The Arches and Foxes of Fushimi-Inari Taisha
One of the most remarkable shrine complexes in Japan is Fushimi-Inari Taisha. The shrine takes the middle part of its name from Inari, the god of grains. Founded in the […]
Category Archives: Japan
The Streets of Kyoto
Kyoto has a magical ring to it. The city is often said to be the spiritual center of Japan — the Lonely Planet calls it “a walk in mysterious places.” […]
Temples and Shrines of Higashiyama
The Higashiyama region of Kyoto has more shrines and temples than I can possibly count — and certainly more than the average visitor can manage in a day. If you […]
The Castles of Inuyama & Nagoya
About half an hour apart as the crow flies lie the ancient castle towns of Inuyama and Nagoya. Built in the early fifteenth century — and then heavily strengthened and […]
A Day in Takayama
In the middle of the island of Honshu, in the middle of the prefecture of Gifu, sits the small city of Takayama (population 88,000). It’s a sprawling place, spread out […]
Furukawa: My New Favorite Town
Sometimes when you travel, you stumble on a place that you don’t expect, one that hasn’t been on your radar screen at all. For me, that place on our Japan […]
The Homes of Hida
In central Japan sits an area called Hida, which encompasses a vast mountain region and the small cities of Takayama, Furukawa, and Gifu. But it’s mostly an empty and often […]
An Onsen & A Walk in Yuwaku
If you are staying in Kanazawa and want to get away from it all, you can drive up into the mountains just twenty minutes and find yourself in Yuwaku, a […]
Kanazawa: City of Samurais
Kanazawa, a city of nearly 500,000 that sits between the Japanese Alps and the Sea of Japan, offers day’s worth of things to do. Most people will start with a […]
Kenroku-en: Garden of Six Perfections
Kenroku-en, a magnificent park that sits in the middle of the city of Kanazawa, is said to be one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan.. Developed between the […]
Traveler Tina 