There is a nice landscape Japanese garden for strolling around behind the Daikyakuden Guest House of the temple originally built in the 17th century.  This garden, named Suikeien, was built at the beginning of the 20th century then improved in 1965 by Nagayama Rakuzan, a master landscape gardener in Tokyo.  Present-time Suikeien garden was designed by him. The garden, the entire areal of 2,000 square meters, is surrounded by a meandering connecting corridor with a roof but no

Persimmon trees, originally coming from the huge basin of the Yangtze River in China, have long been improved in Japan to harvest sweeter fruits, kaki.  A kaki is recognized as one of a common fruit in Japan like an apples, orange and peach.  It’s typical autumn scenery in Japan that many persimmon trees with kaki fruits are seen here and there in the countryside.  A kaki is not commonly sold at a fruit shop, but is picked off by themselves from the branch of the nearby persi

Yame City lying in the south of Fukuoka Prefecture, where is the middle reaches of two big rivers, has enjoyed prosperity thanks to the agricultural products from fertile farmland.  About 300 Kofun ancient burial mounds built in the 6 th  century were found in the vicinity. This signifies the presence of a big local forces independent from the central government in the present time Nara Prefecture.  Actually, they rose a full-scale rebellion called Iwai-no-Ran against the th

This lift bridge was built for the Saga Line running between Saga Station and Setaka Station in Fukuoka Prefecture.  Because it spans the mouth of the Chikugo River, one of Japan’s largest rivers, the bridge was designed so that its central section could move up and down to avoid obstructing the passage of large ships.  When the Saga Line was abolished in 1987, the authorities were going to dismantle it though, they made the final decision to preserve the bridge as a walkway

The location of this art museum is where Katsushika Hokusai, a towering figure in the world of Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, spent most of his life from the 18 th  to the 19 th century.  Known all over the world by the masterpiece in the second photo, his numerous artworks had a significant influence on the Impressionist painters in Europe.  Such as Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Gustave Moreau adopted adventurous perspective for their own basic composition.  Co

Miidera Buddhist Temple and nearby Enryakuji Buddhist Temple came into conflict with each other over the originator of the Tendai sect Buddhism in the first half of the 13 th  century.  Benkei, a strong and combative Buddhist monk of Enryakuji Temple, commanded many monk soldiers to attack Miidera and burnt down most buildings of it. Having to do with this legend, a merchant who sold sweet rice-cake to the visitors appeared in the grounds of the temple advertising that you wo

This bridge was named after the place names of both ends of the bridge, KIYOsumi and nakaSU, at that time.  As a symbolic work of rebuilding and rehabilitation after the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, the bridge was constructed together with Eitai Bridge 1 kilometer downstream from here.  It was elaborately designed putting importance on seismic resistance so that it can be durable against future massive quakes.  The steel materials for battleships were chosen for that reaso

According to the history book of the temple, it originated from when the monks built a small temple by a pine tree with graceful branches beside springs.　The springs still exists by the Honden main building of the temple, and the pine tree, 2 meters in trunk circumference and 10 meters high, stands extending branches for about 20 meters in the four cardinal directions. It’s said that the entire view of the pine looks like a dragon as shown in the first photo.  The tree is sup

Shinto festivals are held mainly in spring and autumn in Japan.  These festivals are to pray for a good harvest or to give thanks for the harvest.  Mikoshi is used for these festivals.  It is believed that a Shinto spirit, usually existing in the main building of a Shinto shrine, temporarily moves to a Mikoshi during a festival.  The locals parade through the streets in the neighborhood shouldering a Mikoshi with a Shinto spirit on, to entertain the spirit while spreading div

Lake Biwa, with an area of 669 square kilometers, perimeter of 235 kilometers, maximum depth of 103 meters and water reserves of 28 cubic kilometers, is Japan’s largest lake by a decisive lead.  About 450 rivers and streams flow into the lake from surrounding mountains and hills, and just one river, the Yodo, flows out from the southern tip of the lake.  The Yodo runs for 75 kilometers through Kyoto Prefecture and Osaka City toward Osaka Bay.  About 40 ponds connected with na

Japan produced many kinds of warplanes until the end of the Second World War, though GHQ for the Allied Powers strictly banned it after the war.  GHQ also prohibited aircraft-related study at universities in Japan.  After Japan’s sovereignty was recovered in 1951, a national project for Japan-made passenger airplanes was established.  Many technical experts focusing on warplanes before and during the war were summoned for the project.  YS-11 was the fruit of the project and t

Old Kudan-Kaikan was built by the association of reservists of Japan as a commemorative project for the enthronement of the Emperor...

The historic Matsuda-ya Hotel, established in 1675, stands in Yuda Onsen hot springs in the heart of Yamaguchi City, the prefectural...

Quality ceramic ware like Arita ware and Imari ware has been produced in the vicinity of Karatsu region since the 16 th century.  These...

Emperor Taisho Yoshihito, a great grandfather of present time Emperor Naruhito, was sickly by nature.  Three Imperial villas were built...

The museum, built in 1959, owns a variety of western art collected by Matsukata Kojiro, who was a president of present time Kawasaki...

This temple is said to be established in 807 by a high-ranking priest Kukai, the founder of the Shingon Buddhism, as a temple of the...

Shuzenji Onsen with more than 20 ryokans stands along the both sides of the Shuzenji River for a kilometer as shown in the first photo. ...

Born into a wealthy family running sake brewery and shipping industry in present time Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, Kano Jigoro was good...

In accordance with the opening of Yokohama Port to major Western powers in 1859, Yokohama Shinden settlement was built for them on the...

As Numazu City faces Suruga Bay, a high wind from the bay constantly blows against the buildings and cultivated fields particularly near...

The origin of the flea market is said to date back to the second half of the 19th century in Paris. This kind of antique market is...

Known as a special Buddhist temple for the prayers of the successive Tokugawa shoguns through the Edo period, Gokokuji was one of the...

The construction of Tokyo Station was a project of national prestige as the central railroad station for the capital city of Tokyo.  At...

Almost all the buildings in Ginza, the most famous high-end shopping area in Japan, have been rebuilt transforming into a modern and...

According to an Indian legend, Kishibojin originally was an atrocious goddess capturing nearby children to eat.  However, she finally...

The Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA initiated missionary work in the Tsukiji settlement for Westerners in 1859, right after the...

Genkakuji was established in 1624 and was worshipped by the second and third Tokugawa Shoguns.  The image of the Konjak King Enma in...

This building was originally built in 1925 as a sales office building of DNP, one of the largest printing companies in Japan.  Later, it...

This modern Japanese architecture is made up of four buildings of different construction periods, from the Kamino-yu building in 1894,...

This temple dates back to 1415.  Odai-no-kata, who was the mother of Tokugawa Ieyasu (the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate), passed away...

A yakata-bune is equipped with a roof and a tatami-matted floor, where guests can enjoy a Japanese-style banquet while viewing the urban...

Beside the Horikawa River running through the heart of Nagoya, a big timber pond was built in the 17th century for providing quality...

Natsume Soseki, one of the greatest novelists in Japan, published a novel “Botchan” in 1906.  The main character of this novel, whose...

Shimokitazawa had been known as a luxury residential area in the outskirts of Tokyo before the Second World War because of the...

The 10th head of the Mitsui main family, Mitsui Takamine, who was the owner of Mitsui zaibatsu (a group of business conglomerates), built...

Kakegawa area was an important transport hub of the Tokai Region, present time Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie and Gifu Prefectures.  Hence, many...

Through the Edo Period, Japan’s prisons were a facility like a combination of today’s prison and detention center.  Hence, executions and...

This kiridoshi is a part of the old shortcut route across Iwakumayama Hill between two settlements in Yamaga City.  Before the cut was...

Kumamoto Prefecture built a museum on the theme of decorative ancient tombs as the central facility of Higo Kodai-no-Mori open-air museum...

This playhouse with about 700 seats was built in 1910 and was designated as an important cultural property.  Yamaga City, as of the 19th-...

Present time Bancho was the area where many Hatamoto, direct retainers of the Tokugawa shogun, used to live as guards in the case.  The...

There were about 300 castles in Japan in the golden age of the Edo period, but most of them were destroyed at the end of the 19th century...

Many stores and warehouses with white plastered walls stand side by side in the old town of Uchiko located 40km southwest of Matsuyama...

Located in the westernmost part of Saga Prefecture and adjacent to Nagasaki Prefecture, Arita Town is mostly forested but has a narrow...

Since the beginning of the 17th century, the ceramics produced in Arita and its vicinity had been called Imari ware, because they were...

Swords are one of the most basic weapons in the world in that they have been made and used since ancient times.  The material and shape...

Takahashi Korekiyo, the 26th prime minister of Japan, was known as an expert in the economy, so he also served as the Governor of the...

Nabeshima Shigeyoshi, a chief retainer of the Nabeshima clan who was the daimyo feudal lords of the Saga domain, built this garden in...

Japan accepted reluctantly the opening of the country to the West due to gunboat diplomacy by Western countries in the second half of the...