Taichoro, The Most Beautiful Guest Room Admired by the Korean Envoy
The view from Taichoro at Fukuzen-ji Temple, a reception hall and the guest lodge for the Korean Envoy, is a dignified beauty like a picturesque landscape framed by wooden columns. This scenic vista extends to the Sensuijima and Benten-jima islands in the east, while the Shikoku Mountains are in the distance, overlooking the Seto Inland […]
Honpoji Temple, The Precursor of the Rimpa School, Hon'ami Koetsu's World of Faith and Beauty
The tender green of the trees from outside is reflected on the polished stone floor at Honpoji Temple in Kyoto. The colors shimmer on the black surface and create a tranquil atmosphere. It’s incredibly beautiful. Honpoji Temple stands as one of the temples within the Nichiren Sect of Buddhism, established by Priest Nisshin during the […]
Sakuradamon Gate of Edo Castle ruins with beautiful cherry blossoms: Ii Naosuke lost his life
The stunning sight of cherry blossoms in full bloom reflecting on the water of Chidorigafuchi moat of the former Edo Castle, now the Imperial Palace, is breathtaking. Its beauty leads to the Sakuradamon gate, where a startling event occurred under a cold sky with heavy snowfall in 1860 for the Tokugawa Shogunate. Ii Naosuke (1815-1860; […]
Museum Meiji-Mura: Japan Red Cross Society Central Hospital, A Symbol of Relief Work in Peacetime
One of the wards of the Japanese Red Cross Central Hospital, delicately adorned with its exquisite exterior and state-of-the-art facilities, has been relocated to the Museum Meiji-Mura. Sunlight streams in through the glass wall of the corridor, and the long, straight, boarded corridor maintains a sense of pristine cleanliness. This wooden architecture exudes the esteemed […]
Hikone Castle, The life of Ii Naomasa, a Brave Warrior with Strong Diplomatic Skills
Hikone Castle, situated atop Mount Kinko along the shore of Lake Biwa, retains its stunning three-story structure, adorned with its white stucco exterior walls as it was in the past. The castle tower, a national treasure, showcases an elegant and rhythmical architectural style adorned with three types of gables: Kirizuma, Kara-hafu, and Iriomoya. Adding to […]
Wakayama Castle, A Great Lord, Yorinobu, laid the foundation of the Kishu's prosperity
In 1619, three years after Tokugawa Ieyasu's passing, his 10th son, Tokugawa Yorinobu (1602-1671, 徳川頼宣), received 555,000 koku, equivalent to the rice crop of yield (*) and established the Kishu domain (present-day Wakayama and southern Mie Prefectures). Wakayama Castle, the Kishu Tokugawa Family's residence, was extended and constructed at the mouth of the Kino River, […]
TIME magazine compiled the list of the World’s Greatest Places 2023
Nagoya is introduced to the list If, in addition to anime and whiskey, you seek a deep dive into Japan's Historical Sites, Nagoya, and its surroundings are some of the most suitable cities in Japan to visit. Situated between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto, Nagoya has played a pivotal role in Japanese history since ancient times. It […]
TIME magazine compiled the list of the World’s Greatest Places 2023
Nagoya is introduced to the list If, in addition to anime and whiskey, you seek a deep dive into Japan's Historical Sites, Nagoya, and its surroundings are some of the most suitable cities in Japan to visit. Situated between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto, Nagoya has played a pivotal role in Japanese history since ancient times. It […]
Zuihoden Mausoleum of the One-Eyed Dragon, Date Masamune: The Great Samurai's Legacy and Beliefs
One-Eyed Dragon, Date Masamune: The Great Samurai's Legacy and Beliefs
The Katsura Imperial Villa, authentically beautiful architecture
Situated in the southern province of Kyoto, along the picturesque Katsura River, the Katsura Imperial Villa, a masterpiece of beauty, served as a detached villa of two aesthetic crown princes: Prince Toshihito (1579~1629, 八条宮智仁親王) and his son, Prince Toshitada (1619~1662, 八条宮智忠親王). Its construction started in 1628 and was completed in 1658 during the transition from […]