May 3, 2014

Hakuunsan Torii Kannon

Last week, I went on a hike that started from Naguri Village, in Hanno City (Saitama Prefecture). While researching the path, I learned about the Hakuunsan Torii Kannon (白雲山鳥居観音). It is a large park built on a mountain in Naguri, with multiple temples and monuments, the most impressive of which is the white Dai-Kannon (救世大観音 ; Guze Dai-Kannon). At 33m, it is a large statue of Kannon that can be seen from quite far. Like at the Tokyo Wan Kannon, it is even possible to climb to the head (but it was not open yet when I was there).

April 28, 2014

Spring at the Koishikawa Korakuen Garden

Spring has come to the Koishikawa Korakuen Garden.

April 23, 2014

Yanagimori Shrine near Akibahara

Yanagimori Shrine is a shinto shrine located across the Kanda River from Akibahara. It is dedicated to the tanuki (Japanese racoon dog), often pictured with enormous testicles.

April 22, 2014

Gotoku-ji Temple in Setagaya

Gotoku-ji is a buddhist temple in Setagaya City, Tokyo. Its claim to fame is that this is supposedly where the maneki neko dolls (beckoning cat) were first used, as an offering by worshipers to show their gratitude when their wishes became true.

April 20, 2014

Cherry blossoms at the Aoyama Cemetery

Aoyama Cemetery (青山霊園) is located in Aoyama, Minato, not far from Roppongi. The cemetery is famous for its cherry blossoms and many people visit it during hanami season. When I visited, the blossoms were already past their peaks and petals were falling from the trees and covering the tombs and alleys.

April 19, 2014

Cherry blossoms along the Takinogawa River

Starting at Oji station, I walked on a pedestrian path along the Takinogawa River (滝野川) until I reached Naka-Itabashi station. The path is lined with many cherry trees.

April 18, 2014

Tokai Nature Trail at Lake Sagami: Hike to Mount Arashi & Mount Sekiro

A few weeks ago, I went on a hike near Lake Sagami, west of Tokyo in Kanagawa Prefecture. I followed a section of the Tokai Nature Trail: The whole trail covers 1,697km and goes from Mount Takao in Tokyo all the way to Mount Mino near Osaka.

April 18, 2014

Ceremonial sumo tournament at Yasukuni Shrine

Every spring, a ceremonial one-day sumo tournament called Honozumo is held on the grounds of Yasukuni Shrine. Entrance is free.

April 18, 2014

Cherry blossoms at Yoyogi Park

With more than 600 cherry trees, Yoyogi Park is a popular hanami spot for the Harajuku crowd.

April 18, 2014

Hatonomori Hachiman Shrine in Sendagaya

Hatonomori Hachiman Shrine is a shinto shrine in Sendagaya, Shibuya City. Its distinguishing feature is its Fujizuka, called the Sendagaya Fuji. Fujizuka are small mounds that represent Mount Fuji. Fuji worshipers who are unable to do a pilgrimage to the top of Mount Fuji can use one of those instead. There are many other such Fujizuka in Tokyo (for example, at Shinagawa Shrine or Onoterusaki Shrine in Iriya).

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