other reasons why this is an interesting temple to visit!
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Tofukuji Temple, Kyoto | Beautiful Flowers and Gardens
One of my favorite Zen temples is the Tofukuji temple located in the east of Kyoto city. What makes this temple very special are its magnificent landscapes of maple trees and cherry blossoms.
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Ryoanji Temple,Kyoto | Beautiful stone garden and a temple where a dragon sleeps
Ryoan-ji is a Zen temple located in Kyoto which was built by a minister of the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1450. The temple is especially famous for its stone landscape garden.