Kobe, Japan pronounced Ko-Beh and not Ko-Bee, is a city in Japan on the outskirts of Osaka. When you think of Kobe, most people will think of the beautifully marbled Wagyu beef that comes from this region of Japan. Trust me, the Kobe beef was absolutely delicious but there are so many other things to do in Kobe that will keep any tourist occupied for days. Obviously, when in Kobe, try the world-renowned beef but also spend time at Ikuta Shrine, walk to the port and see the Earthquake Memorial and Be Kobe sign, stroll through Chinatown, check out the 19th century western homes, sample local brews, and make sure to walk down Motomachi Shopping Arcade Street.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Where is Kobe and How to get Here? Kobe is located in the Japanese prefecture of Hyogo. Kobe is situated between the cities of Himeji and Osaka.  Kobe does have its own airport, Kobe Airport. The airport serves domestic flights all around Japan from Okinawa to Sapporo. International tourists who want to visit Kobe will most likely fly into Osaka’s Kansai International Airport✈️.  For vacationers in Japan traveling to Kobe via Shinkansen, there is Shin-Kobe located just north of the city. To access the city from Shin-Kobe, there is a subway line.  Visitors arriving to Kobe via the JR rails can go to Kobe-Sannomiya. Kobe-Sannomiya is the main station in Kobe and is accessible to most of the things to do in Kobe.  Kobe-Sannomiya is accessible from Osaka, Kyoto, Himeji, Okayama, and many other towns and cities.  Top Things to do in Kobe Kobe Beef is world-renowned and for good reason, it is probably some of the best beef in the world. But there is so much more to Kobe then just beef. If you are looking for things to do in Kobe, below I have outlined our itinerary of Kobe along with the attractions, sites, and restaurants that are recommended by us.  Kobe Beef – Expensive but Well Worth the Experience Kobe Beef is world-renowned as being some of the best beef in the world 🐃. Kobe Beef has beautiful marbling, which is the fat that gives it a lot of its flavor Trying authentic and true Kobe Beef is high on many foodies to do list, including mine. I’ve lived in Japan going on 4 years now, up until our trip to Kobe, I’ve never had Kobe Beef and was very much looking forward to trying this wonderful type of beef 🐂.  So what is Kobe Beef? How is it raised? and Why is Kobe Beef so expensive?  Kobe Beef is a type of Wagyu. Wagyu refers to specific breeds of cattle in Japan that are raised for their beef. Basically, all Kobe Beef is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu is Kobe Beef! Kobe Beef is produced from Tajima cattle which is a strain of cattle raised in the Japanese prefecture of Hyogo.  I believe there are some common misconceptions and myths regarding Kobe Beef and how this strain of Tajima cattle are raised. I grew up thinking, the Tajima cattle drank beer, got daily massages, and lived better lives then I do. This is not entirely true. Yes, the Tajima cattle are incredibly well cared for and consume higher quality food then most other cattle breeds. The farmers do their best to provide a stress-free environment for the cattle and do not pump them with hormones and other artificial crap. The farmers intent is to keep the breeding and life cycle process as natural as possible. To learn more about Wagyu and Kobe Beef, I found a good article from article from finewagyu.  Typically, Kobe Beef is the most expensive beef. So why is Kobe Beef so expensive? Several factors play into this, such as the care of the cattle, the food they receive, the natural environment and pace in which they grow up, and the quality of the meat that is produced.  The Hotel Monterey Kobe, where we stayed provided us with a few restaurant recommendations in Kobe that served an authentic Kobe Beef dining experience. We opted to go with a famous restaurant not far from the hotel called Mouriya. Prior to coming, I was well aware of the price of Kobe Beef and was willing to spend some serious money on this potential once in a lifetime experience.  Mouriya was certainly a fine dining experience. The restaurant was small and each group got a personal chef that cooked the beef teppanyaki style on an iron stove top right in front of us.  For dinner, Mouriya had a A and B set meal. The customer can select a cut of meat, the size, and specific course. I planned on going all out and ordered the 120g Premium A5 Sirloin Steak. Jill ordered the A5 Rib Road Steak 150g, and my dad had the 200g Premium A5 Sirloin Steak.  We each got the A set, which included an appetizer and grilled vegetables. The appetizer was a dish of roast beef which was fabulous. The vegetables started off with very finely cut garlic where the chef flipped each one over very carefully for several minutes to the point where they became like garlic chips. The vegetables was an assortment of mushrooms bean sprouts, and sweet potato, all which were phenomenal.   Finally, the chef started preparing the steaks, he carefully trimmed the steak and cooked it to perfection before placing it on the plates in front of us. Finally, the three of us got to sink our teeth into the world’s best beef. Like Hida Beef we had in Takayama, the Kobe Beef literally melts in your mouth like butter. The texture and flavor of Kobe Beef was unlike anything I’ve had, it was just perfect. Jill and my dad were equally as satisfied with their steaks. The Kobe Beef paired with the vegetables has got to be one of the best meals I’ve ever had. The set meal at Mouriya was well worth the price. I would gladly come back to Kobe and spend the money on Kobe Beef. Sorakuen Garden – A Peaceful Place to Escape and Relax For a nice escape from the modern city, it is recommended to visit Sorakuen Garden🎍. Sorakuen Garden is a Japanese-style garden with a central pond, streams, a waterfall, and a few western-style historical buildings, the Hassam House and Kodera Stable.  One of my favorite sites at Sorakuen Garden was the barge house boat or Kawagozabune. This was a barge that is from the late 1600’s used by feudal lords from Himeji.  Sorakuen Garden Hours and Admission Hours9:00 – 17:00 Closed on Thursdays and December 29th – January 3 AdmissionAdults – ¥300Children – ¥150 Chinatown – Sample the Street Food Kobe’s Chinatown (Nankinmachi) is just a block south of the Gai Shopping Arcade Street and stretches for several blocks. Chinatown is packed full with street food, restaurants, and shops.  Kobe’s Chinatown is the result of Kobe Port being open to foreign trade in the 1868. Kobe’s Chinatown is not as old or large as Yokohama’s Chinatown, but well worth exploring and sampling the delicious food that lines both sides of the street. We visited April (2023), and there were lines at the famous steamed bun shops, so we opted to eat street food and the street food at Kobe’s Chinatown did not disappoint. The pork buns were incredible.  Kobe Port and the Be Kobe Sign – Perfect Area to Practice Night Photography One of my favorite places in Kobe has to be Kobe Port. There is so much to do here, especially in the late evening. At the Kobe Port area, there is the famous Be Kobe sign, Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park, Kobe Port Tower (currently under renovations), Mosaic, which is a huge shopping mall, and so many more restaurants, museums, and other fun activities.  The Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial is a memorial n place here to commemorate the damage and lives lost during the great Earthquake that devasted the city in 1995. There is a small section here that the city decided to keep showing the damage done to the infrastructure. There are a few displays and information boards in the area for visitors to learn more about the devastating earthquake.  For night photography, this was a really cool place to practice slow shutter methods of the lights and water surrounding the port. I got some pretty cool photos of the Oriental Hotel in Kobe, the Ferris Wheel at Mosaic, and of the Maritime Museum.  Kobe Ijinkan – Explore Kobe’s Western-style Homes One of Kobe’s most popular attractions is the Kobe Ijinkan or Western Homes. In the Kitano area of Kobe there are quite a few western style homes sitting on the hillside. These homes are primarily from foreign traders that settled in the area in the 1800’s.  It is kind of a climb to get to the area as the homes are located on the hillside on the outskirts of the city. But it is manageable to walk here from Sannomiya Station. There is a sightseeing bus that does make a stop here at Kobe Ijinkan. For more information on the bus, route, and fare, here is a link to the  Shinki Bus website. Once at Kobe Ijinkan, it is recommended to walk around the neighborhood and maybe stop at one of the homes that has been turned into a café. A few of the homes have been turned into museums and prices range anywhere from ¥300 – ¥700, there is even a ¥1,300 pass that grants access to 3 homes. Out of all the homes, I enjoyed the Weathercock House the most.  Motomachi Shopping Street – One of Japan’s Best Arcade Streets Arcade streets in Japan are always fun to walk. Motomachi Shopping Street in Kobe is one of the best I’ve been to. This arcade street seemed to go on for miles. Motomachi Shopping Street was full of interesting shops, delicious looking restaurants, and modern cafes. For an arcade street of its size, Motomachi Shopping Street was very clean and safe.  While walking the arcade street, we found a German pastry shop called Juchheim’s. My mom being from Germany and Jill needing a break from walking all day, we all decided to pop in for a quick coffee/tea and slice of cake. The café did have a shop on the 1st floor and dining space on the second floor. If dining in, guests can order drinks, slices of cakes, or set courses. I got a slice of chocolate cake and a coffee. Although pricey the cake was delicious!  If visiting Kobe on a rainy day, Motomachi is a perfect way to spend an unpleasant weather day. After all, the shopping street is covered and there are hundreds of shops to pop in to.  Sample Local Beers – Open Air Brewery The craft beer scene in Kobe was surprisingly good and one of my favorite breweries in Kobe, Open Air, served all the traditional beers I like not to mention the food was great! The Hop Viking and Open Air IPA were my favorite beers they had on tap that day. Honestly, I got a flight and all the beers were decent. Open Air Brewery had two floors, the first floor was more of a bar area while the second floor had tables for guests. I can’t wait to go back to Kobe and try some other breweries and craft beer.  Recommended Places to Stay in Kobe Kobe is a large modern Japanese city, with that comes a lot of hotel options. You can find everything from Hostels to Resorts. If you are looking for just a no thrills Japanese hotel with a great breakfast you can

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan right after Tokyo. Yokohama is very accessible from Tokyo and a quick 30-minute train ride from Haneda Airport. For such a large city, Yokohama is very walkable and easy to navigate. Chinatown is a must when visiting Yokohama, there are also many museums that are worthwhile to include the Cup Noodle, Ramen, and Japan Coast Guard Museums. We spent 3 days in Yokohama and barely scratched the surface. None the less, we explored a ton and here are some fun things to do in Yokohama.  Getting to Yokohama from Haneda Getting to Yokohama from Haneda Airport is a breeze. I recommend using the Japan Travel App to pinpoint which track to use and times. If curious about the Japan Travel App, I wrote about it in depth in my Train Travel in Japan post. The Japan Travel App is a life saver when traveling around Japan.  It’s about a 30-35 minute train ride from Haneda Airport✈️. Once you find the correct terminal station take the Keikyu Line Airport Express to Yokohama Station. The cost for this trip is ¥370 one way.  From Tokyo Station🚉, it’s about a 25-30 minute direct train ride. Take the JR Tokaido Main Line. Cost is ¥480 and the train leaves about every 10 minutes.  I found that the Sakuragicho Station is closer to all the sites in Yokohama. Sakuragicho Station puts you right by the Yokohama Air Cabin🚠 and is within walking distance to the Yokohama Port Museum, Cup Noodle Museum, and all the fun attractions on Shinko Island.  Sakuragicho Station is one stop from Yokohama Station. It is a 4 minute train ride and costs ¥210. Sakuragicho Station can be accessed from Yokohama Station by either the Yokohama City Subway Blue Line or the JR Keihintohoku Line – Negishi Line.  Fun Things to do in Yokohama Yokohama offers plenty of things to do, it’s almost impossible to get bored here. Whether you are into shopping, sight seeing, eating, or just wandering around a big city, there is something in Yokohama for everyone. We like to do a little bit of everything from trying local food and sampling beers to visiting unique or popular attractions. Here are some of the fun things to do in Yokohama that we did and highly recommend.  Do Not Miss the Japan Coast Guard Museum One of the most interesting and wildest museums I’ve been to in Japan is the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Museum Yokohama. The museum is free and is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10:00 – 17:00, closed Mondays.  What made the JCG Museum so unique was that it revolved around an incident that occurred between the Japanese Coast Guard and a North Korean spy ship 🚤.  On December 22, 2001 the Japanese Coast Guard received a tip about suspicious activity occurring south of the island of Kyushu, not far from the island chain of Okinawa. A Japan Coast Guard ship was dispatched to track the movements of the suspicious ship. The JCG gave out several warnings to the suspicious ship for it to stop. The ship fled and conducted a zig zag pattern in attempts to escape JCG. More attempts were made for the suspicious ship to stop, finally warning shots from JCG were fired. The first warning shot was fired in the air, the next shot was fired in the water near the North Korean ship. Neither warning shot stopped the suspicious boat, so the JCG shot the hull of the ship. Even after being shot at, the smaller vessel continued their attempt at fleeing, this time, they shot back with machine guns and rocket launchers. All of a sudden, a large explosion💥was detonated on the suspicious ship, most likely a suicide attempt and an attempt to sink the ship and destroy any evidence. The ship did sink and three members of the Japan Coast Guard were injured and required hospital visits.  Several months later the ship was brought up from the sea floor. After months of investigation it was determined to be a North Korean Spy ship. The ship and many findings are on display at the Japan Coast Guard Museum in Yokohama.  The suspicious boat had a crew of 12 – 15 men on board. A few of the bodies were recovered. The bodies had a Kim II Sung Badge attached to them, which is worn by North Koreans. There were also products on their body that were written in Korean, and many of the weapons found had marks on them that were indications of being from North Korea.  Also found on board the ship was an underwater scooter, dive suits, and a rubber raft. One of the big indications of this ship being a spy ship the Kannon doors in the back and large open space that housed a smaller boat.  All of these artifacts to include the actual spy ship and smaller boat are stored at the museum for visitors to see. Again, this is one of the most interesting and fascinating museums I’ve visited and can’t recommend it enough. The staff was superb, an English speaking volunteer gave us a free tour, we learned so much. The museum is free, but donations are appreciated.  For more information and photos from the JCG Museum, I recommend visiting the Japan Coast Guard Museum Yokohama. Eat your way through Chinatown If you are looking for fun things to do in Yokohama, visiting Chinatown should be high on your list.  Yokohama’s Chinatown is the largest in Japan, dating back to 1859. Chinatown consists of several blocks and alley ways. Visitors can visit the vibrant Buddhist Temples that are scattered throughout Chinatown. There are some interesting souvenir shops worth checking out. But, who comes to Chinatown to shop, when there is so much delicious food to be eaten!  We ate dumplings, dumplings, and more dumplings🥟! There were so many street vendors selling a variety of amazing dumplings. We had fried soup dumplings, sesame dumplings, dumplings and steamed buns in the shape of panda bears, and humongous pork filled steamed buns. The Fried Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bo) were my favorite. There was a place called Houtenkaku that made the absolute best fried soup dumplings. They have pork and seafood options. You can get a mix of the two. These dumplings are thick on the bottom and have liquid inside them. The moment you bite into them, liquid squirts everywhere, so be aware of that! But they are oh so good! Talking about them now is making me hungry!  We did manage to go to a sit down restaurant in Yokohama’s Chinatown. It was your traditional Chinese food and was delicious. I love Peking Duck so I ordered that along with spring rolls. Jill had a beef and vegetable dish, she really enjoyed it. I can’t recall the restaurants name, but it seemed most restaurants shared almost identical menus with the exception of a few.  I recommend visiting Chinatown both during the day and night. I recommend coming here for lunch to sample street food then come back during dinner and sit down somewhere. Afterwards, walk the streets and enjoy the lanterns that are strung up throughout Chinatown.  Escape the Hustle and Bustle and Visit Iseyama Kotajingu Compared to other cities in Japan, there didn’t appear to be many shrines scattered throughout Yokohama. Iseyama Kotajingu ⛩ was one of the largest and only shrines within walking distance from Sakuragicho Station.  Iseyama Kotajingu is located in a residential area on top of a hill overlooking the skyscrapers of Yokohama.  Iseyama Kotajingu was built in the 1870’s to worship the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu.  This Shinto shrine isn’t the most impressive shrine we’ve come across in Japan, but it does make for a nice escape, especially after walking around one of Japan’s largest cities for a few days. Iseyama Kotajingu is surrounded by trees, you get a sense of being in nature away from the city. Believe it or not, we saw wild squirrels at this shrine! Might not sound impressive, but we’ve been in Japan for years now and have yet to see a wild squirrel, even with all the forests and mountains here 🐿.  Make your own Cup of Noodles at the Cup Noodle Museum Possibly the most popular museum in Yokohama is the Cup Noodle Museum 🍜. When it comes to fun things to do in Yokohama, this is perhaps the #1 and most well known attraction. Visiting the Cup Noodle Museum in Yokohama was the main reason for our visit to Yokohama.  The Cup Noodle Museum was similar to the ramen museum in the sense that it had a whole floor dedicated to the history of Cup Noodle and how it grew to where it is today. This museum had a bit more interactive displays and exhibits for children. One of the most popular attractions at the Cup Noodle Museum is the My Cup Noodles Factory. This area allows visitors to create their own Cup Noodle, you even get to design your own cup! There is a ¥500 fee for this part of the museum. You pay the ¥500 at a vending machine and an empty cup is provided. The next step is to decorate your cup, markers are provided. After decorating the cup, you go to a counter and get to choose the soup that goes into your Cup Noodle, then select 4 toppings to go into the soup. Afterwards, the employees will shrink-wrap the Cup Noodle and it’s yours to keep! We haven’t gotten around to eating ours yet, not sure if we will or keep it as a fun souvenir.  Guess which Cup Noodle is mine and which one Jill made!  There is the Chicken Ramen Factory portion of the museum, which allows you to create your own Cup Noodle but it is a lot more in depth and reservations are needed. There is also a Cup Noodle Park, but it was closed when we went, possibly due to Covid-19. There is also a Noodles Bazaar – World Noodles Road. This area is similar to the Ramen Museum where there were multiple small shops that serve different types of noodles from all around the world.  Finally, there is a gift shop at the end, visitors can purchase all things Cup Noodle.  Admission Adults – ¥500 *High School aged children and younger are free.  Shop and Eat at the Red Brick Warehouse Event Square If you are looking for a unique place to eat and dine in Yokohama, then I recommend going to the Red Brick Warehouse area. We stopped here a few times while on our trip to either browse the shops or find a restaurant to eat at, and each time, this place was hopping!  There are a few Red Brick Warehouses here on the east side of the Shinko District just south of Akarenga Park. The old brick warehouses have been repurposed to accommodate shops and restaurants. There is a unique variety of restaurants here from Chicago Deep Dish restaurants to Curry Tonkotsu restaurants. There was both indoor and outdoor seating arrangements. The outdoor seating areas allowed dogs to join in on the dining experience.  The weekend we were in Yokohama, there was a large tent in place between the two warehouses and it was full of local izakaya’s and food vendors. Take the Yokohama Air Cabin Directly in front of Sakuragicho Station is the Yokohama Air Cabin 🚠. The Yokohama Air Cabin is a ropeway with cable cars that travels 680m from Sakuragicho Station to Unga Park Station in the Shinko District.  The Yokohama Air Cabin is considered to be the “World’s most advanced urban-type circular ropeway,” according to their website.  There is a pedestrian path below that connects Sakuragicho Station to Unga Park, so why take the Yokohama Air Cabin? Although it is a short ride, 10 minutes or less, you get great views of Yokohama’s skyline both during the day and night. It is also a fun and somewhat relaxing experience. The

One of Japan’s most picturesque temples, Nachisan Seiganto-ji is a temple complex with a gorgeous 3-storied Pagoda in the foreground of Nachi Falls. Nachi Falls is considered to be Japan’s tallest waterfall at 133 meters. Seiganto-ji is one out of 33 temples and places that make up the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, visitors can take the pilgrimage and walk to all the temples and sites along the route. If you don’t have days to hike and want to just see Nachisan Seiganto-ji, it makes for a great half day to full day trip.  Nachisan Seiganto-ji on a Map and Getting Here Nachisan Seiganto-ji is in considered to be a part of the nearby town of Nachikatsuura in Wakayama Prefecture. The town of Nachikatsuura is home to many resorts and Ryokan style hotels. It is a 15-20 minute drive to the temple and waterfall from Nachikatsuura. There are buses that make stops at the temple complex from town. Taking a taxi is another option for getting to Seiganto-ji from Nachikatsuura.  Nachikatsuura is about a 2 hours and 15 minute drive from Ise in Mie Prefecture or a 3.5 hour drive from Osaka if taking the toll roads, 4.5 hours when avoiding tolls.  Once at Nachisan Seiganto-ji, there are several large parking lots in and around the temple. Prior to getting to the temple, there are gift shops, restaurants, and plenty of places to use the restroom.  Nachisan Seiganto-ji Seiganto-ji has a long history, dating back almost 2,000 years ago. Legend has it that a Buddhist monk from India settled in the area beneath Nachi Falls after being visited by Kannon, a Bodhisattva and the Goddess of Compassion.  in the year 988, Emperor Kazan came to the area while on a pilgrimage. He spent 1000 days here performing spiritual trainings at Nachi falls. Like many others, Emperor Kazan also had a vision of Kannon at the site. Many emperors followed the footsteps of Emperor Kazan and the pilgrimage became popular. Because of constant threats and civil wars, many of the temples along the pilgrimage were burned down. Oda Nobunaga had a big role in the destruction of these temples including Seiganto-ji. It was not until 1590 where Toyotomi Hideyoshi reconstructed Seiganto-ji. Today, visitors can freely walk around Seiganto-ji and visit the temples, 3-storied pagoda, and other structures around the complex. Some of the more notable structures are the Main Hall of Nachisan Seiganto-ji, the Believer Hall, Sanmon (Main Gate), Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, and the 3-storied pagoda.  Kumano Nachi Taisha Kumano Nachi Taisha is the Grand Shrine at Nachisan Seiganto-ji. This is a Shinto Shrine and considered to be the head shrine of all Kumano shrines located throughout Japan.  Off to the side of Kumano Nachi Taisha is a sacred Camphor tree that is estimated to be 800 years old. There is an opening at the trunk of the tree where visitors can make an offering.  Seiganto-ji Seiganto-ji is located just behind Kumano Nachi Taisha. Seiganto-ji is a Tendai Buddhist temple. Seiganto-ji is an old temple, dating back to the 4th century. This was my favorite temple at Nachisan Seiganto-ji. I loved the old wood and simple decorations.  3-Storied Pagoda at Nachisan Seiganto-ji The famous 3-storied pagoda at Nachisan Seiganto-ji is that iconic photo you see with the pagoda and Nachi Falls in the background. Simply put, this pagoda is beautiful and the nature that surrounds it is stunning.  The original pagoda burnt down in the year 1581 and was not rebuilt unto 1972. Visitors can tour the pagoda, there is a ¥300 admission fee. There are some interesting paintings inside and spectacular views of Nachi Falls and the surrounding mountains.  Nachi Falls Nachi Falls or the Great Falls of Nachi is that towering waterfall seen in the background of many photos of Seiganto-ji and the beautiful 3-storied pagoda. There are varying sources on what Japan’s tallest waterfall is. Nachi Falls is technically the tallest uninterrupted drop waterfall at 133 meters. However, there are waterfalls in Japan that are technically taller at 497 meters is Hannoki Falls and Shomyo Falls at 350 meters. According to multiple sources, these two waterfalls have multiple drops, whatever that means. I assume, they are not continuous and are seasonal.  Obviously, the waterfall has been here much longer then any of the manmade structures and locals have worshipped Nachi Falls since the beginning of time. Above the waterfall there is a rope with shide strung out across the falls from one side to the other. A shide is paper in the shape of a zig zag used for ritual purposes at Shinto temples throughout Japan.  Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range The “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Three sites, Kumano Sanzan, Koyasan, and Yoshino and Omine make up the sacred sites along the pilgrimage route. This pilgrimage route actually connects to the cities of Nara and Kyoto. There is a pilgrimage route that is popular among avid hikers. The pilgrimage is known as the Kumano Kodo which consists of a network of trails and hikers can spend just a few hours hiking to several days.  Yatagarasu Yatagarasu is a mythical three-legged crow. Legend has it that Yatagarasu was a servant to the Japanese kami, Amaterasu. Yatagarasu aided Japan’s first Emperor, Jimmu to Nara from Kumano. After guiding the Emperor to Nara, Yatagarasu returned to Kumano Nachi Taisha.  At first Jill and I saw these cute crow mascots around the temple and never noticed the three legs until we went to a gift shop near the parking areas and noticed this mascot everywhere. There we noticed the three legs and did our research only to find out it is Yatagarasu. Now we can’t unsee it, the logo is even on the Japan World Cup jerseys!  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺 ✈️ 🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️ 🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖 🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗 🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂 🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!

Ise is not really on anyone’s radar when visiting the country of Japan. Ise is isolated and does take some effort and planning to get to. With all of the other beautiful towns throughout Japan, why should visitors go to Ise? Simple, Ise is home to the most sacred Shinto Shrines in all of Japan. The Ise Grand Shrine consists of two shrines Geku and Naiku. The shrines are separated and each surrounded by ancient forests with towering cypress trees. But the Ise Grand Shrine isn’t the only attraction in Ise that is worth exploring. Ise is home to a historic town with beautiful streets, the famed Wedded Rocks of Ise, great restaurants, and possibly one of the best breweries in Japan. This post is your guide on the best things to do in Ise, Japan. ⛩🗾🇯🇵 Where in Japan is Ise? Ise is in Mie Prefecture and is adjacent from Nagoya across Ise Bay. There are ferries that cross Ise Bay from Nagoya. There is also a train that makes stops in Ise.  If driving to Ise, it’s about a 3 hours car ride from Osaka, 2 hour drive from Nagoya, or  2.5 hours from Kyoto Station.  Things to do in Ise When visiting Ise, the Ise Grand Shrine should be priority. After all, this is the main and only reason most people visit Ise. The Grand Shrine is a spectacular site to see and is one of the most sacred and spiritual sites in all of Japan. That being said, there is so much more to do and see in Ise.  It is recommended to stay at least a full day in Ise, if not two. There are great accommodations here including many ryokans which are traditional style hotels. There are also a lot of day trips from Ise that are recommended.  Whether you want to spend the majority of your time at the Grand Shrine or just kick back and drink beers and eat oysters, here are my most recommended things to do and see in Ise.  Visit Ise Grand Shrine Ise Jingu or the Ise Grand Shrine is a Shinto Shrine in Japan and is regarded as the holiest and most sacred of all shrines. Ise Grand Shrine consists of two main shrines, Geku and Naiku. Between the two shrines there are 125 Shinto shrines scattered throughout the area.  Naiku is considered the inner shrine and is dedicated to Amaterasu. Amaterasu is a deity and goddess of the sun. Geku is the outer shrine and is dedicated to Toyouke-no-Omikami, the goddess of agriculture.  The shrines are about 6 kilometers apart. For the adventure traveler, 6 kilometers can easily be walked. But for those that just want to see both shrines, it’s easy to navigate by vehicle and each shrine has a large parking lot.  Both Geku and Naiku are located in beautiful parks with towering cypress trees throughout. The cypress trees are quite impressive. The shrines within the complexes are made of wood from the cypress trees in the area. To me, the shrines look very Viking-esque with their thatched roofs and wooden structures. Like many temples and historical structures in Japan, nails are not used in the construction of the shrines, instead a technique is used to join the wood.  Because the Ise Grand Shrine is Japan’s most sacred shrine, most of the shrines are surrounded by wooden walls. Visitors can’t really see past the walls. Absolutely no photographs are allowed either, there are signs everywhere, so follow the rules, be respectful, and just enjoy the atmosphere and nature.  Prior to the entrance of Naiku is the Uji Bridge. The Uji Bridge is a long 100m bridge that crosses the Isuzu River. There are great photo opportunities on the bridge but it tends to get crowded.  Stroll Oharai Machi and Okage Yokochou Besides visiting the Ise Grand Shrine, walking around Oharai Machi and Okage Yokochou was my favorite site in Ise.  Okage Yokochou is a street leading up to Naiku. This street is full of interesting shops and tons of great looking restaurants. Oharai Machi is apparently a newer addition to Okage Yokochou and offers even more souvenir shops and restaurants. There is a lot of delicious street food in this area that is highly recommended.  Oharai Machi has a lot of cat sculptures and cat themed souvenir shops. So for those like Jill that can’t get enough of cats, there is plenty of fun finds to explore.  Restaurant wise, visitors can find everything on Oharai Machi and Okage Yokochou from high end restaurants to food stalls. There is even a fancy Starbucks here for those that can’t go a day without their expensive Starbucks coffee.  Enjoy Beer and Oysters at Ise Kadoya Brewery I’ve been a fan of Ise Kadoya Brewery, even before this trip. Their beers are probably some of my favorites in Japan. Their beers are simple, yet perfect. I especially enjoy their Hazy IPA, it reminds me of a lot of the good ones I’ve had in the United States. The Hazy IPA has a nice citrus flavor with a refreshing taste.  Not only is the beer at Ise Kadoya top notch, their brewery is well worth a visit. The brewery is located inside a traditional Japanese building.  As if the atmosphere and beer wasn’t enough, Ise Kadoya is known for their fresh oysters. When sitting inside the restaurant, you can order set meals. The meals vary but had one thing in common, oysters! I ordered a set meal that had two raw oysters and a few fried oysters and it paired nicely with my flight of beer.  Meoto Iwa the Wedded Rocks of Ise Meoto Iwa, aka the Wedded Rocks of Ise aka the Husband and Wife Rocks is a pair of large rocks by the coast with a small torii gate on top of one of the rocks. The rocks are connected together with a large Shinto shimenawa. A shimenawa is a rope at Shinto shrines that are hung up to purify. They are usually made of straw or hemp. The shimenawa at Meoto Iwa weighs over a ton. We drove to Meoto Iwa from the Ise Grand Shrine, as it is located right along the coast. There was a decent sized parking lot here, but I could see this being jam packed during peak tourist seasons. There is a paved pathway that hugs the coast so visitors can get excellent views and photos of Meoto Iwa.  Find a Locally Owned Restaurant Locally owned restaurants are not hard to find in Japan. In fact, there are more local restaurants then chains in Japan especially in the smaller towns.  I guess we were craving okonomiyaki, entered it in Google Maps, and お好み焼 A.C.B showed up as a result. We decided to check お好み焼 A.C.B out. By the way, I have no idea if お好み焼 A.C.B is the correct name but it shows up in Google as the correct restaurant we were at.  This okonomiyaki restaurant serves Osaka style okonomiyaki. Generally I prefer the Hiroshima style, but this was some of the best okonomiyaki I’ve had and by far the best Osaka style okonomiyaki I’ve had. The restaurant was tiny, maybe 3-4 tables and a max of 10 people could fit inside here. The restaurant was run by one elderly lady who was full of energy and so nice to talk to.  She prepared and cooked the okonomiyaki on our table right in front of us. After it finished cooking, we couldn’t help but to dig in right away, both Jill and myself were blown away by how good her okonomiyaki was. The lady who ran the restaurant spent time talking to us and even gave us a few gifts before we headed out. This was the best Osaka style okonomiyaki I’ve had in Japan and the whole experience was one of the most memorable at お好み焼 A.C.B. Stay at a Ryokan A Ryokan is a traditional Japanese style inn. If staying in Japan, I highly recommend at least staying one night at a Ryokan for the experience. Typically, ryokan’s will have rooms that consist of tatami mats, comfortable futons, a chabudai (short table), and other traditional Japanese furniture and decorations. Many ryokans will have an onsen (hot spring) area and offer traditional Japanese meals. We stayed at a Ryokan right by Iseshi Station called Hinode Ryokan. We booked this ryokan through Agoda. The experience here was wonderful. The location was within walking distance to the station, Ise Jingu Geku, and many shops and restaurants. Hinode Ryokan was as traditional as they come. The ryokan was huge with several floors and rooms. We got a private room that was the size of an apartment. The futons were very comfortable and the overall atmosphere of the room was traditional and very soothing. There were onsen areas down the hall for guests to use. Our breakfast was served in a private room and consisted of fish, a salad, various fermented veggies, and miso soup. Although some of the veggies were hard to stomach early in the morning, the meal was quite delicious.  Mie Prefecture Pokémon Manhole Covers Like many prefectures in Japan, there are fun Pokémon manhole covers scattered throughout Mie Prefecture. I use the Poke Lids website to search for the location of these fun manholes and try to see if any are within the city I visit or along the route taken to get there. Surprisingly, Mie Prefecture has 7 Pokémon manhole covers and we were able to visit 5 of them.  Oshawott is the sea otter like Pokémon found on the manhole covers throughout Mie Prefecture. Below are the Pokémon manhole covers we found throughout our trip in Mie Prefecture.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺 ✈️ 🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️ 🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖 🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗 🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂 🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!

Kyoto is one of Japan’s most beautiful cities. Kyoto is historical, cultural, and the most popular city to visit within Japan after Tokyo. But what makes Kyoto so popular amongst the tourists both within and beyond Japan? Is it the food? The nature? Or the temples and historical buildings such as Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace. My guess is the latter. This cultural capital has many hidden and lesser known temples that are tucked away in neighborhoods, located in mountainous areas, or in places that are more difficult to get to. These 5 lesser known temples in Kyoto offer visitors a chance to escape the busy crowds at some of the more popular temples in Kyoto and offer a more authentic Kyoto experience.  ** This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or widgets throughout the page, whether it be Viator, Booking.com, Agoda, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Lesser-known Temples in Kyoto Worth Visiting I’ve been to Kyoto twice now and mainly seek out the temples I missed from the time before. I’ve seen hundreds of temples throughout Japan yet visiting them never gets old. There are over 2000 temples and shrines found in and around Kyoto. There are the popular ones like Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, and Higashiyama Jisho-ji. I’ve visited these temples on my first trip to Kyoto. These temples are spectacular and a must visit when in Kyoto. But we’ve discovered temples in Kyoto that are fascinating and blew us away that aren’t mentioned in your traditional guidebooks. Here are 5 lesser-known temples in Kyoto that don’t get as much attention but definitely should be included on everyone’s Kyoto itinerary.  1. Adashino Nenbutsu-ji A short walk from Arashiyama is Adashino Nembutsu-ji⛩. Adashino Nembutsu-ji was one of the more surprising lesser known temples in Kyoto and one temple I highly recommend visiting in Kyoto, especially if in the Arashiyama area.  The name Adashino comes from the name of the place the temple is located at. In Ancient Kyoto, the dead were buried in the Adashino area by a Buddhist monk named Kukai. Because of the burials that took place at the temple, the site became a sacred center of learning and teaching for a sect of Buddhism known as Amida Buddha.  There are two features that belong to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji that make this temple a hidden gem in Kyoto.  First is the 8,000 Buddha statues at the temple. These Buddha statues were originally placed at the temple as grave stones for people from the Heian period until the Edo period (793-1868). Most of these Buddha statues are placed in a center location that is walled with a tall pagoda statue. Visitors can walk inside the wall area but photography is prohibited.  The next surprising feature at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji is the bamboo forest associated with the temple leading to a cemetery at the top of a hill. I feel the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in Arashiyama is overrated simply because it’s small and packed with tourists. I mean you can’t get a photo here without a hundred people in your photo. I did get lucky and visited the bamboo forest during the Covid-19 pandemic and had the forest to myself, but that is in the past and it remains one of Kyoto’s most popular sites. As an alternative, the bamboo forest at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji is almost identical to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. We were blown away by the similarities of the bamboo forests and curious as to why the bamboo forest at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji had so little visitors. We weren’t complaining.  Because of the 8,000 Buddha statues and bamboo forest at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, this temple might be my #1 recommended lesser known temple in Kyoto.  Admission and Hours Admission Adults – ¥500  Hours March – November 9:00 – 16:30 December – February 9:00 – 15:30 2. Chion-in Chion-in ⛩  is a massive temple complex in the heart of Kyoto. I feel like this is one of Kyoto’s hidden gems but it shouldn’t be. Chion-in is right by Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park. Yet, I never see Chion-in in any guide books or mentions of it. In fact, the first time I went to Tokyo, I rode my bike right past this temple without even noticing it. It wasn’t until our last trip to Kyoto walking to Nanzen-ji where Jill and I decided to check out Chion-in. Since 1523, Chion-in has been the head temple of the Jodo Shu or Pure Land Sect of Buddhism. The founder of Jodo Shu, Honen was a religious reformer and spread teachings of Jodo Shu at the site of Chion-in. He died in the year 1212 at the temple. For more information on the history of Chion-in, I recommend visiting the  Chion-in website.  Saying this temple complex is huge is an understatement. Visitors can literally spend a half day at Chion-in alone. In all honesty, this temple complex deserves several hours to explore.  When visiting Chion-in, you can’t help but notice the Sanmon (Main Gate). The Sanmon is a masterpiece and a behemoth of a structure. This gate was constructed in 1621 and is considered one of the largest double gates in the country of Japan. Mieido, is another stunning building within the Chion-in complex. Mieido is considered the main hall of Jodo Shu and is home to the sacred image of the founder, Honen. The inside of Mieido is gorgeous but one of the more interesting features of this hall is the Wasuregasa “Forgotten Umbrella.”  Unaware of what I was looking for, I suddenly felt someone poke me on the stomach, followed by another poke. There was a group of elderly Japanese women that kept poking me and trying to point out the Wasuregasa. After several attempts of trying to locate it with the help of the sweet ladies, I finally saw the umbrella stuck under the roof of the front of Mieido. I still don’t really know the history or anything about the umbrella, but it’s a fun aspect of the temple, so when visiting the Mieido at Chion-in, don’t forget to look up!  Don’t forget to check out the Daishoro or Great Bell Tower. It is one of Japan’s 3 great bells and weighs around 70 tons!  At the time we visited Chion-in around the holidays, there was an illumination going on during the evening and night hours. On a whim, we decided to come back the following day at night to see the illumination and it was fun to see Chion-in lit up with festive lights.  Admission and Hours Admission Free of Charge to visit the Temple Complex. There is a fee to visit Hojo and Yuzen Gardens.  Adults – Yuzen Garden ¥300, Hojo Garden ¥400, Both Gardens ¥500 Children – Yuzen Garden ¥150, Hojo Garden ¥200, Both Gardens ¥250 Hours 9:00 – 15:50, Gates close at 16:30. 3. Nanzen-ji Nanzen-ji is a temple in Kyoto I actually had marked for a future visit. Honestly, this temple complex was pretty busy mainly with native Japanese during the autumn season. Even though Nanzen-ji was busy, I’ve never seen photos or heard of it. Nanzen-ji doesn’t get nowhere near as much recognition as other temples like Kinkaku-ji or Fushimi Inari Taisha.  Nanzen-ji is farther out from Kyoto’s center. It is located in the Higashiyama area. This Buddhist temple is a massive complex with an impressive Sanmon (main gate), aqueduct, and Hojo (Abbot’s Quarters).  The aqueduct at the temple is something I haven’t seen before in Japan. It was constructed at the site during the Meiji Period to transport water from nearby Lake Biwa to Kyoto.  One of our favorite parts of Nanzen-ji was Tenju-an Temple and its gardens. The gardens here especially during the fall season are some of the prettiest we’ve seen while traveling around Japan. The gardens were beautiful and the fall foliage was brilliant. There is a pond here with magnificent views.  Admission and Hours Admission ¥500 to access Hojo and enter Sanmon. ¥500 to visit Tenju-an Temple and the gardens Hours March – November 8:40 – 17:00 December – February 8:40 – 16:30 4. Ninna-ji Ninna-ji ⛩ is considered one of Kyoto’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites and it isn’t far from the famous Kinkaku-ji, Golden Temple.  Ninna-ji was founded in the year 888 AD. According to information read at the site, Ninna-ji is the headquarters of the Omuro School for the Buddhism sect of Shingon.  When first visiting Ninna-ji visitors will notice the Nio-mon Gate and the Five-Storied Pagoda. One of my favorite buildings at Ninna-ji is Miei-do. When we visited this temple, flowers were in full bloom, it was just beautiful.  The grounds of the temple complex are free to roam. Visitors can walk through Nio -mon Gate, see the Five-Storied Pagoda for free.  There is one section of Ninna-ji that does charge an admission fee. At ¥800, I found it to be a bit pricey but glad I paid the admission and visited the Goten Palace and Gardens. Entrance fee includes the Entry Hall, Imperial Gate, Shiro-shoin, Shinden Dantei and Hokutei Gardens, Shinden, Kuro-shoin, and Reimeiden.  Admission and Hours Admission ¥800 for Adults Hours 9:00 – 17:00 (March – November) and 9:00 – 16:30 (December – February) 5. Otagi Nenbutsu-ji If you are looking for a unique thing to do in Kyoto and want to visit a hidden gem, I recommend a visit to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji. Otagi Nenbutsu-ji might be one of the more unique Buddhist temples in Kyoto.  This site has a long history with the first temple being built here in the year 766. Unfortunately, the original temple was a victim of a major flood. About 150-200 years later, a new temple was constructed at the site of Otagi Nenbutsu-ji. Due to a series of unfortunate events such as civil war, typhoons, and other natural disasters, this temple was wiped out again and again. After being rebuilt several times throughout history, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji stands today and can be enjoyed by all.  What makes this temple truly unique compared to other temples around Kyoto are the 1,200 rakan stone statues. Rakan are followers of Buddha that have been created by people taking a pilgrimage to learn the proper carving techniques of these statues taught by Kocho Nishimura, who was a sculpture. Each rakan is different, some are serious while others are comical in ways.  Admission and Hours Admission ¥300 for Adults Hours 8:00 – 16:30 Conclusion: Exploring Kyoto’s Lesser-Known Temples With thousands of temples and shrines in and around Kyoto, it can be a daunting task trying to pick and choose which ones to visit. There are the main temples and shrines like Heian, Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, and Fushimi Inari Taisha that are on everyone’s Kyoto bucket list and they are well worth a visit. But Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, Chion-in, Nanzen-ji, Ninna-ji, and OTagi Nenbutsu-ji are just as impressive and I feel are highly underrater temples in Kyoto. Maybe it is best that these hidden gems in Kyoto stay just that, hidden or else they will be overrun by tourists which can take from the atmosphere.  Obviously, there are probably many more temples that can be added to this list. But I have yet to see and experience every temple and shrine in Kyoto and honestly will probably never get a chance to. Not because I don’t want to but there are simply to many. Toji is another Buddhist temple that I have not been to. Toji has the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan. I have yet to visit Reneoin Sanjusagen-do which has 1,000 life size statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Reneoin Sanjusagen-do could quite possibly be added to this list in the future. Regardless, of the temple or shrine, they are all unique and beautiful.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖  For booking recommendations on

Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area is a name given to Japan’s first World Cultural Heritage Site. These sites were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area consists of several temples and sites at Horyu-ji and Hokki-ji in the town of Ikaruga in Nara Prefecture. Some of the buildings and structures at Horyu-ji are considered to be the world’s oldest wooden structures and are more then 1,300 years old.  Getting to Hoyryu-ji and Hokki-ji Horyu-ji and Hokki-ji are not exactly well known tourist attractions in Japan. It does take a little bit of planning to visit these temples. The Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area are located in the town of Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture. The most well known city in Nara Prefecture is the city of Nara. You can read more about my trip to Nara, titled Travel to Nara, Japan – Deer, Temples, & A Giant Buddha.  Visitors can take the Yamatoji Line from Nara, travel time is about 12-15 minutes. From the station it is about a 20 minute walk. There are buses that run from the station directly to the temple site.  Jill and I drove a car from Kansai International Airport. If renting a car there is a large parking lot about a 5 minute walk away. The parking fee was ¥500.  Guide to Buddhism in Japan Buddhism arrived in Japan over 1,500 years ago. Today, there are about 84 million people in Japan that practice Buddhism. It is the second most practiced religion in Japan after Shintoism which is a religion unique to Japan. In Japan, most people don’t practice one or the other, in fact many people practice both Buddhism and Shintoism.  Buddhism arrived in Japan after making its way through the countries of China and South Korea.  The image of Buddha in Japan changed overtime based on Japanese depictions. Buddha statues from South Korea had a long and slender face but overtime the Japanese made statues depicting Buddha with more of a round face and this can be seen in religious Buddhist monuments throughout Japan.  There are around 75,000 Buddhist temples in Japan. When visiting a temple in Japan, it is considered etiquette by placing your palms together and bowing in front of a Buddhist statue. Unlike at Shinto temples, you do not clap. Instead, after bowing, look at the face of the Buddha statue, slowly and quietly, separate your palms. At Buddhist temples, the Torii Gate is said to be a boundary between the human world and holy grounds. Before proceeding through the Torii Gate, it is expected to bow once to pay respect. Once you pass through the Torii Gate, stay to the side because the center is for the Kami (Spirits).  Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area are two temples complexes, Horyu-ji and Hokki-ji that make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These temples are considered to be some of the oldest temples in Japan and are home to some of the oldest wooden buildings in the world. Horyu-ji was completed in the year 607 and Hoki-ji was completed in 708 during the Asuka Period. According to information at the temple and our local guide, Emperor Yomei promised himself to construct a temple in the name of Buddha in order to pray for recovery from a specific illness. Today, visitors can walk the grounds of both Horyu-ji and Hokki-ji and learn about the history of the temples and how Buddhism made its way to Japan.   Horyu-ji History and Information of Horyu-ji Horyu-ji is considered one of Japan’s oldest temples and is home to some of the oldest wooden buildings and structures in the world. Horyu-ji was built in 607 during the Asuka Period. Emperor Yomei had plans to construct this temple to worship Buddha and pray for recovery from an illness he was facing. Unfortunately, he died and his son, Prince Shotoku carried on his father’s wish of building the temple.  After construction, the temple was called Ikaruga Temple or Horyu-ji which means the “Temple of Flourishing Law.” Today, Horyu-ji is separated into two areas, Saiin Garan and Toin Garan. Between the two areas there are a total of 48 buildings, structures, and monuments. Some of the most important buildings at Horyu-ji include Horyu-ji Gojunoto (Five-Storied Pagoda), the Horyu-ji Kondo (Main Hall), and Horyu-ji Toin Yumedono (Hall of Dreams). Horyu-ji Gojunoto (Five-Storied Pagoda) Horyu-ji Gojunoto is the five-story pagoda at Horyu-ji. This pagoda is 32.5 meters tall and is Japan’s oldest five-storied pagoda.  Horyu-ji Kondo (Main Hall) Horyu-ji Kondo is the main hall at Horyu-ji. There are statues within the main hall that Horyu-ji is dedicated to. There is a Asuka period triad in honor of Prince Shotoku.  Horyu-ji Toin Yumedono (Hall of Visions) Horyu-ji Toin Yumedono also known as the Hall of Visions was constructed at this site in 739. This temple is in the shape of an octagon and is the oldest building like this in Japan. Within the Hall of Visions is the Kuse Kannon. Kuse Kannon is a life sized statue of Prince Shotoku. The statue is hidden and only displayed for public viewing at certain times throughout the year.  Visiting Horyu-ji Horyu-ji is open year round. Visitors can access the Horyu-ji Nandaimon (Great South Gate) and walk around the outside of the temple complex for free. But to enter the temple grounds passed the Horyu-ji Chumon and to see Horyu-ji Toin Yumedono and the museum housing all the incredible artifacts, visitors must pay a ¥1,500 entrance fee for adults and ¥750 for children.  English Goodwill Guide for Horyu-ji Right before entering Horyu-ji we were approached by an individual at the Horyu-ji Chumon (Central Gate). He was part of a English guide company known as English Goodwill Guide for Horyu-ji. He was an older gentleman that spoke just enough English to provide us with enough information on Horyu-ji. Actually we followed him for about 2 hours and learned so much not only about Horyu-ji but more about Buddhism and the history or Japan. He took us throughout the temple and provided us with beneficial information.  At first I was hesitant. We’ve fallen into this trap before where the tour guide doesn’t really know English and reads a notecard, wasting valuable time. Or we’ve had people seem friendly to us wanting to provide information on a site then demanding a tip afterwards, not necessarily in Japan, but still. This experience with English Goodwill guide was much different. The guide was knowledgeable and expected nothing from us. After the 2 hour tour, he simply said bye, hopped on his bike, and rode home to his wife. According to him who was retired, it was an escape from home. Every day he gets to give one English speaking tour and then go home for lunch. Halfway through our tour, he even gave us home made daggers made from bamboo and had us do origami.  Contact: Ikaruga ICES SGG @ ikaruga@kcn.ne.jp To view more about English Goodwill Guide, you can view their Ikaruga ICES SGG website. Hoki-ji Hoki-ji or Hokki-ji is the second temple that is part of the Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area. Hoki-ji is formerly known as Okamoto Temple or Ikejiri-dera.  According to information read at the temple site, The Hoki-ji Temple was constructed by Prince Yamashiro, to fulfill the dying wishes of his father, Shotoku Taishi. The temple was completed in the year 708. The palace on the grounds here was where Shotoku Taishi lectured about the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra is one of the most important sutras of Buddhism.  When visiting Hokki-ji, the most beautiful and notable building at this  temple is the three-storied pagoda. The pagoda is regarded as the only building here that has been untouched since the early 8th century. The pagoda is 24 meters tall and is a great representation of prime architecture that was established during the Asuka Period (593-710). Hoki-ji three-storied pagoda is Japan’s oldest three-storied pagoda.  Today, visitors can access the temple grounds and view Japan’s oldest three-storied pagoda. There is a small ¥300 fee. The temple grounds are small, allow yourself upwards to 30 minutes to walk around, see the Lecture Hall, Shotendo Hall, and Three-storied pagoda.  Pokémon Manhole Covers in Ikaruga We love hunting for Poke Lids or Pokémon Manhole Covers throughout Japan. It turned out there were a total of 5 Poke Lids in Nara Prefecture and none of them were in the actual town of Nara. All 5 Pokémon manhole covers were located in the town of Ikaruga within walking distance of the Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area. We use the Poke Lids website to find Pokémon manhole covers throughout Japan.  Blow are photos of the Pokémon manhole covers in Ikaruga. Here are the names and coordinates for each Poke Lid listed below.  Fletchinder and Deerling – 34°36’29.7″N 135°44’15.2″E Magby and Chimecho – 34°36’29.8″N 135°44’15.7″E Bellsprout and Growlithe – 34°36’17.1″N 135°44’15.4″E Bronzong and Simisear – 34°36’06.8″N 135°44’21.0″E Entei – 34°36’35.4″N 135°44’07.0″E Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store.  Plan Your Trip: Booking Accommodations For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? I recommend checking with Rental Cars. **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!

Okinawa is known for many things like Habushu, beautiful beaches, and festivals. But these all pale in comparison compared to the Shisa. If you’ve traveled anywhere in the Ryukyu Islands, you’ve probably noticed the half dog half lion statues sitting in front of almost every house, business, and roof. These mythical creatures are known as Shisa. Okinawa’s Shisa are said to stand guard and protect citizens from evil spirits. You generally see them in pairs. The female Shisa has a closed mouth which is intended to keep in the good spirits while the male Shisa sits there with its mouth open intending to scare away evil spirits. Curious about learning more on Okinawa’s Shisa? This post covers the history, legends, and where to buy Shisa statues in Okinawa. **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! History of the Shisa Okinawa’s Shisa is similar to the Komainu, which are the lion dog statues found on mainland Japan especially near temples. Both Komainu and Shisa are most likely derived from the Chinese Guardian Lions found in China. Although there are many theories how the Shisa’s origin came about in Okinawa, there is no definite answer. Most likely something similar was brought from China either from royalty or through trade but over time stories were passed down and the legend of the Shisa was born!  Most sources point the origin of the legend of the Shisa to the town of Madanbashi. Madanbashi is just south of Naha, Okinawa’s capital right along the Nagado River. The villagers of Madanbashi were under constant attack by a some sort of Sea Dragon. The villagers were hopeless and lived in constant fear of the sea dragon. One day, the King of the Ryukyu Islands paid a visit to the town as it was under attack by the dragon. A priestess in the village noticed the king had a figurine of a Shisa around his neck that was recently gifted to him from a diplomat of China at Shuri Castle.  The Sea Dragon approached the town as the king was there and the priestess yelled to the king to hold the small Shisa figurine up at the approaching dragon. As the king held the Shisa figurine to the dragon a huge “Roar” was heard from the sky and the Shisa figurine came to life. At the same time, a gigantic boulder fell from the sky and landed right on the poor dragons tail disabling his ability o move. The dragon pinned down by the boulder eventually died. At this point, the village was saved and they left the dragon where he died. Eventually the jungle took over, covering the dragons body and this became Gana-Mui Forest. In honor of the Shisa that saved the town of Madanbashi from the sea dragon, the villagers built a Shisa at the top of the hill to protect the village from the dragon’s evil spirits.  Okinawa’s Shisa Today Shisa are found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. They are guardians and protect from evil spirits. You will usually see Shisa in pairs, a female with her mouth closed and a male with his mouth wide open. If you pay attention, you will see them everywhere. Almost every house in Okinawa has a pair of Shisa’s sitting at the entrance. Not only houses will have Shisa, they are generally found in front of stores, office buildings, schools, parks, etc.. You can even find Shisa being used as construction barriers and road posts.  Shisa’s originally looked fierce and mighty but today you can find Shisa statues in all shapes and sizes with a variety of personalities from serious to down right goofy.  There are even a few fun manhole covers around Okinawa that have Shisa painted on them. One manhole cover I found was near Saion Ufu Shisa and the other one is fairly new near Katsuren Castle.  Popular Shisa Statues Around Okinawa Although Shisa statues can be found throughout Okinawa, there are a few that stand out more then the rest. Whether it be their historical significance, location, or just sheer size, the three Shisa statues listed below are some of the most popular and photographed Shisa statues on the island of Okinawa.  Cape Zanpa Giant Shisa Cape Zanpa is known for its rugged coastline, white lighthouse, and a giant Shisa. I believe this is the largest Shisa in Okinawa. I’m not entirely sure why there is only one Shisa here but it’s well worth a visit not to mention Cape Zanpa is a beautiful area to explore.  Saion Ufu Shisa Saion Ufu Shisa is another famous Shisa statue in Okinawa. Saion Ufu Shisa is located right by the Makishi Monorail Station. This Shisa statue is 3.4 meters tall and weighs 3 tons. Apparently it’s made out of tsuboya pottery and took 5 months to create.  The Stone Lion of Tomori The Stone Lion of Tomori is a historical Shisa statue sitting on top of a ridge overlooking the community of Tomori. This Shisa has always been popular among the locals but it became a famous tourist spot because there is a famous photograph of soldiers hunkered behind and around the statue looking through binoculars at a distant ridge. You can search online for the original picture, I tried my best to recreate the original! I believe the Stone Lion of Tomori is the oldest of Okinawa’s Shisa statues, it was created in 1689.  Today, the Stone Lion of Tomori sits within a nice little park on top of a hill. Thankfully, this statue survived the war and still stands, although it is riddled with bullet holes.  Best Places to Buy Shisa Shisa’s can be bought all throughout the Ryukyu Islands. On the main island of Okinawa, you can find a pair of Shisa in just about every souvenir shop. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are mass produced while others are made by local artists and potters. If you are in a hurry while leaving Okinawa and need a quick gift you can always purchase a pair of Shisa at Naha International Airport. For a more authentic pair of Shisa or just a better variety then the standard ones found at souvenir shops, I know of a few locations that specialize in making Shisa statues that to me are more meaningful and unique. Below are two locations, I recommend visiting if in the hunt for a pair of Shisa statues.  Naha’s Tsuboya Yachimun Street Tsuboya Yachimun Street is located in downtown Naha. “Yachimun” is the Okinawan word for pottery and this street is famous for its many shops that sell handcrafted pottery and Shisa statues. Nearly every shop along Tsuboya Yachimun Street carries Shisa and each shop will have a good variety of Shisa statues to buy. At this point, it is all up to the buyer on what they want. Are you looking for a medium sized and more serious Shisa for your front entrance or do you want small, silly, Shisa’s that are full of character for your work desk? No matter what you are looking for, you are sure to find a pair of Shisa on Tsuboya Yachimun Street that fits your liking.  Yachimun no Sato (Yomitan Pottery Village) Another great option to find hand made Shisa statues is Yachimun no Sato in Yomitan. The Yomitan Pottery Village is smaller then Tsuboya Yachimun Street, but has a great variety of Shisa statues. There is a parking lot at the entrance of the village, and buyers can enter the shops that are open for business. Many of the shops here are homes, so it is a great opportunity to see what a traditional Okinawan home looks like. Each shop seemed to carry very similar pottery items it’s all the same style after all. But the majority of the shops at Yachimun no Sato do carry Shisa statues. I would say prices here are a bit on the higher end, but you never know what you might find.  Conclusion Okinawa’s Shisa stands as a symbol of Okinawa. These guardian lions have a rich history in Okinawa and are even present in todays culture. These mythical creatures can be seen throughout Okinawa, whether the pair are sitting on a  rooftop or guarding the entrance to a residential home, the Shisa is loved by both locals and visitors.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖️🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site.