Nature & Culture of Japan

To make your trip to Japan more interesting

Temples & Buddhism Religion

Does happiness mean either that your wishes come true or that you give up your wishes?

Previously, I mentioned that Shinto shrines and Buddhism temples look very similar at first glance. However, they essentially seem to be the exact opposite. Since ancient times in Japan, people thought that when a drought or disaster occurred, it was…

A Matsuo Basho’s haiku and its place where he composed (1) Iwama-dera (Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture)

There are many languages ​​in the world. I wonder why it is difficult for foreigners to communicate with each other. I think it’s a lot easier than before. Scientific publications are allowed if they are translated faithfully anyway. But when…

Amida Buddha and Ladybugs

In Japan, there is a ladybug species with the name of Amida Buddha. The scientific name is Amida tricolor, and the three colors of red, black and yellow are beautiful. It is often seen in laurel forests, so this may…

Maxim in front of the temple

If you come to Japan for sightseeing, you may be visit so-called famous temples such as Todaiji, Kiyomizudera and Horyuji. But there is always one Buddhist temple in each village in any country, and they say that there are 80,000…

History and difference between shrines and temples

When you come to Japan for sightseeing, you often visit historical facilities related to religion. There are some Christian churches, but many of them are new. Most of the old buildings you see for sightseeing are shrines and temples. Both…

Let’s find insects on the chests of the new Buddha statues in the old Buddhist city, Koyasan

Many people appreciate the historically old Buddha statues. However, some Buddha statues are very new. One of the gates at the center of Koyasan, “Chumon” was built in 819 AD, but it was often hit by fire. It had not…