Itsukushima Shrine, near Hiroshima, Japan
The Itsukushima shrine, a torii arch set into the sea near Hiroshima, and its attendant Noh theater stage, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tom Bartel
Zenkoji Temple, Nagano, Japan
Zenkoji Temple in Nagano offers a variety of religious images best taken in context.
Matsumoto Castle, Matsumoto, Japan
We toured the castle at Matsumoto, which is entirely made out of wood, btw, while we waited for the light to swing around and hit the “good” side of the … Read more
The Temples of Nikko, Japan
The temples of Nikko, Japan are some of the most ornate in Japan. The Nikko shrines were built by the Tokugawa Shoguns in the17th to 19th Centuries.
Getting Lost in Tokyo
We had a notion that Japan was going to be a bit, shall we say, inscrutable. And we were right. There’s something about not having an alphabet so foreigners can … Read more
Roadside Shinto Shrine, Nikko, Japan
This Shinto shrine was tucked into a hillside right next to the highway. Nikko is the home to some of the most distinctive Shinto shrines in Japan.
National Championships, Sumo Wrestling, Tokyo
For some reason the first day of the national Sumo Wrestling tournament in Tokyo reminded me a bit of bullfighting in Spain. There’s a lot of traditional pomp, a lot … Read more
Haleakala Volcano Crater, Maui, Hawaii
The crater at the Haleakala Volcano National Park on Maui was not made by an eruption, but by the constant erosion of the wind and rain in the time since … Read more
Durham Cathedral, England
The pillars and walls at Durham Cathedral, built in the 11th Century, are so massive when compared to the delicacy of the Exeter Cathedral, built almost 400 years later. The bulk is relieved slightly by carved design visible on the left pillars, but the overall sense is one of pure weight.
Coventry Cathedral, England
The Cathedral at Coventry, England, once thought to be among the most beautiful in England, was destroyed by German bombs on November 14, 1940. Some of the 14th Century walls … Read more
