Two misconceptions about travel in Japan come to mind frequently as we move around the country. First is that it’s very expensive to travel here. Not so. We’ve found it … Read more
The statue of the Buddha at the large Todai-ji temple in Nara, Japan, is the largest bronze statue of the Buddha in the world.
Shirakawa-go is a well preserved Japanese village that represents rural life in Japan from a few centuries ago.
Note: February 16, 2017. This is a slight update to a post I did more than three years ago. I haven’t changed much other than re-editing a couple photos and … Read more
I had to climb over a fence and slide part way down a hill toward the moat to get this shot. All I can say is that one day I … Read more
At the Motsu-Ji site in the World Heritage town of Hiraizumi, Japan, most of the huge temple complex built in the 8th Century has been destroyed by wars, fires, and earthquakes over the years.
We’re not backpackers, but we’ve been on the move constantly during our six weeks in Japan. We’ve experienced a range of accommodations, but none for longer than five nights–at the … Read more
The most famous temple in Japan, the gilded Temple of the Golden Pavilion of Kyoto, was intentionally burned to the ground in 1950 by a deranged monk.
Food? No problem. Small spaces? Check, I can handle that. But still there are a few matters, after a month in Japan, that continue to surprise me. 1. Public … Read more
Seeing the stark record of the atomic bomb destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki makes us reflect yet again on the horror of war.
Get our travel tips!