It’s some time since I made an excursion to a new shrine, so I was intrigued to see what Hattori Tenjingu on the edge of Osaka had to offer. A surprising amount, was the answer. Packed into the small confines … Read the rest
Category: Shrine types (Page 2 of 4)
As part of Golden Week activities this year, I made a tour of places in Kyoto associated with the influential Hata Clan. Anyone who has lived in the city will have come across the name at some stage, as the … Read the rest
There are over 10,000 Tenmangu shrines in Japan which honour the spirit of Sugawara no Michizane (845-903), a Heian era statesman and poet who was unjustly exiled to Kyushu for plotting against the emperor. Years later oracular dreams indicated … Read the rest
Visitors can only approach Kojima Shrine in Nagasaki Prefecture at low tide, when the causeway is uncovered. The shrine itself is at the rear of the islet. (courtesy KYODO)
Islands have a charm of their own, and when they are … Read the rest
Today is the official release date of my latest publication, Japan’s World Heritage Sites. It’s a large-format, richly illustrated book with over 150 of my own photos together with some gorgeous selections from photo libraries. It involved travelling the … Read the rest
The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has a website with indepth explanations of aspects of Japanese culture, together with some useful illustrations. Here for example is their page on Shinto Shrines, which provides names for the various items. Interesting too … Read the rest
The following is an abridged extract from Shinto Shrines by Joseph Cali and John Dougill, published by the University of Hawaii Press. Illustrations by Geoff Chioti.
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Kasuga-zukuri:
Named after Kasuga Taisha in Nara, this is generally a small … Read the rest