Japan Series: Old Towns and Castles
This series of lessons focuses on some of the old, historic towns outside of Japan's big cities. Some of them will be very familiar to you, while others might be places you had not heard of before. And some of them have castles!
レッスン一覧
8
Kyoto will Always be the Heart and Soul of Japan
Kyoto is the heart and soul of Japan. It's ancient temples and shrines are a testament to the history of Japan, and even its future. Kyoto is a modern city with many contemporary buildings, and even its own tower. But at is core are many of the Japan's most well known and internationally recognized UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Toyoko, Elaine and I visited Kyoto for a three day stay. Here's what we saw.
Byodoin, a World Heritage Site That Is Probably Not on Your List to Visit
This spring we took a bus tour to a few beautiful locations for viewing cherry blossoms, referred to in Japan as sakura. The first stop in the tour was Byodoin, an ancient Heian temple located in the southern part of Kyoto. Most folks visiting Kyoto are not aware of Byodoin. It is a bit out of the way in Uji, and well, there are so many temples and shrines closer to the center of Kyoto that Byodoin is kind of an afterthought, if thought of at all.
Tō-ji, an Historic Temple Established After the Capitol Moved to Kyoto
To-ji is an important temple on the southwest side of Kyoto. It is especially pretty in cherry blossom season, and in the fall when the colors change. It's probably not a place you will visit on your first visit to Kyoto, with all the other more well known temples to see, but you will not be disappointed if you have time to visit To-ji.
Himeji Castle, its White Splendor Amidst the Cherry Blossoms
Himeji-jō, known as the White Heron Castle because of its distinctive white exterior, is the most visited castle in Japan. We had visited other castles in Japan before, but this one was at a different level. Not only is Himeji-jō very well preserved, but in cherry blossom season, it is absolutely spectacular.
Matsuyama Castle on the Hilltop
During our time in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture we were able to explore the ancient fortress on the hill, Matsuyama Castle. A cloudy and rainy day made the castle seem overly gloomy, but there were facinating historical artifacts and displays inside the castle that made up for it.
The Fall Foliage of Tateshina, Nagano and the Majestic Matsumoto Castle
If you're in Japan during the fall months, it's always a nice idea to plan an outing outside Tokyo to see the fall colors. We made a plan to do just that, and tacked on a trip to Matsumoto to see the famous castle. Well, plans change when life gets in the way, but in our case not so much!
Old Town Kawagoe Is A Great Day Trip Destination
Kawagoe is an historic Japanese city in Saitama Prefecture, nicknamed "Little Edo" for its well-preserved Edo-period buildings, featuring Kurazukuri warehouses, old merchant streets, and ancient temples. It's an easy day trip from Tokyo that allows you to experience some of old Edo Japan. We recently went once for lunch, and then I did a solo encore to check it out some more.
Kamakura, The Kyoto of Eastern Japan
Kamakura is often referred to as the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, and for good reason. Its historic temples are stunning examples of architecture introduced from Song Dynasty China with Zen Buddhism's influence. Kamakura was once the administrative capital of Japan. And so it has the history, sure, but that is not all it has to offer. I've visited Kamakura numerous times over the years, so it was about time I wrote something about this interesting city south of Tokyo.