Category Archives: Japanese Culture

Hie Shrine

18 Aug Filed under Japanese Culture, Tokyo. No comments.

These torii cover a staircase on the back side of Hie Shrine in Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan. The names of various companies are written on them. These are companies that have given money to support the Shrine. View Larger Map

Praying Statue on Mt. Takao

28 Jul Filed under Japanese Culture, Places to Visit. No comments.

Praying statue on Mt. Takao in rural Tokyo. If anyone knows the cultural significance or can identify this deity please comment. I’ll happily update the description. Mt. Takao is located on the northwest edge of Tokyo. Great place for a day hike. View Larger Map

Dragon in Nikko

26 Jul Filed under Japanese Culture, Places to Visit. No comments.

A figure of a dragon on the roof of a temple in Nikko, Japan. View Larger Map

Izakaya in Akasaka

15 Jul Filed under Japanese Culture, Tokyo. No comments.

Latern in front of an Izakaya in Akasaka, an area in Tokyo, Japan. An izakaya is a uniquely Japanese dining experience. Most of the menu consists of bite sized fried things that you can pop into your mouth and wash down with a gulp of … Read More →

Hiroshima Castle at Night

11 Jul Filed under Japanese Culture, Places in History, Western Japan. No comments.

View Larger Map Hiroshima Castle at night. Some info on Hiroshima Castle from Wikipedia: “…Originally constructed in the 1590s, the castle was destroyed in the atomic bombing in 1945. It was rebuilt in 1958, a replica of the original which now serves as a museum … Read More →

Jizou

5 Jul Filed under Japanese Culture. No comments.

View Larger Map Though not the case with these ones outside a temple, these statues are sometimes placed by parents who have lost a child. From wikipedia: “In Japan, Ksitigarbha, known as Jizō, or Ojizō-sama as he is respectfully known, is one of the most … Read More →

Sake Drums at Hie Shrine

3 Jul Filed under Japanese Culture. No comments.

Sake drums at Hie Jinja (日枝神社) in Akasaka in Tokyo, Japan. View Larger Map From Wikipedia: “…The date of establishment of the Hie Shrine is uncertain. According to one theory, Ōta Dōkan established it in 1478. Another theory identifies the Hie with the Sannō Shrine … Read More →

Kintai Bridge (錦帯橋)

30 Jun Filed under Iwakuni, Japanese Culture, Places in History. 1 Comment.

Photo of Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. View Larger Map From Wikipedia: “After Iwakuni Castle was built in 1601 by Kikkawa Hiroie, the first lord of Iwakuni Domain, a series of wooden bridges were built, all of which were destroyed by floods … Read More →

Samurai Helmet

26 Jun Filed under Japanese Culture, Places in History, Western Japan. 1 Comment.

Samurai helmet in the museum in Iwakuni Castle. Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. View Larger Map From Wikipedia: “This castle was constructed by Kikkawa Hiroie from 1601 to 1608 as his own castle. Kikkawa was a retainer of a vassal of the Shogun under the … Read More →