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I have stated many times on this blog that I don’t eat either fish nor seafood, so please do not expect that I will tell you about sushi or sashimi, which is what normal people generally eat (very satisfied) when … Continue reading
Traveling Hawk
If my decision to visit Horyu-ji was influenced by the personality of its founder – Prince Shotoku – , I decided to see Yakushi-ji because this was the most Eastern point on the Silk Road, and I am passionate about … Continue reading
Horyu-ji or the Temple of the Flourishing Law is the first Japanese construction which entered under UNESCO protection since 1993. This is the oldest wooden Japanese construction. The temple had the oldest pagoda in the world (710) and the Middle … Continue reading
The Shinto shrine Kasuga-taisha, built in 768 by the powerful clan of Fujiwara, is well known in Nara. I read somewhere on internet that what Fushimi Inara is for the tori, Kasuga-taisha is for the toro. What are toros? These … Continue reading
Todai-ji was built in 752 by the Emperor Shomu to defend the country against the epidemics but also to consolidate the imperial power. Nandaimon is the first gate you have to pass through in order to go to Todai-ji. A … Continue reading
Nara has been the first permanent capital of Japan, before it was moved to Kyoto. When you are in Kyoto, seeing Nara seems mandatory, so many tourists head there. Most of them limit their trip to see the three temples … Continue reading
At the beginning it was a villa which a noble donated to a priest. He turned it into a temple, which was called Zenrin-ji, meaning The Temple of the Zen Forest and it was dedicated to help the poors. During … Continue reading
Ginkaku-ji is a Zen temple and it is part of the UNESCO treasury. You may visit it daily between 8.30-17, and the entrance ticket is 500 yen. Making your way to the temple, you can see a lot of little … Continue reading
Philosopher’s Path or Tetsugaku no michi is an alley along a channel, adorned with hundreds of cherry trees. During their blooming the alley becomes a favourite place to walk. It has a length of 2 km and it was named … Continue reading
Because I stayed at only 10-15 minutes walk from Heian Jingu, I made it my first destination in Kyoto. Heian Jingu is an imperial shinto altar, so I have to write few words about shintoism and shinto altars. Shinto comes … Continue reading