Travel Diary: Fushimi Inari Taisha

Fushimi Inari Taisha or Shrine is the most important shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Several locals visit Fushimi Inari to pray for prosperity for their businesses. Tourist, however, visit this shrine for its visual appeal. Personally, I think it’s one of Kyoto’s most beautiful sights. It’s hard not to be when […]

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Travel Diary: Nijo Castle

The Nijo-jo or Nijo Castle is one of the few remaining castles in Japan that showcases traditional palace architecture of Japan’s feudal era. It’s definitely not as in-your-face flamboyant as European castles and possesses a more subtle kind of grandeur, but nevertheless, still worth a visit. The biggest difference I noticed between the two is […]

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Travel Diary: Kasuga Taisha

A short walk around Nara park from Todaiji will lead you to Nara’s most celebrated shrine and another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Kasuga Taisha or Kasuga Shrine. It’s the royal shrine of Japan’s most powerful clan, Fujiwara. To reach the shrine, you’ll have to pass through a long pathway lined with stone lanterns. It […]

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