Just outside Nara City proper is the temple of Ryōsen-ji. Founded in the 8th century by Indian monk Bodhisena, this temple has a long history and many cultural treasures. But I'm not going to write about those today. Today I'm going to show you the rose garden. This rose garden was made in 1957, as a living prayer for world peace. There are over 200 blooms to … [Read more...] about Deep Nara #3 – The Rose Garden at Ryōsen-ji
Days Out of Town
Deep Nara #2 – Restaurant & Cafe Bambuno
After visiting the Kojiki Exhibition in Nara last month, Mewby and I wandered into the Nara-machi area in search of a place to eat. A warm glow from Restaurant Bambuno caught my eye, we studied the menu, we liked what we saw, and so we plumped for Italian that night. I'm glad we did. The food was great and service very friendly. I'm happy to recommend this little restaurant … [Read more...] about Deep Nara #2 – Restaurant & Cafe Bambuno
Deep Nara #1 – Kojiki Exhibition
Last month Mewby and I went down to Nara and took in the Kojiki exhibition currently ongoing at Nara Prefectural Art Museum. I would happily recommend the exhibition as a fascinating and comprehensive exploration of every aspect of Japan's oldest book. Whether, you are interested in the deepest roots of Japanese culture, ancient mythology and the glorious art it has inspired, … [Read more...] about Deep Nara #1 – Kojiki Exhibition
William Merrell Vories – A 50th Anniversary Memorial Tour in Ōmi Hachiman
William Merrell Vories was a brilliant and prolific architect who was active throughout the Kansai region in the early 20th century. He is said to have built up to 1600 buildings over a 35 year career, all while leading an active life as an educator, entrepreneur and Christian missionary. Many of the buildings he designed are still standing today, including quite a few in … [Read more...] about William Merrell Vories – A 50th Anniversary Memorial Tour in Ōmi Hachiman
A Trip to Inuyama
Here are some pictures from Inuyama in Aichi prefecture, which we visited last month. Inuyama Castle is supposed to be the oldest castle in Japan: the original fort was built in 1440, and the current structure was completed in 1537. However as you can see from the scaffolding in the picture above, it still needs a bit of maintenance from time to time. Despite the metal … [Read more...] about A Trip to Inuyama
