Traveling Info

Dazaifu Tenman-gū (太宰府天満宮, Dazaifu Tenman-gū?) is a Shinto shrine located in Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is built over the grave of Sugawara no Michizane and is one of the main shrines dedicated to Tenjin, the deified form of Michizane. The shrine's precinct spans over 3,000 acres and includes several structures. Its honden, or main shrine, was first built by Yasuyuki Umasake in 905, two years after the death of Sugawara Michizane. A larger structure was constructed by the Fujiwara clan in 919 but was destroyed in a fire during during a civil war. The Momoyama-styled shrine visitors see today dates from 1591. The grounds also contain two ponds, a bridge and a treasure house.[1] This treasure house holds several Important Cultural Properties as well as one National Treasure—a calligraphic work known as the kanen (翰苑, kanen?) The shrine is also known for its 167 varieties of 6,000 ume (Asian plum) trees. One tree, known as Tobiume, stands directly to the right of the honde...

This sub-shrine of the Kyogoku family's famous Kotohiragu Shrine on the island of Shikoku, is nestled in the congested Tokyo business district of Toranomon. A branch of the Kyogoku family moved to Tokyo in 1679 and established this shrine in honor of the seamanship and navigation god, Kompira-san. Fortunately the bombing in 1945 did not demolish the splendid torii gate, which is plated in copper and dates to 1821. Recently, the shrine has become a popular place to get good luck charms.

Itsukushima Shrine (Japanese: 厳島神社, Itsukushima Jinja) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima) in the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as national treasures. How to get there Itsukushima Shrine is located a 5-10 minute walk from the Miyajima ferry pier. Click here for map Detail Info The first shrine buildings were probably erected in the 6th century, but the present shrine dates from the 12th century. The current shrine has been in its present state since 1168 when funds were provided by the warlord Taira no Kiyomori. The shrine's construction, consisting of pier-like structures built over the bay, is due to the holy status that the island once commanded. Commoners were historically not allowed to set foot on the island, and had to approach by boat, entering through the gate that appears to float. Beside the shrine ...

Ise Shrine (Ise-jingū) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. How to get there The Outer Shrine is located in central Ise, about a 5 minute walk from Ise-shi Station, while the Inner Shrine stands several kilometers outside of the city center. The Inner Shrine can be reached by bus from Ise-shi Station or the Outer Shrine in about 15 minutes and 410 Yen. Click here for map Both shrines can also be accessed by the CAN bus, which provides direct connections between the shrines, Ise-shi Station, Edo Wonderland, the Meoto Iwa Rocks and Toba. A one day pass for the CAN bus costs 1000 Yen and provides unlimited rides on the bus, as well as discounts on admission to various attractions. A two day pass is available for 1600 Yen. Ise Jingū Officially known simply as Jingū or "The Shrine", Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, Naikū and Ge...

Hōryū-ji (Temple of the Flourishing Law?) is a Buddhist temple in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is Hōryū Gakumonji, or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, named as such because the site serves as a seminary as well as a monastery. The temple is widely acknowledged to have some of the oldest wooden buildings existing in the world, and is one of the most celebrated temples in Japan. In 1993, Hōryū-ji was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Japanese government lists it as a National Treasure. How to get there Horyuji is located about 12 km outside of central Nara. Click here for map By train: From JR Nara Station, take the frequently departing Yamatoji Line to Horyuji Station (12 minutes). From there, it is a 20 minute walk or 5 minute bus ride to the temple. By bus: From JR or Kintetsu Nara Station, take bus number 60 which takes about 40 minutes to Horyuji-mae. Alternatively, take bus number 52, 97 or 98 which take about 15 minutes longer than bus num...

Tōdai-ji (東大寺, Tōdai-ji?, meaning the Eastern Great Temple), is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿 Daibutsuden), reputedly the largest wooden building in the world, houses a colossal bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as the Daibutsu (大仏) The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism. The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site as "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara," together with seven other sites including temples, shrines and places in the city of Nara. Sika deer, regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, roam the grounds freely. How to get there Todaiji is located in Nara Park. Click here for map Hours and Admission Admission: 500 Yen Hours: Opens 7:30 (8:00 from November through March), closes 17:30 (16:30 from November through February, 17:00 in March and October) History Roots The beginning of building a temple where the huge...

Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺, Kinkaku-ji? Golden Pavilion Temple) is the informal name of Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺, Deer Garden Temple) in Kyoto, Japan. It was originally built in 1397 to serve as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, as part of his estate then known as Kitayama. It was his son who converted the building into a Zen temple of the Rinzai school. The temple was burned down twice during the Ōnin War. The Golden Pavilion, or Kinkaku, is a three-story building on the grounds of the temple. The top two stories of the pavilion are covered with pure gold leaf. The pavilion functions as a shariden, housing relics of the Buddha (Buddha's Ashes). The building is often linked or contrasted with Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion Temple, which is also located in Kyoto. The Golden Pavilion is set in a magnificent Japanese strolling garden (kaiyū-shiki). The pond in front of it is called Kyōko-chi (Mirror Pond). There are many islands and stones on the pond that represent the Buddhist creation...

Sanjūsangendō (三十三間堂, Sanjūsangendō?) is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama District of Kyoto, Japan. Officially known as "Rengeō-in" (蓮華王院), or Hall of the Lotus King, Sanjusangendo belongs to and is run by the Myoho-in temple, a part of the Tendai school of Buddhism. The temple name literally means Hall with thirty three spaces between columns, describing the architecture of the long main hall of the temple. How to get there Sanjusangendo is a 15-20 minute walk or a short bus ride (lines 100, 206 or 208) from Kyoto Station. Click here for map Hours and admission Hours: Apr-mid-Nov: daily 8-5; mid-Nov-Mar: daily 9-4 Cost: ¥600 History Taira no Kiyomori completed the temple under order of Emperor Go-Shirakawa in 1164. The temple complex suffered a fire in 1249 and only the main hall was rebuilt in 1266. In January, the temple has an event known as the Rite of the Willow (柳枝のお加持), where worshippers are touched on the head with a sacred willow branch to cure and prevent headaches...

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺, Kiyomizu-dera?) is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Kyoto. Its full name is Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera (音羽山清水寺, Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera?). The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site. Not one nail is used in the whole temple. How to get there Kiyomizudera can be reached from Kyoto Station in about 15 minutes by bus. Take bus number 100 or 206 and get off at Kiyomizu-michi or Gojo-zaka, from where it is a 10-15 minute uphill walk to the temple. Click here for map Admission and Hours Admission: 300 Yen Open: Daily 6:00 to 18:00 (regular hours) Origin and history The temple dates back to 798, and its present buildings were constructed in 1633. It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills. Kiyomizu means clear water. The main hall has a veranda, supported by tall pillars, that juts out over the hillside and offers impressive views of the city. The popular expres...

Tōshō-gū (東照宮) is any Shinto shrine in which Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the last shogunate of Japan, is enshrined with the name Tōshō Daigongen (東照大権現). Tōshō-gū shrines are found throughout Japan. The most famous Tōshō-gū is located in Nikkō in Tochigi Prefecture. It is one of Japan's most popular destinations for tourists. Ieyasu's son, the second shogun Hidetada, ordered the construction of the Nikkō Tōshō-gū. Later, the third shogun Iemitsu had the shrine greatly enlarged and lavishly decorated. The Tōshō-gū at Ueno Park in Tokyo is also widely known. Another, at Kunozan in Shizuoka prefecture, rivals Nikkō's for decorative splendor. A Tōshō-gū can also be found at Miyanochō, in Sendai. During the Edo period, these shrines reached 500 in number. After the Meiji Restoration, many were abandoned, and others united with shrines in the area. Presently, there are about 130 Tōshō-gū. How to get there Toshogu and Nikko's other main shrines and temples are located a 30...

Hase Temple is a temple of the Jodo sect, that is most famous for its statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The statue shows Kannon with eleven heads, each representing a characteristic of the goddess. The 9.18 meter tall, gilded wooden statue is regarded as the largest wooden sculpture in Japan, and can be viewed in the temple's main building. Visitors to Hase Temple can enjoy a great view of the coastal city of Kamakura from the terrace next to the temple's main buildings. There is also a small restaurant where Japanese sweets such as mitarashi dango, small rice flour dumplings covered with a sticky sauce made of sugar and soya sauce, other small meals and beverages are served. How to get there Hase Temple is located a 5 minute walk from the Enoden Railway Hase Station, the third station from Kamakura main station. The Enoden is a streetcar-like train that connects Kamakura with Enoshima and Fujisawa. Its terminal station in Kamakura is located just west of JR Kamakura Sta...

The Great Buddha of Kamakura, 高徳院, (Daibutsu in Japanese) is a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha in the city of Kamakura, Japan. Seated serenely in the grounds of Kotokuin, a Buddhist temple of the Pure Land sect, the Great Buddha is one of the icons of Japan. At 13.35 meters high and weighing 93 tons, the Daibutsu is the second largest monumental Buddha in Japan (after the one at Todaiji in Nara) and to many, the most impressive. The Diabutsu was cast in 1252 in the Kamakura period and was originally housed inside a temple as in Nara. But a huge tsunami washed away the wooden structure sometime in the late 15th century, and the statue has sat under sun, snow, and stars ever since. The Great Buddha is seated in the lotus position with his hands forming the Dhyani Mudra, the gesture of meditation. With a serene expression and a backdrop of wooded hills, the Daibutsu is a truly spectacular sight. The Daibutsu depicts Amida Buddha, who is the focus of Pure Land Buddhism. Or...

Meiji Shrine (明治神宮, Meiji Jingū?), located in Shibuya, Tokyo, is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. When Emperor Meiji died in 1912 and Empress Shōken in 1914, the Japanese people wished to pay their respects to the two influential Japanese figures. It was for this reason that Meiji Shrine was constructed and their souls enshrined on November 1, 1920. How to get here The approach to Meiji Shrine starts a few steps from Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote Line or Meiji-jingu-mae Station on the Chiyoda Subway Line. Click here for map Hours and fees Hours: Sunrise to sunset Closed: No closed days Admission: Free History After the emperor's death in 1912, the Japanese Diet passed a resolution to commemorate his role in the Meiji Restoration. An iris garden in an area of Tokyo where Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken had been known to visit was chosen as the building's location. Construction began in 1915, and the ...

Sensō-ji (金龍山浅草寺, Kinryū-zan Sensō-ji?) is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect, it became independent after World War II. Adjacent to the temple is a Shinto shrine, the Asakusa Shrine. How to get there Sensoji Temple is a few steps from Asakusa Station, served by the Ginza Subway Line, Asakusa Subway Line and Tobu Railways. Click here for map From Tokyo Station Take the JR Yamanote Line to Kanda Station (2 minutes, 130 Yen) and transfer to the Ginza Subway Line for Asakusa (10 minutes, 160 Yen). From Shinjuku Station Take the orange JR Chuo Line to Kanda Station (10 minutes, 160 Yen) and transfer to the Ginza Subway Line for Asakusa (10 minutes, 160 Yen). Hours and fees Hours: 6:00 to 17:00 (from 6:30 from October to March) Closed: No closed days Admission: Free Event that held Sanja Matsuri - May: one of Tokyo's three major festivals. ( click here for...