Bansho-ji – Setsubun 2024 Special

Bansho-ji 万松寺 Nagoya (名古屋) February 3, 2024 About Banshi-ji Bansho-ji is a very modern and flashy looking Buddhist temple that really fits in nicely with the surrounding arcades and electronics stores, but it’s roots are very old. It was built by the Oda family in 1540 and the funeral for the father of Oda Nobunaga, Oda Nobuhide, was held here. It now houses the mortuary tablets for the Oda family. It’s popular with goshuin fans because they have a lot of beautiful designs that change every month. My Visit My husband and I were in the area because he had…

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Kobi Shrine

Kobi Shrine 古井神社 Minokamo (美濃加茂市) January 1, 2024 About Kobi Shrine Kobi Shrine is a shrine in the Kobi area of Minokamo, Gifu Prefecture. The dieties enshrined here are Emperor Ojin, Sugawara no Michizane, Sosano no Mikoto. My Visit We moved to Minokamo in the fall of 2023, making this our first new year in our new house. My family stayed home for the new year despite being able to travel now just for this reason. We got up for the sunrise and went back to bed and didn’t get up again until lunchtime. I dressed myself in my mother…

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Kumano Kotai Shrine (Pop-up Yatagarasu Goshuin) (Nagano Side)

– Kumano Kotai Shrine – 熊野皇大神社- Karuizawa (軽井沢) – July 22, 2022 Kumano Kotai Shrine is one of the many shrines located along the Nakasendo Highway connecting Kyoto and Tokyo. Built right on the border between modern day Nagano Prefecture and Gunma Prefecture, you can straddle the border and literally be in both prefectures at once. There’s even a plate set into the ground marking the line. We had a good time hopping back and forth across the line. This is by far the coolest goshuin that I own. It’s a pop-up goshuin! How nifty is that? You can find…

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Kumano Kotai Shrine (Nagano Side)

– Kumano Kotai Shrine – 熊野皇大神社- Karuizawa (軽井沢) – July 22, 2022 Kumano Kotai Shrine is one of the many shrines located along the Nakasendo Highway connecting Kyoto and Tokyo. Built right on the border between modern day Nagano Prefecture and Gunma Prefecture, you can straddle the border and literally be in both prefectures at once. There’s even a plate set into the ground marking the line. We had a good time hopping back and forth across the line. There are several goshuin available at this shrine. This is the normal goshuin available on the Nagano Prefecture side of the…

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Kumano Kotai Shrine (Famous Regional Features) (Nagano Side)

– Kumano Kotai Shrine – 熊野皇大神社- Karuizawa (軽井沢) – July 22, 2022 Kumano Kotai Shrine is one of the many shrines located along the Nakasendo Highway connecting Kyoto and Tokyo. Built right on the border between modern day Nagano Prefecture and Gunma Prefecture, you can straddle the border and literally be in both prefectures at once. There’s even a plate set into the ground marking the line. We had a good time hopping back and forth across the line. There are several goshuin available at this shrine. This is one of the special ones available on the Nagano Prefecture side…

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Nihon San Dai Kumano (Kumano Kotai Shrine) (Gunma Side)

Kumano Kotai Jinja

– Kumano Kotai Shrine – 熊野皇大神社- Karuizawa (軽井沢) – July 22, 2022 Kumano Kotai Shrine is one of the many shrines located along the Nakasendo Highway connecting Kyoto and Tokyo. Built right on the border between modern day Nagano Prefecture and Gunma Prefecture, you can straddle the border and literally be in both prefectures at once. There’s even a plate set into the ground marking the line. We had a good time hopping back and forth across the line. There are several goshuin available at this shrine. This is one of the special ones available on the Gunma Prefecture side…

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Kumano Shrine (Kumano Kotai Shrine) (Gunma Side)

  – Kumano Shrine – 熊野神社- Karuizawa (軽井沢) – July 22, 2022 Kumano Kotai Shrine is one of the many shrines located along the Nakasendo Highway connecting Kyoto and Tokyo. Built right on the border between modern day Nagano Prefecture and Gunma Prefecture, you can straddle the border and literally be in both prefectures at once. There’s even a plate set into the ground marking the line. There are several goshuin available at this shrine. This is the basic goshuin for the Gunma Prefecture side of the shrine located near the entrance. The center part in black says “Kumano Shrine”…

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Kotoku-ji – Enmei Jizo Goshuin (Tsumago Juku)

Kotoku-ji – 光徳寺Tsumago(妻籠) – August 13, 2020 Many people come to Japan for Kyoto to experience the old buildings and history of Japan, but one place I recommend visiting is the old post town, Tsumago Juku, that was one of many stops along the Nakasendo that connected Kyoto and Tokyo. The old style of the town is carefully preserved, so it feels as if you’ve stepped back in time to the Edo period of Japan. Kotoku-ji is a temple located in Tsumago. Me being me, I had to stop my husband when I saw the temple to see if we…

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Kotoku-ji – Yakushinyorai (Tsumago Juku)

Kotoku-ji – 光徳寺Tsumago(妻籠) – August 23, 2020   Many people come to Japan for Kyoto to experience the old buildings and history of Japan, but one place I recommend visiting is the old post town, Tsumago Juku, that was one of many stops along the Nakasendo that connected Kyoto and Tokyo. The old style of the town is carefully preserved, so it feels as if you’ve stepped back in time to the Edo period of Japan. Kotoku-ji is a temple located in Tsumago. Me being me, I had to stop my husband when I saw the temple to see if…

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Kotoku-ji – Ebisu Goshuin (Tsumago Juku)

Kotoku-ji – 光徳寺Tsumago(妻籠) – August 23, 2020 Many people come to Japan for Kyoto to experience the old buildings and history of Japan, but one place I recommend visiting is the old post town, Tsumago Juku, that was one of many stops along the Nakasendo that connected Kyoto and Tokyo. The old style of the town is carefully preserved, so it feels as if you’ve stepped back in time to the Edo period of Japan. Kotoku-ji is a temple located in Tsumago. Me being me, I had to stop my husband when I saw the temple to see if we…

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