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Kinwashi Tour Japan Thread

  • kinwashi

    •  Asakusa

      from source

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

       

      Though Kyoto is my favorite place for temples and shrines sight-seeing, one place that really caught my attention is Asakusa (æµ…è�‰ï¼‰, in Tokyo. Asakusa has Tokyo’s most beautiful, biggest, and oldest temples and shrines, and tons of festivals all year round too!

       

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Here’s a torii that leads to Asakusa Shrine, one of the most famous Shinto shrines in Tokyo.

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      One of the coolest thing about sightseeing in Japan is that Shinto shrines and toriis are mixed with Buddhist Temples and Pagodas: The torii above is also the entrance to Sensouji (above), Tokyo’s oldest ancient Buddhist temple, founded on the year 628. The temple above doesn’t look that big but it’s actually huge — compare the size of the temple with the size of a pedestrian.

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Lamp (chochin) closeup from the temple above. Not sure how big it is but I think it’s about 3 meters tall.

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      It was getting late and I expected the place to be a bit empty, but Asakusa was quite crowded. To my experience, I personally saw lots of Chinese-speaking tourists in Japan, which makes me feel like home!

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Though as you can expect, Japanese locals make up for most of the tourists on these places. I find it great that so many Japanese people like to go out with friends or family to their temples and buy omiyage presents and all. I love people who love their own culture!

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Picture is a bit blurry but there’s something important hidden behind this one. As you may or may not know, Japan’s infrastructure was heavily damaged on World War II by air raids, including hundreds of historical places, Asakusa being one of those. Most of the temples you’re seeing were actually rebuilt after the war. However, this gate in particular, 二天門 (Nitenmon), was one of the few lucky structures which are the actual real thing — impressive to know that something made of wood more than one thousand years ago still exists.

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Take a look at the lantern’s size — it’s humongous! Miss my JFriends ^^;;

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      People praying. In case you didn’t know, most Japanese people are very open to religion, and so it’s okay for anyone to pray to their own favorite JDeity =) what’s your take on religion?

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Close up of Sensouji Pagoda. As I said before, I love seeing the mixture of culture and religion in Japan. In Taiwan, I only got to see Buddhist temples. What you won’t find on every corner are catholic buildings like churchs, which are common in many countries including my own Costa Rica =)

       

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Omiyage stores everywhere in Asakusa! Stuff around here are obviously more expensive that purchased in normal stores but you’ll get tons of cultural presents that you may not find elsewhere. The Maneki Neko I spotted around here is not the case though!

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Snapped this picture of two cute Jgals around Asakusa. Or do you prefer the Cute Kyoto Girls?

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Back home to Urawa, we caught one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen. Oh, the above is a common Japanese graveyard, as packed as it can get, like most big cities in Japan! Fortunately, most of Japanese and Asian folks are cremated — if not, space would be a grave problem. How about your own country?

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Asakusa City is beautiful too, though I’ll save it for a future post. On the riverbank you can spot a few baseball fields and parks. Quite a big number of homeless live in this area which kinda impressed me.

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      And here it is — above is my favorite photograph from my Asakusa adventure. Summer was hot but it was all worth seeing this sunset, no wonder they call Japan the land of the Rising Sun!

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

      There’s a Chinese saying, 「夕陽無é™�好ã€�å�ªæ˜¯é€²é»ƒæ˜�ã€�, means Enjoy the infinite beauty of the sunset, and bemoan the dusk coming ahead. It’s hard to explain, but also means that the most beautiful things in life only last for a few seconds. Which means we must make the most of them, no matter what :3

      Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan Shrines and Temples

     


     

  • kinwashi

    Mt.Fuji My first recommendation touring spot is "Mt.Fuji". The altitude of Mt.Fuji is 3776m. It is very beautiful mountain in Japan.
    There are all-season resorts, Oshino-Hakai, waterfall Siraito, and 5 Lakes of Mt. Fuji. But the roadways will become impassable in winter by the road surface freeze.
    It's only one day round trip from Tokyo. 
    We call it "Fuji-san". "Fuji" means Japanese place-name, "san" means mountain.
    Mt.Fuji and Lake Yamanaka
    Mt.Fuji and Lake Yamanaka Mt.Fuji and Lake Yamanaka
     
    Matsumoto Castle Matsumoto Castle is one of the Japanese castles. It is a castle that is the nearest from Tokyo. These are 400-year-old national treasure building.
    We call it "Matsumoto-Jo". "Matsumoto" means Japanese place-name, "Jo" means castle.

    Matsumoto city is situated in the Nagano-ken. There are many touring spots, Norikura, Nobeyama and Lake Suwa in Nagano-ken.
     
    Nagatoro There are many famous for the beautiful autumnal colors of the leaves. I go to Saitama-ken to enjoy the autumn colors ever year.
    The season the fall foliage will be from October to December in the Saitama-ken. This site introduces two famous touring spots.

    Nakatukyo is the very small gorge. Nagatoro is the very small mountain stream. It's only one day round trip from Tokyo.
    Nakatsukyo Nakatsukyo
    Nagatoro Nagatoro
     
    Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine There are many shrines and temples in Japan. The most famous sightseeing spot of temples in Japan is Kyoto. But there are a lot of temples in and around Tokyo.

    Sensou-Ji, Naritasan Shinsho-Ji, Meiji-Jingu, Kawasaki-Taishi and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu are very famous shrines and temples. We visit a shrine or temple at the beginning of the new year. It is traditional culture in Japan.
    Kawasaki-Taishi(Heigen Temple) Sensou-Ji(Sensou Temple)
    Hodosan Jinja(Shrine) Sasuke-Inari Jinja(Shrine)
     
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    Copyright (C) 2006-2011 KaK, All Rights Reserved.

  • kinwashi

    Latest Gadget from Japan.

    anyones? Gopan.

    http://www.japanprobe.com/2010/11/27/gopan-rice-to-bread-machine-a-huge-hit/

  • kinwashi

    Current the most hottest gadget at home among the housewifes from Japan.

    http://youtu.be/3EKGAnWKHmI

  • kinwashi

    Very soon this will be popular everywhere.

    Not sure whether Thai rice can be use in this machine?

    will gather more informations. about this.

    getting one is not a probelm, voltage ?

    http://youtu.be/qjCqhsq2Sc8

  • kinwashi

    Weather Report as at 18 June 2011 in Japan.

    http://youtu.be/xDNfo10G3mU

  • kinwashi

    18 June 2011.

    http://youtu.be/qka3WSSyrG8

  • kinwashi

    See how slow over here , those bicycle around MRT stations parking probelms,

    Where is our number one in the world  position,  alway we wanted to be ahead of everyones.?

    see already in Japan.

    http://youtu.be/yIHrmN_ptJc

  • kinwashi

    Breaktime.

    http://youtu.be/1CGUhPisa4U