Nestled in the middle of Setagaya, Gotokuji-temple was high on my list of temples to visit this year in Tokyo. Completely different to any other temple I’d visited in Japan, Gotokuji is dedicated to the maneki-neko and is definitely worth the visit if (like me), you’re also a bit of a crazy cat lady! Usually
About Mount Koya Often described as the most spiritual area of Japan, Mt Koya is home to an active monastic centre founded by Kobo Daishi, and is the headquarters of the Koyasan sect of Shingon Buddism. It also happens to be one of the best places to arrange a temple stay. We experienced our first
About Kyoto Located in the Kansai region of Honshu, Kyoto holds a special place in my heart as the first city I truly fell in love with. It’s been nearly ten years since my first visit, but this time felt as special as it did all those years ago. The city is home to around
Isui-En Isui-En translates as ‘garden founded on water’, an apt name as the garden is designed around two ponds fed by the neighbouring Yoshikigawa River. I can’t decide which is my favourite garden in Nara (a very hard choice considering Yoshikien is right next door), but Isuien for me is one of the most memorable.
Yoshiki-En We visited Yoshikien in early April. It was still unexpectedly cold for spring and apart from the cherry blossom, the trees were still very much asleep. Despite being a little bare, the garden was still beautiful. We arrived in Nara late morning, and while we usually like to explore and photograph nature in either
The Conservatory, Kyoto Botanical Garden It doesn’t matter where we’re heading in the world, one of the first things we’ll start researching are nearby gardens. Why I’d never visited the Kyoto Botanical Gardens before this spring then was a little mind boggling, especially considering it’s home to Japan’s largest conservatory. It’s also home to over
Okochi Sanso Another of my favourite quiet gardens of Kyoto is the beautiful Okochi Sanso. Formally owned by Japanese actor Okochi Denjiro, his house and gardens have now been opened to the public. Since it was built on the top of a hill, the gardens wind up hill – little stone paths leading from moss
Shōren-in Shōren-in is one of the five Monzeki temples of the Tendai sect in Kyoto and is nestled up a side street in the Southern Higashiyama area. It’s peaceful, sheltered and – for want of a better phrase – a little solemn. I visited on a rainy day in early April and as I sat
Honen-in Honen-in, one of my favourite temples in all of Kyoto. My first visit two years ago was beautifully peaceful – the kind of peace that only comes when visiting a serene garden in the rain. Part of me was hoping for a little downpour this time round as well, but sadly that came on