New Year’s at Nishinomiya Shrine: Photo Gallery
[portfolio_slideshow]
This temple’s rock garden was designed to represent the beach where a teenager was killed in single combat. His death is one of the most famous in Japanese history. His killer renounced his samurai life soon after and became a Buddhist monk. This place has some serious education going on…any guesses?
In the whirlwind that was the first few months of living in Japan, I was lucky enough to have two second year JETs to hold my hand. They showed our ragtag crew around the area and together we went to a Hanshin baseball game, a tour of Kobe, and even to Hikone castle. On one…
It’s April and that means the brief, but beautiful cherry blossom season. The sales of blue tarpaulins are set to sky rocket and public intoxication in the middle of the day will reach giddy new heights. Whether it’s your first, final or other, 花見 season in Japan, Hyogo has a positive cornucopia of great spots…
In 1994 Osaka, despite being a cosmopolitan hub of international business, offered no opportunity to celebrate European film culture. Fortunately, all that has changed thanks to the ongoing hard work of film aficionado Patrice Boiteau, chairman and founder of the Osaka European Film Festival. This November the Osaka European Film Festival celebrates its 20th year….
In a close-knit community, nestled in the mountains of Fuji country, stands the home of Kazumi; three cubical stories of jet-black modern design, which make it utterly unique and utterly out of place sandwiched between its traditional neighbors. Yet somehow, sitting back behind the other houses, its dignified simplicity seems to keep it just Japanese…
In April, when the snow has melted away, there is one place you can count on for a mountain of snow. The Northern Japanese alps are the steepest and considered by some to be the most beautiful in Japan. The Alpine Route, as its highest point, has an altitude of 2500 metres. The route can…