Chashitsu

This article takes a look at Japan's tectonic landscape and it's effects of volcanic activity, earthquakes and tsunamis on shaping the landscape and how this is reflected in the gardens... read all

The UK flora (and fauna) was largely wiped out during the last ice age and has been subsequently enhanced by imports from South East Asia, China and Japan in particular... read all

On my last full day in Kyoto I ventured to the Imperial Palace gardens, which were nearby. Just inside the south gate... read all

Having visited Kyoto on a number of occasions and seen many of the main temples and gardens I decided to devote a couple of days visiting less popular... read all

Having never hitherto stayed in Tokyo, I decided to include it my itinerary, mainly as a transport hub... read all

Koraku-en garden is one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan... read all

I went with a group in 2002 on a coach day to Hikone and saw the gardens and Ryotan-ji temple but not the castle... read all

I visited Nara on my first trip to Japan in 2002 and remembered little other than Todai-ji... read all

I have long been touched by the story coming out of Hiroshima after the tragedy of 1945 about the young girl Sadako Sasaki... read all

Kakunodate I hear you say, where is it? It is a small town, population 14,000 in Akita province, northern Honshu... read all

Takao has long held a fascination and is particularly resplendent in autumn. It is a small mountain village together with Toganoo and Makinoo... read all

The castle at Takahashi had come to my attention with a dramatic picture of a mountain top castle in the clouds... read all

Kamakura was the capital of Japan for 141 years following the defeat of the Taira clan by the Minamoto under Yoritomo until Emperor Go-Diago... read all

The Takayama temple trail is a little off the regular sightseeing track in the Teramachi district of the Higashiyama hills... read all

The TIC in Kyoto suggests a number of walks around the city, one of which is a hike between the mountain villages of Kurama and Kibune... read all

We took an early Shinkansen to Himeji and walked to the castle, which is about 20 minutes to the north of the station... read all

Shigemori Mirei was a self taught garden designer active between 1939 and 1975. He studied traditional gardens and endeavoured to strike a balance... read all

We caught the local train to Saga Arashiyama by the river Hozu, just after it emerges from the Hozu gorge... read all

We caught an early train to nearby Yasugi and picked up the minibus to the Adachi Museum. The Adachi Museum or Art founded in recent times by Adachi Zenko... read all

We went by coach to Horyu-ji temple complex a few miles outside Nara city. Horyu-ji is reputed to be the birth place of Buddhism in Japan and houses the worlds oldest surviving wooden structures... read all

I visited the head temple of the Agon-shu Buddhist with a group of friends by private arrangement... read all

After centuries of feudal wars, Japan was united following the battle of Sekigahara in 1600 under the Tokugawa shogunate... read all

We took the train to Uji and made straight for Byodo-in temple. A lovely temple with a dash of late spring colour in the form of azaleas... read all