The Bamboo Temple This Kamakura temple is a must-see for its towering bamboo forest, its exquisite garden-like grounds, and its teahouse, where you can enjoy a delicious bowl of mattcha while contemplating the gently-swaying bamboo. Lovely in every season, it’s a particularly welcome destination in the summer months when the bamboo dials the temperature downContinueContinue reading “Hōkoku-ji Temple”
Category Archives: Shrines & temples
Sengaku-ji Temple
You know the story of the 47 samurai who avenged their lord, then were all ordered to commit ritual suicide? You can see the movie anywhere in the world, but visiting the place where the REAL 47 rōnin are buried is something you can only do in Japan! If you want to see a pieceContinueContinue reading “Sengaku-ji Temple”
Ueno Area
Ueno is the heart of “Old Tokyo,” where a vast park hosting venerable museums and thousands of sacred lotus exists side by side with busy artisans and merchants doing what they’ve been doing best for centuries Why do guidebooks send people to Ueno for all the wrong reasons? For example, if you go during cherry blossomContinueContinue reading “Ueno Area”
Hasedera Temple
This temple is known for its gigantic golden Kannon figure, but it’s also got a winding path guarded by a thousand stone Jizo figures, an underground grotto, a magnificent prayer wheel, and is a must-see in June for its hydrangea garden. Kamakura is stuffed with entertaining shrines and temples, but Hasedera is the only oneContinueContinue reading “Hasedera Temple”
Flower extravaganzas of Japan: Way beyond cherry blossoms!
At the Ashikaga Flower Park Cherries, schmerries, everyone crowds in to see the fluffy pink things, but they aren’t the only flower extravaganza to see in Japan! Not only will your friends be green with envy when you show them photos of these beauties, you’ll skip the jostling crowds and high-season prices. • Plum blossomsContinueContinue reading “Flower extravaganzas of Japan: Way beyond cherry blossoms!”
Noooo! Why is it CLOSED?!
There’s nothing more disappointing than flying all the way to Japan, navigating the trains, and hiking to the pin on your map,* only to discover that something you really want to see is CLOSED! Here’s what locals know about when things are open and when they’re not. 1 The 30-Minute Rule Most places don’t allowContinueContinue reading “Noooo! Why is it CLOSED?!”
Nishiarai Daishi Temple
Nishiarai Daishi is a grand Buddhist temple with all the trimmings—a great place to see all the holiday celebrations, but especially fabulous in February when the plum blossoms burst forth, in April when its renowned peony garden comes into bloom, and in late April to early May when its giant wisteria unfurls its meter-long purpleness.ContinueContinue reading “Nishiarai Daishi Temple”
Kamiyacho Area
Kamiyacho is home to Tokyo Tower, an ancient temple with hundreds of cheerful Jizo figures holding spinning pinwheels, and the must-see TeamLab Borderless digital wonderland. If you see nothing else while you’re in Tokyo, see the Borderless immersive digital environment. It’s truly a world without horizons, constantly changing and unfolding around you. From interactive waterfalls…ContinueContinue reading “Kamiyacho Area”
Kameido Tenjin Shrine
For centuries, this shrine has been so famous for its wisteria that Hiroshige featured it in his “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” woodblock prints. Best times to visit are January for the Bullfinch Festival, mid-February to early March for plum blossoms, late April to early May for the grand wisteria, and November to seeContinueContinue reading “Kameido Tenjin Shrine”
Yanaka Area
Cats are the unofficial mascot of Yanaka, one of the quirkiest (and undiscovered) Old Tokyo neighborhoods. It’s filled with traditional shops, shrines and temples, and is a must-visit in April, when the Nezu Shrine’s can’t-believe-your-eyes azaleas are in bloom. The shrine also puts on a lively celebration of New Year’s in January, and celebrates theContinueContinue reading “Yanaka Area”
Kamakura Day Trip
Kamakura is so close, it’s practically in Tokyo, and there’s no better day trip than seeing some of the most entertaining and unique shrines and temples in the country, all in one place. It’s especially excellent in late March – early April for the cherry blossom promenade down the center of town, in June forContinueContinue reading “Kamakura Day Trip”
Monzen-Nakachō Area
(Photo courtesy of Narita-san Fukakgawa Fudo temple website) The Monzen-Nakacho area isn’t mentioned on many must-go lists because most visitors don’t know about the neighborhood’s highly entertaining temple, the shrine that’s the birthplace of sumo wrestling, and (in late March to early April) one of the best hidden cherry blossom spots in Tokyo. This isContinueContinue reading “Monzen-Nakachō Area”
Mt. Takao
Mt. Takao is still within Tokyo city limits, but it feels like a world away! You can ogle plum blossoms in February, walk across hot coals in March, hoist a cold one with a great view all summer, or hike and enjoy the monkey park any time of year. Climbing this mountain has its rewards!ContinueContinue reading “Mt. Takao”
Great things to do in February
Setsubun On Feb 2-3, everyone celebrates Setsubun to usher in good luck for the new year. People dressed as demons are chased around and pelted with dried soybeans by everyone else, who are busy shouting things like, “Out with the bad luck, in with the good!” It’s also the holiday on which they sell bigContinueContinue reading “Great things to do in February”
Zojō-ji Temple
This temple is the subject of many woodblock prints and the burial place of seven shōguns. It’s a lovely place to see hundreds of Jizo figures with their colorful pinwheels and take a classic “ancient & modern” photo with Tokyo Tower, especially excellent at the major Buddhist holidays like New Year’s in January, Setsubun inContinueContinue reading “Zojō-ji Temple”
Yushima Shrine
I think the Yushima Shrine is the most beautiful shrine in Tokyo, and it’s especially worth seeing in February during plum blossom season and in November to celebrate the can’t-believe-your-eyes bonsai chrysanthemums. I love the Yushima shrine because it’s a fabulous example of Imperial shrines, which are built of unlacquered cedar with gold leaf detailing,ContinueContinue reading “Yushima Shrine”
Ikegami Honmon-ji Temple
Ikegami Honmon-ji is the major Nichren sect temple in Tokyo, and a great place to see all the big Buddhist festivals. It’s especially worth a visit in late February to mid-March, when its extensive plum garden is in bloom, and for the Oeshiki Ikegami Festival of 10,000 Lanterns in mid-October. This magnificent temple sacred toContinueContinue reading “Ikegami Honmon-ji Temple”
Asakusa Area
The Kaminari-mon (Thunder Gate) – gateway to Senso-ji temple and the Nakamise-dori shopping street This is where I take people on their first day in Tokyo. It’s everything you think Japan should be – traditional festivals, a secret garden, temples & more. It’s also a great place to see the big festivals during pretty muchContinueContinue reading “Asakusa Area”
Yasukuni Shrine
The shrine with a sumo ring! The most controversial shrine in Tokyo, the Yasukuni Shrine hosts festivals with all the trimmings in January, April, July and October. It’s also got a fascinating WWII museum, a lovely garden and an outdoor sumo amphitheater. This is a gorgeous, lively, maddeningly nationalistic, must-see Imperial shrine. Like the MeijiContinueContinue reading “Yasukuni Shrine”
Kanda Myōjin Shrine
How could the gods resist granting THESE prayers? The Kanda Myōjin shrine is in the heart of Akihabara—the cosplay, anime and video game heaven—so it’s no surprise that this is where manga artists pray for success! It’s also an excellent place to do some kimono-spotting in January and November on the traditional coming-of-age days. Sure,ContinueContinue reading “Kanda Myōjin Shrine”
When is the best time to come to Japan?
How to see Japanese festivals and events that most people missFrom today, I’ll be publishing a series of posts about destinations that are especially great to see in each month, with shout-outs to festivals, events, and places to see flower extravaganzas that are just as amazing as The Crowded Pink Season. Everyone thinks the bestContinueContinue reading “When is the best time to come to Japan?”
Where to see the strangest shrines in Tokyo
Some of the gods in residence at Tokyo’s shrines have hilarious and entertaining specialties! Oddly enough, many of these shrines sit on the grounds of venerable Buddhist temples. Japan’s indigenous Shintoism predates the arrival of Buddhism, and because Buddhist belief doesn’t require renouncing allegiance to other gods, they preserved the sites honoring the old godsContinueContinue reading “Where to see the strangest shrines in Tokyo”
Where to get a healing souvenir for your ailing loved one
If you have dear ones whose health you can’t stop thinking about—even while on your dream trip to Japan—why not bring back a healing gift to show how much you care? Japan has many healing shrines and temples—some specific, some general—and you need not be a practicing Buddhist or a Shinto believer to enjoy theContinueContinue reading “Where to get a healing souvenir for your ailing loved one”
Bigtime cherry blossoms, small town crowds
Everyone who comes to Japan for cherry blossom season flocks to the top spots in Tokyo for good reason—they’re spectacular. Which means they’re also spectacularly crowded. But guess what? Locals know that just an hour away in Kamakura, you can see jaw-dropping pinkness and gorgeous blooming views at the most entertaining shrines and temples inContinueContinue reading “Bigtime cherry blossoms, small town crowds”
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 