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Japanese wedding @ Miyajima
Sometimes it can be difficult to keep a smile on your face when it rains on your wedding day. Having your wedding at one of the three most scenic places in Japan (日本三景 or Nihon Sankei) can help. The location was Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社).
Hanging lanterns @ Danjo Garan
Barbie Boat
Today’s photo comes from the Covered Bridge Regatta about 10 days ago.
Ryoanji is best know for its zen rock garden–perhaps the most famous karesansui (枯山水) in the world. However, there is much more to see at Ryoanji, including a lake, these stairs, and other objects and paths.
Kongōbu-ji (金剛峯寺) on Koyasan
Japan’s temples and shrines, to me, are far more special alone. New Year’s Day crowds can be interesting too, but visiting a temple or shrine with loads of tourists isn’t usually my thing.
Here is a tip if you are on Koyasan. Some temples, like Kongobuji, close at 5. Dinner at most of the lodgings is at 5:30 or 6. Most people head back to their lodgings before 4 to relax before dinner. You are better off relaxing during the middle of the day when the places are crowded and experiencing the temples between 4 and 5 (or early in the morning) when they are empty.
Such was the case when I walked up through this gate to Kongobuji after 4 p.m. (passing many tourists scurrying back to their temple lodgings). I was the only one there!
These paper slips hanging from the train station (either Gokurakubashi or Koyasan, I don’t remember which) ceiling on Koyasan contained a variety of thanks and wishes. The person who hung the one on the left wanted to lose 3 more kilos while the person to the right was merely thankful and grateful for their Koyasan experiences.