Tag Archives: Japan

Old, Real, Beautiful, Matsumoto Castle

19 Friday Jul 2019

Posted by in Matsumoto Castle, Matsumoto, Japan

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Matsumoto Castle, which is also known as “Crow Castle” due to its black exterior, is one of Japan’s premier historic castles. Unlike other castles, which are built on a mountain or hillside slopes; this flatland castle was built on a plain.

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Matsumoto Castle is blessed to be not only one of Japan’s twelve castles to have survived since the feudal era, but one of the largest and most distinctive-looking. Its six-storeyed keep is now a museum showcasing its military history, in particular weapons and Armour from centuries ago.

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It was a pleasure to walk around the surrounding grounds and the beautifully maintained gardens. While we were there Samurai warriors walked around and we had fun posing for photos with them.

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This castle has it all. From our arrival we were taken back in time to the ancient times. The interior is fantastic too see. Matsumoto Castle is the real thing. It is built of wood — you can see and feel the solid old timbers, smooth and shiny from over 400 years of use. Built for war — more precisely, for defense of a feudal lords headquarters — this building was never for anyone’s luxurious living. This may explain why the decoration is sparse compared to other Japanese castles. It may not be obvious from the outside, but every level of the castle is designed for archers to shoot from. Our tour of the inside of the castle revealed placements for cannons facing every direction.

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The grounds are free to visit, but to enter the castle there is a cost. We needed to take off our shoes to enter the castle and we were given plastic bags to put our shoes into which left some of us without 2 free hands to aid in the climbing. Some of the stairs inside are narrow and steep.

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From the highest floor, the views are wide and sweeping of the city and surrounding mountains. The stairs to the fifth floor are exceptionally steep. This is normal for Japanese castles, but even the regular stairs will be a problem for those with mobility needs. We were warned of the steep climb and of course descent but we still were not prepared enough. In our socked feet some of the floors were very slippery.

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No one lived here, but probably many samurai died here.

We really enjoyed our few hours here at Matsumoto Castle – I am so happy that we visited it.

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Matsumoto Town

10 Wednesday Jul 2019

Posted by in Matsumoto Town, Japan

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This charming and historic city which is cradled by the Japan Alps is Matsumoto. To me this is one of Japan’s finest cosmopolitan cities that still has a rural feel. It has so much to see with its stunning castle, captivating districts and enchanting vistas and could keep me occupied for hours or in fact days.

 

Matsumoto town is the gateway to the Japan alps for skiing and hot springs in the winter and walking in the mountains in the summer. For us, it was a morning at one of Japan’s best preserved famous castles, lunch in the centre of town and the afternoon exploring its surrounding streets.

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After our exciting morning at the Matsumoto Castle, we visited Nawate Street, in Matsumoto town, a small pedestrian zone with lots of small shops and restaurants along the river and then Nakamachi Street which is famous for its old houses with a beautiful white tone.

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20181014_164239As we were wandering around this charming town we met up with many locals out walking their dogs. We soon learned that this activity is a big part of their everyday pastime. They are happy to stop for photo opportunities; in fact they encourage it which is very fine with me being a big dog lover.

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We thoroughly enjoyed our few hours in this lovely town with its beautiful gardens and water features, exceptional architecture and general overall feel of calmness. This location offers a magnificent scenic view of the Northern Japan Alps and a unique cultural experience.

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A Day with the Deer at Nara Park, Japan

19 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in Nara Deer Park, Japan

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Nara Park is a large park in central Nara. This beautiful park engulfs within its premises shrines, temples, gardens, and deer. Established in 1880, it is the location of many of Nara’s main attractions including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji and Nara National Museum.

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The park is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. Nara’s nearly 1200 deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated as a natural treasure. You can feed them with the crackers that you can buy from the vendors in the park. We paid 150jpy for a bag of about 8 crackers. Be prepared to be surrounded by a lot of them once you start feeding them. One of them stole my banana which was really quite funny.

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The park is huge, free to get in and full of deer. Yes, there is a musk smell and you still have to be wary of a wild animal but it is beautiful. You can touch the deer and take photos with them without any fear of aggression. Nara’s deer are surprisingly tame, they really are very comfortable being around humans, probably because they do it every day.

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As with most attractions in Japan, very well organized and of course, extremely clean.
We enjoyed seeing the deer and interacting with them. As with the Miyajima Island, you need to be careful not to let them get too aggressive. I was nipped on the back a few times and they tugged on my clothes to get attention but I was never hurt nor frightened by them. In fact, I found them to be charming and lots of fun. They bow their head every time they ask for food and bow after the food for respect just like the people of Japan

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It was such a fun morning mingling with the deer and also visiting the shrines, temples and enjoying the lovely gardens.

Incredible, Amazing, Ancient Temple

03 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Kiyomizu-dera temple, Kyoto

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We walked up the hill, along the street which had many stores and stalls leading up to the temple. We were not in a hurry as there was so much to experience and enjoy along the way.

Part of the fun of visiting Kiyomizu-dera is the approach to the temple along the steep and busy lanes of the atmospheric Higashiyama District. The many shops and restaurants in the area have been catering to tourists and pilgrims for centuries and products on sale range from local specialties such as Kiyomizu-yaki pottery, jewellery,  sweets and pickles to the standard souvenirs.

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There it was at the top of the hill. This beautiful bright orange temple is massive. Kiyomizu-dera temple was founded in the year of 780 at a request of (Sakanoue no Tamuramaro). The main hall of the Temple which was built in the year 1633, is famed mainly for its wide wooden veranda in front, protruding over a steep cliff, with breathtaking panoramic views of the city of Kyoto.

From what I was told, this spellbinding large temple is made completely out of wood.  There are numerous sights to see inside of the temple and outside on the temple grounds. It is definitely a must see. The beauty of it all touches you as you walk around and through it. Once inside the temple I felt the serenity of this impressive massive structure. There are  quiet corners in the amazing gardens where we found some relief from the crowds  and benches tucked away in little alcoves, and hidden paths that end in stunning views.

The Temple’s complex includes several other shrines, among them the Jishu Shrine, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a god of love and “good matches”.

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Kiyomizu-dera which is located in the Gion area of Kyoto is one of the most popular temples of Japan. Kiyomizu-dera is an independent Buddhist temple and is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and listed as UNESCO World Heritage site.

Fascinating Location in Lovely Kyoto

23 Saturday Mar 2019

Posted by in Gion District, Kyoto

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We set off early from the hotel on the shuttle bus to the district of Gion, Kytoto’s most famous geisha district, located around Shijo Avenue. This area is filled with shops, restaurants and ochaya (teahouses).

It is here among the teahouses and private clubs that you can catch a glimpse of a geisha in full dress including white makeup. We were very fortunate to see a Geisha, who was very “clandestinely” hurrying along the sidewalk, almost as if she was hoping not to be noticed. Seeing a genuine Geisha is quite unlikely especially during the day.

We explored this fabulously maintained district for quite some time just following our noses until we accidentally ended up in the Higashiyama District. This definitely was one of my highlights in Japan.

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The Higashiyama District is one of the Kyoto’s best preserved historic districts. It is a great place to experience traditional old Kyoto, where the narrow lanes, wooden buildings and traditional merchant shops invoke a feeling of the old capital city. The streets in Higashiyama are lined by small shops, cafes and restaurants which have been catering to tourists and pilgrims for centuries. These businesses retain their traditional design, although many have been renovated through the years, and they continue to serve customers today, selling local specialties such as Kiyomizu-yaki pottery, sweets, pickles, crafts and other souvenirs.

While the walk through the Higashiyama District between Kiyomizudera and Yasaka Shrine is only about two kilometers long we spent most of the day in the area, visiting the various temples, shrines, shops and cafes along the way. And, I could easily return and spend longer experiencing this fabulous area.

After hours of exploring, shopping, eating, and taking photos we reached the popular Kiyomizudera Temple.

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There are a couple of streets leading up to Kiyomizudera temple that are worth exploring on your way there or back. They are historical streets with paved lanes and old wooden merchant houses. These lanes are filled with small shops selling souvenirs, Kyoto handicrafts and food items.

We arrived early that morning to find it very quiet with not too many people around however, later towards lunch time the streets, shops and shrines were packed. I definitely recommend getting there early if possible.

Delectable Experience in a Japanese Department Store.

09 Saturday Mar 2019

Posted by in Japanese Department Store - Hanshin

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Every day while I was in Japan, I went from one amazing place to another amazing place. Whether it was a shrine, temple, castle, park or in this case a department store.

My first experience with the Japanese department stores was in Tokyo. After a long day out exploring we were happy to have a snack in our hotel room rather than go out to dinner. This is when we discovered the food hall in the department store close by to our hotel. We bought some amazing freshly prepared meals to take away. The selection is vast and the food is interesting and so beautifully prepared and presented. It would be quite easy to buy these meals on a regular basis and in fact I would not be surprised if this is a regular way of eating in Japan. These meals are unlike the prepared packaged meals that we can buy here in Australia.

As we travelled through Japan we realised that these fabulous food halls in the department stores are in all the big cities.

While we were staying in Osaka we went to the underground to the Osaka Train station many times. The elevator in our hotel went directly down to the underground making it ever so easy. There were hundreds of shops and restaurants in this area and this is where I discovered Hanshin Department Store.

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Hanshin Department Store is best known for the incredible variety of food and drink available in the basement food hall.

I thoroughly enjoyed walking around enjoying the colour and bustle and nibbling or sipping the free samples. Viewing all the Japanese sweets, pickled vegetables, assorted tea varieties, and beautifully packaged bento box lunches gave me a short education in Japanese cuisine. There are also bakeries selling delicate cakes and pastries and popular snack stores selling rice crackers with various savoury flavours. Particularly well-known are the “ikayaki” squid pancakes, an Osaka specialty something like a crepe.

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This entire floor offers delectable delights including coffees, teas, pastries, candies, chocolates, pickles, sushi and world class, flawlessly perfect, fresh fruit and even smoothies. And, so much more.

In the drinks section I found a range of local sake rice wine, shochuspirits, Western style wines and spirits, and a pretty good selection of regional craft beers.

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Here in this food hall you will find a wide variety of food and drink, all of which is impeccably packaged and displayed. This is where I purchased several of my gifts to take back to Australia including some pretty amazing coffee.

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Of course there are many other departments in this wonderful store but it was the colourful, interesting and exciting food hall that won my attention.

The Japanese understand quality and this store is no exception, it is upscale, impeccably clean and well staffed. Nobody speaks English and that isn’t a problem at all. Courteous service is the rule.

Photographers Dream in this Timeless Garden

26 Tuesday Feb 2019

Posted by in Hiroshima’s Shukkei-en Gardens

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We were at the Peace Memorial park when we heard about this beautiful garden so we grabbed a cab and headed over to Shukkeien Gardens.

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After the peace park, Hiroshima’s Shukkei-en Garden is an oasis of peace and tranquility and one of this famous city’s little-known treasures. Once the home of Emperor Meiji, the gardens were opened to the public in 1940, and, despite being badly damaged by the nuclear attack of 1945, were completely restored and reopened in 1951.

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Shukkeien Garden is about a 10 minute walk from Hiroshima Castle. The name Shukkeien apparently means “shrunken-scenery garden” and the idea is to represent through miniaturization the beauty of nature such as mountains, forests, valleys, lakes etc.

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There is a main bridge that runs across a lake and divides the garden in two. Walking around was so pleasant; everywhere was something scenic including tea houses, bridges, turtles, birds, etc. There are suggested routes around the garden which helped us to better appreciate its beauty. The entire garden is connected by a path which winds around the pond at the centre of the garden with plenty of signs. The path passes through all of Shukkeien’s various miniaturized sceneries. Following this path around the garden is the best way to enjoy Shukkeien

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The beautiful, almost artificial vibrantly coloured flowers set against the backdrop of multi coloured autumnal plumage is almost surreal. It was such an explosion of vivid imagery with arching bridges and secret stone pathways leading to hidden treasure. Cascading waterfalls provide the perfect tone for this quiet space creating a zone of peace, wonder and utter amazement that such beauty exists after the shocking exposure to the destruction at the peace memorial park.

The lake in the middle is filled with koi and turtles that follow you around and come to the shore looking for a handout. One of the prettiest parks I ever visited. Each corner brought to perfection… the way nature intended.

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This serene garden that survived a great tragedy is beautiful and compact; however, it also bears testimony to the tragedy that befell Hiroshima. It has a leaning ginkgo tree which is the only tree that survived the tragedy. There is also a monument to victims of the A-bomb where remains were recovered as recently as 1987.

 

 

The calm and beauty of the garden was a wonderful relief after the Peace Park, which is important to see, but brings into focus the horrors of war. There is also a small coffee shop here, but the garden is really about beauty. I would definitely spend time here. It is also free with ID if you are over 65.

 

 

Set in the midst of a buzzing metropolis and high rising buildings, this time-out space is a must see. The leaves were changing for Autumn which made it a photographers dream.

Moments of Reflection and Peace in this Beautiful Park.

15 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

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We took the bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima. This is such a wonderful way to travel, certainly as good as flying if not better.  Once arriving in Hiroshima our first place to visit was  the Peace Memorial Park.  Our hotel was right by the main train station so it was easy to take the local tram from the station over to the park.

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Hiroshima Peace Memorial in the centre of Hiroshima, is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima, the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack, and,  to the memories of the bomb’s direct and indirect victims.  Visiting Hiroshima is a sobering experience when one considers the devastation that was wrought in August 1945. The fact that the site is now a vibrant city is a credit to the Japanese people. Hiroshima Peace Park is a very tranquil area which provokes thoughts and memories of the devastation caused by the atomic bomb.

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In Peace Park you can see various sites related to the atomic bomb. Before the bombing, the area where the park is located today served as the political and commercial centre of the city. That is why this area was chosen for bombing. Four years after the disaster, they decided not to rebuild the buildings, but to turn the area into a peace park; a park in memory of the 70,000 people killed directly by the bombing and tens of thousands of people who were killed the following year as a result of its effects, a total of 160,000 people. Here you will also find one of the only buildings left in the park after the bomb was dropped on the city. The building is now called A-Bomb Dome which is now  on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

20190211_140703Beautiful and serene, the park definitely has a significant role to play in the hoping for world peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons from the world while reflecting on the history and not repeating it again. It is a wonderful place just to walk around with so many features including the Children’s Memorial, the Cenotaph, the reflecting pool and eternal flame, the Peace Bell that you can ring, the Peace Clock that strikes at 8.15 every morning, signifying the time when the bomb detonated, the Memorial to the bomb victims and many statues and fountains. It is a gorgeous park with the river flowing along one side and the Atomic Dome on the other side that can be reached via the Aioi Bridge.

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The Japanese people are very determined and the result of the post-war is proof of this. They rebuilt the country on the basis of education and culture. This park in Hiroshima, despite the historical sadness it carries, also brings much to us about the new Japanese era.

Vivacious and Exciting – Dotonbori

05 Tuesday Feb 2019

Posted by in Dotonbori, Osaka. Japan

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I loved this place. It was crowded and colourful.

Dotonbori is the bright heart of Osaka running along the Dōtonbori canal from Dōtonboribashi Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge.

Dotonbori is a popular place for tourists looking for great street food with a good variety. For the food lover this is a perfect place to be.

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Dotonbori is great for shopping and for cheap eats. We were there from late morning to late afternoon but if we wanted to experience the whole district we could have been there for much longer. We loved exploring the little lane ways where it was much quieter with many quaint little local restaurants.

We arrived at Dotonbori and found our way to the canal where the well known neon sign (Glico man etc) can be seen. If you stay long enough and stare at Glico running man, you will see that he is actually running and running and running from day to night to day to night. It is crowded but the pedestrian traffic is smooth.

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We stopped for lunch at one of the many noodles restaurants in Dotonbori. This was my first experience of ordering food via a vending machine. Possibly or probably, Japan is the capital of vending machines in the world. Many ramen, soba and udon restaurants in Japan often have vending machines where you have to buy tickets before taking seats. At first I was not sure if I could use the machine, however one of the staff from the restaurant came out to help us. I soon realised that it is a great method. The ordering process was so efficient, it certainly prevents customers leaving without paying and the staff do not need to deal with money at all. They can concentrate on the cooking and serving.

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Before we put our money into the machine, we chose which meal we wanted. There were pictures for all meals.

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After we purchased our tickets we went inside and handed them to a staff member who advised the kitchen staff of our orders and showed us to our seats which were at a long bench. It was tiny inside but everything was clean and efficient. I noticed that there were baskets placed on the benches with 5 raw eggs in each which diners could add to their noodle dishes if they wished. We took our seats and sat back and waited for our meals to come. I ordered the Pork ramen which was the best noodles I have ever eaten.

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It was a tremendous experience which I could recommend.

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Dotonbori is a must for any traveller looking for good food in Japan. This is a canal district that has many restaurants serving staples like takoyaki, ramen, sushi, etc. There is a fair bit of shopping, also, but definitely the food is your true aim. It is very crowded and vibrant here but not to be missed when you are in Osaka.

Magical Japanese Island – with wild deer, oysters, temples and Torii Gate

27 Sunday Jan 2019

Posted by in Miyajima Island, Hiroshima, Japan

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My visit to Hiroshima was one of the highlights of my trip to Japan, especially to Itsukushima Island which is popularly known as Miyajima Island. As soon as I stepped from the ferry to the island I knew it was my happy place.

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We arrived to the ferry terminal by coach however it is easy enough to take the train from Hiroshima station to Miyajimaguchi station which takes about 30 mins. Then onto the ferry which takes about 10 mins across to Miyajima Island. It was 10 mins of stunning beauty on a perfect day.  As the ferry approached Miyajima Island, the great floating Torii came into sight…and what a beautiful sight it is.

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Miyajima Island is one of the most scenic spots in Japan. It is a romantic and historical island where the Ituskushima Shrine, a World Heritage site, is located, along with many preserved shrines, temples and historical monuments.

The island originally takes its name because of Itsukushima shrine and subsequently Miyajima which literally means Shrine Island.

The floating torii was the entrance gate for this shrine, once accessed by boat directly to the shrines own pier. The shrine is, of course, very much an icon of Japan. At low tide you can walk out to its base.
The historic Torii Gate sits mystically on the sea.  The floating Torii gate is one of the most popular photo attractions in Japan,

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I had seen pictures of Miyajima but nothing could quite prepare me for the beauty of the actual experience. As we approached the gate from the shore, walking along the tourist shops and gently fighting off the perpetually hungry deer we were transfixed by the astonishing magnificence of the site. It is one of the world’s greatest spiritual artistic achievements

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A visit to Miyajima provides many pleasures, cultural, religious, scenic, enjoyment of the “wild” deer on the island, beach time, hiking, eating, shopping, and tram/ropeway

The island is small yet magical with temples, pagodas, shrines and many nature tracks you can visit. The temples, pagodas, and shrines are lovely. The place is very special  –  you can easily spend the whole day there, or stay over and enjoy everything at your leisure.

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There are loads of white tail deer around the island; you will see them outside the ferry terminal when you first arrive and along the way to the torii shrine and temples.  Although they are wild, they are tame and friendly. It reminded me of the Nara Deer park.

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Hiroshima is famous for oysters so of course we had to stop and try them along the way. Also, many of the restaurants serve oysters.

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I totally loved our visit to this little island filled with history and beauty – the natural scenery and architecture together creates such an amazing blend of peace and tranquility.  In contrast to the emotionally fraught experience of Hiroshima, it’s a tranquil and necessary balance

What a magnificent day on this sacred Island.