Category Archives: Japan
Hoi An by candlelight
When the moon is full, the candles are lit, the fluorescent tubes take a rest and the lanterns glow. Twice a month, the World Heritage Site of the old Vietnamese trading port of Hoi An reclaims its romantic charm. Well … Continue reading
Wangkou Village
It had been a long day. We’d already visited three previous villages and all had been crowded, touristy, cleaned up and some partially rebuilt. I was not hopeful that the last village – Wangkou – would be any different. But … Continue reading
10 days in a Chinese ink painting
Our 10-day trip to China was mostly rained out. But for once, boy were we glad it rained. Grey skies almost 80% of the time, with rain and mist and fog, this would have been a dampener on any holiday … Continue reading
Daibutsu at Kamakura
A tourist-show, a legend told, A rusting bulk of bronze and gold, So much, and scarce so much, ye hold The meaning of Kamakura? – Rudyard Kipling, Buddha at Kamakura Neither tsunami nor earthquake could put a dent in the … Continue reading
Bessho Onsen
If you asked me where my deep affinity for all things Japanese came from, I guess it must started with those calendars. As a child, I was always drawn to the beauty of the Japanese garden scenery reflected in the glossy … Continue reading
Nagano’s Path to the Pure Land
In Nagano, all paths lead to Zenkoji. Possibly one of the most important and influential Buddhist centres of worship in Japan and a pilgrimage site, Zenkoji has had a long and important history in Nagano. In fact, with Zenkoji being … Continue reading
Togakushi: Soba, Ninjas and Shrines
As with any pilgrimage, it is often the journey that is just as, if not more important than the destination. In the magnificent tree-lined path leading to the innermost sanctuary of one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines, there is time … Continue reading
