Japan – Travel-along.in

The Beauty of Osaka Castle’s Gardens and Architecture

22/05/202622/05/2026 by Leela Gopinath, posted in Japan

Osaka castle is one of Osakas’s most famous landmarks and lies over an area of almost 15 acres with beautiful landscaped gardens .It houses some of the most important cultural assets of Japan.

History

The construction of the castle was started in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was completed in 1597. He continued expanding it and making it formidable to attackers. However , the castle has seen several sieges with different shogunates taking over at various points in time.

Under the Meiji government, the castle became part of the Osaka Army manufacturing guns, ammunition and explosives for it’s expanding military. In 1945, during WW II, it was one of the largest armouries but was almost completely destroyed in American bombing.

In 1995, a restoration project was undertaken to keep its Edo splendour and was completed in 1997.

The Castle tower is surrounded by secondary citadels, gates, impressive stone walls and moats.

Our visit

The Nishinomaru garden encompasses a large area and is beautifully landscaped.The garden has many cherry trees on either side of the passage which bloom in spring giving a wonderful ambience. Since we visited in fall, the trees with multi colour leaves provided a different experience.

The landscaped gardens along the pathway.

On one side of the pathway, the moat winds itself and a boat ride on the moat in an added attraction.

A boat ride on the moat

As we walked along, we came across turrets which had played a critical role in defending the castle. With loopholes , rifles were aimed outside at the enemy.

All structures had imposing stone walls, a landmark of the Toyotomi period.

One of the turrets with imposing stone walls.

Walking along, we reach the Sakuromon gate .

The Sakuroman gate is the imposing wooden gate that leads to the inner bailey or Hommaru . The main tower of the castle can also be seen from this gate.

The Sakuramon gate with the part of the Takoishi stone and the main tower inside

As soon as we entered , there was a huge stone wall called the Takoishi stone . This single stone weighs more than 100 tonnes and has a height of more than 5 mts. The pattern on the left resembles an octopus and hence the name.

Takoishi stone

The inner bailey of the castle has the main tower of the castle .The Castle tower is built on a raised landfill. It has eight floors and golden decorations particularly the golden fish on the roof. It offers a panoramic view of the city from the observation deck on the eighth floor.

The interiors of the castle are a modern functioning museum with samurai artefacts.

The main tower of the castle

A closer view with the viewing gallery on top

A flight of stairs leads us on to the main entrance on one side of which is a mounted a canon.

An ancient mounted canon

Entrance to the tower

The top floor of the tower has a viewing gallery that gives a panoramic view of the city.

Panoramic views of Osaka city

The gold fish on the roof of the castle is also visible from here.

The gold fish on the roof

The lower floors are now used as a museum mainly featuring samurai armour, weapons and details of various shogunates that ruled Japan.

Some pictures from inside.

A replica of the legendary fish and crouching tigers.

Miniature battlefield scene

An armour

An exhibit relating to Emperor Toyotomi Hideyoshi who built the castle

Adjacent to the main tower is the Castle is the former headquarters of the Japanese Imperial Army which is now a sightseeing complex. Inside the complex are several restaurants, shops and terraces . It is now called Miraiza Osaka-jo

Miraiza Osaka-jo

The Time Capsule

An interesting item in the inner bailey ahead of the tower is a time capsule. Buried there to commemorate the Japan World Exposition 1970, it has two capsules. Its intention is to transmit 1970 culture, technology and life items to future generations.

Interestingly electronic items and seeds were found to be in working condition in the year 2000….30 years after burial.

Time capsule

After the extensive visit to the castle we proceeded to the aquarium . Some pictures for you to enjoy…

Osaka Aquarium

Our group at the Osaka Aquarium

Some views from the aquaruim

After the walk through the aquarium , we were on our way back to the hotel for some rest before heading next day for some more from Osaka.

Hope you enjoyed this episode.

See you next week with more from Osaka.

Till then, do subscribe, like and comment…

Exploring Japan’s Shinkansen and a floating wonder

08/05/202608/05/2026 by Leela Gopinath, posted in Japan

Travelling by the bullet train was one of the activities during the Japan trip that was eagerly awaited. And finally, the day did come…

Shinkansen or Bullet train

Japan was the first country to construct railway lines dedicated to high speed travel and this railway network came to be known as Shinkansen or “new trunk line”.

The first Shinkansen began service in 1964 between Tokyo and Osaka, the two important metropolitan cities of Japan and ran at speeds up to 210 km/hour and later upgraded to 220kms/hour. This service got an overwhelming response leading to the expansion of the shinkansen network. The speeds have now been upgraded to reach up to 320 kms/hour.

It uses advanced technology compared to conventional railway networks ensuring high speeds and a high standard of safety and comfort. It uses ATC or automatic train control eliminating the need for trackside signals and the entire system is centralized.

It makes extensive use of tunnels and viaducts to go through and over obstacles thus helping to maintain speed. These lines never intersect the slower regular railway lines either.

From Kyoto, we took a bullet train to Hiroshima. That was our first experience of the bullet train. Here are some pictures from this experience…

Entering the Shinkansen platforms

The board at the platform

The Shinkansen arrives at the platform

Inside the Shinkansen

A video of the shinkansen arriving at Kyoto

Arriving at Hiroshima we visited the Hiroshima Peace Park in memory of the atom bomb explosion. That requires an entire episode and will be dealt with in detail.

The other attraction we visited at Hiroshima was the Itsukushima shrine which appears to be floating on water. Read on…

Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima has been a Shinto pilgrim centre since the 6th century. The present shrine located on Miyajima island near Hiroshima dates back to the 12th century.The shrine is built like a pier over the water so that most parts of it appear to be floating particularly during the high tide.

The most popular part of the shrine is a Tori gate that appears to float in water. It is 50 ft tall and built of decay resistant camphor wood. This can be seen from the ferry as one approaches the island. The shrine covers a vast area extending to Mt. Misen and the forested area around and has two popular shrines and several other structures. The man made structures, in the backdrop of the forested hill slopes and the blue of the sea gives the place a beautiful ambience that attracts tourists from all over.

The shrine is dedicated to three goddesses and the island itself is considered a God.

Taking a ferry from mainland near Hiroshima town we reached Miyajima island. Some pictures from the temple.

The ferry to Miyajima Island

**The floating Tori gate as seen from the ferry**

Walking to the shrine

The floating temple buildings on stilts

The beautiful temple architecture

The main shrine

The floating tori as seen from the temple

After visiting the temple, we visited the shopping area where there were many food stalls as in other Japanese temples.

Taking the ferry back to Hiroshima , we rested for the night . Next day we took the bullet train from Hiroshima to Osaka.

See you next week at Osaka.

Till then, do subscribe, like and comment

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Dome

17/04/202617/04/2026 by Leela Gopinath, posted in Japan

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial park is a park in central Hiroshima dedicated to the memories of the victims of the first nuclear attack on August 6th 1945 at the end of WW II. The park is a place for prayer for the victims and for permanent world peace and has memorials, museums, monuments and lecture halls .

Created in an open field caused by the explosion in what was once a busy part of Hiroshima, it stands testimony to the horrors of nuclear war.

The Genbaku dome or the A Bomb Dome and the cenotaph to the victims lies right ahead of us as we enter the park

The park is used as a venue for antiwar and antinuclear protests.

The Peace park with the A Bomb dome and the arch shaped cenotaph in front

A Bomb Dome

The A Bomb Dome is what remains of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. a building that . Originally an exhibition hall built in 1915 with a distinctive dome and used for art and other exhibitions, it was closest to the site of the explosion . It is also called the Genbaku dome and is a UNESCO world heritage site.

It was so designated for its status as a symbol of the first use of nuclear arms on a human population, its survival after such a destructive force and as a symbol of hope for world peace and ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons.

Retained in a state of ruin, it is a memorial to the more than 1,40,000 people killed in the bombing.

The A Bomb Dome

Hiroshima became a target of the bombing as it was a prominent port and one of the headquarters of the Japanese army with over 40,000 military personnel. The bomb was intended to hit the Aioi Bridge but fell on a hospital close to the dome. Everyone inside was killed instantly.

This building kept its shape and parts of its wall collapsed. It probably withstood the force as it was built to be earthquake resistant.

The Peace Memorial park was built around this dome and the dome remains its primary landmark. It was decided to retain the dome as it was on the day of the explosion with only minor repairs to ensure its stability.

Today, the park and the dome are used as venues for anti war and anti nuclear weapon protests. An annual Peace Memorial ceremony is also held here.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

This museum is a modern building located within the peace park and houses exhibits of the history of the bombing and its aftermath. Photographs and personal items of the victims provide a grim reminder of the horrors of that tragedy.

A visit to the museum can be a very sombre experience.

Some pictures which tell the story more than my words….

A miniature of the city and the site of impact. (note the dome in the second picture)

**A clock that stopped at the time of impact**

A photograph of one of the victims

Damaged clothes and footwear

The partially collapsed chimney and the plaque explaining it

Spouts of a damaged fountain

Diary of one of the victims

The plaque on the right explains …..

As they say…the smallest coffins are the heaviest….the following picture of two children with their mangled tricycle was too much to take…!!!!

**The brother and sister with their mangled tricycle**

With a deep sense of sorrow and in deep thought we walked out of the museum to a plaque that read as follows…

This has been a rather sombre episode…

Let us hope for good sense to prevail and avoid such destruction at least in the years to come…

Discover Owakudani: Black Eggs and Volcanic Landscapes

03/04/2026 by Leela Gopinath, posted in Japan

We were driving down from Yamanashi (near mt Fuji) to Kyoto and spent some time at Hakone.

Hakone is a spa town and a popular tourist destination in the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park Area . It has many hot spring Onsen resorts and is famous for the Owakudani geysers and Lake Ashi.

Driving down to Kyoto, we were pleasantly surprised by a silvery white cover over the open lands along the road. It was flowering season for the silver grass and it was a beautiful sight. Chinese silver grass or Micanthus Sinensis is a flowering grass found in SE Asia.

Whole landscapes full of the Chinese silver grass

Hakone and Owakudani

The origins of the Hakone Volcano and Owakudani

A caldera is a hollow that forms after spillage of magma during a volcanic eruption. After the magma empties, the walls collapse into a hollow by their weight. The erupted volcanic material like lava gets deposited as edifices or mountains at the centre of the caldera.

The Hakone volcano has a caldera measuring 11 kms in diameter and Lake Ashi is a lake formed in the caldera. This caldera has formed gradually over thousands of years and has developed edifices . Owakudani is one of them and a living example of the powerful volcanic forces beneath Mount Hakone.

Lake Ashi

Lake Ashi, also known as Hakone Lake is a scenic crater lake in the Hakone area . It lies along the historic Tokaido road, the main route linking Kyoto and Tokyo. Pleasure boats and ferries operate on the lake, several of which are styled after sailing warships.

We took a sightseeing trip on Lake Ashi on a pirate ship. Fall colours dominated the scenery . Some pictures…

Lake Ashi

The pirate ship that took us sightseeing Lake Ashi

Some views as we sailed Lake Ashi

The ladies decided on a quick picture…

The Tori gate of the Hakone shrine seen from the ship

The first halt was at Hakone shrine where some passengers alighted to visit the shrine.

We continued to the next halt which was at Togendai.

We alighted at Togendai, from where we took the ropeway to Owakudani (the pillars of the ropeway can be seen on the hillside)

Hakone ropeway

After crossing Lake Ashi, we took the ropeway from Togendai to Owakudani. This ropeway has gondolas which give beautiful views of the active hot springs and the Owakudani valley. If the visibility is very good, even Mt Fuji can be seen from the ropeway.

Views from the ropeway ascending from Lake Ashi to Owakudani

A short video clip of the ropeway ride

Getting down from the ropeway, we were at Owakudani Park.

Owakudani (The Great Boiling Valley)

Formed as a result of eruption and collapse of Mt. Kamiyama ; fumes of hydrogen sulphide can be seen spewing from the mountain side. As a result of this timber has wilted exposing the bronze coloured mountain side with boiling pools and steam vents.

Some pictures…

Owakudani Park

Our group at Owakudani with the sulphur fumes in the background

A video showing the spewing gas and the facilities at Owakudani.(click on video)

A speciality at Owakudani is the black egg.

The Black Egg

When eggs are boiled in the spring water, the iron in the spring water combines with hydrogen sulphide gas forming iron sulphide which sticks on to the shell making it black. Black eggs are edible and available for purchase and it is the speciality of Owakudani.

The Black eggs of Owakudani

**A photo op with the local speciality!!**

Leaving Owakudani, we drove on to Kyoto, our next destination.

Hope you enjoyed the views of Owakudani and Lake Ashi. Meet you at Hiroshima…

Till then, do subscribe, like and comment.

Kyoto’s spiritual escapes…. Arashiyama Bamboo grove and Kiyomizu-dera temple

20/03/2026 by Leela Gopinath, posted in Japan

Arashiyama Bamboo forest.

The Arashiyama bamboo forest is one of the popular destinations in Kyoto . A grove of Sagano bamboos on either side of a walking trail creates a serene and mystic atmosphere.

It was raining when we visited the bamboo forest and it was very crowded too. At a quieter time, the place would be a peaceful and meditative place. The sound of the wind blowing through the grove can be very mystic. It is a symbol of connection between nature and Japanese aesthetics. It is a kind of spiritual escape for the locals particularly with the associated temple.

Bamboo is a symbol of resilience and strength and was a favoured spot of the aristocrats in ancient times.

Several private and public grave yards were seen in the vicinity of the bamboo groves.

Some pictures…

The passage between the bamboo groves

**The sun tries to peep through the trees…**

**Public and private family graves were seen in the park and along the walking track**

From the bamboo grove, we proceeded to the Kiyomizu-dera temple, another Kyoto landmark…

The Kiyomizu-dera temple

Kiyomizu-dera (Pure Water Temple) is an ancient Japanese temple located in Mount Otowa in Kyoto and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Legend

It’s founding is shrouded in legend and says that a monk Kenshin had a dream that led him to the site of the temple where he discovered a golden stream and and tracing its source reached an ascetic Gyoei Koji who was practicing under a waterfall. Kenshin made a wooden statue of Kannon the God and enshrined it there marking the beginning of this temple. The waterfall known as Otowa falls is still part of the complex.

The Temple

As we entered the temple, a flight of stairs with a decorative gate welcomed us.

The entrance

A decorated bell fry adorned the landing

Bell fry

A wooden walkway with beautiful lanterns lead us to the main hall of the temple.

The walkway with beautiful lanterns

The temple is best known for its main hall which has a large veranda supported by tall pillars that juts out over the hillside offering beautiful views. The cherry and maple trees below on the hillside breaks into colour in autumn offering amazing views . The peculiarity is that no nails have been used in the construction. The pieces are wedged together like in a lego set.

The verandah jutting out over the hillside with the trees bursting with colours in autumn

A view of the trees on the hillside from the verandah

It houses the temple’s primary object of worship, that of Kannon (Avalokiteswara) with eleven faces and a thousand arms.

Avalokiteswara (Kannon) God of compassion

Behind the main hall is the Jizo shrine dedicated to the well being of children

The Jizo shrine

The three storied Koyasu pagoda stands among the trees and is believed to bring easy and safe childbirth.

Koyasu Pagoda

Beneath the main hall is the Otowa falls with three channels of water falling into a pond. visitors can drink this water which has wish granting powers.

The Ottowa falls

Like in other temples in Japan, a vibrant shopping area awaited us outside. Largely consisting of eateries, the shops looked very attractive and colourful. We spent some time here before proceeding to the bus on our way back to our hotel.

Some pictures…

The vibrant shopping area

Hope you all enjoyed the sightseeing destinations in Kyoto. Kyoto has a lot to offer in terms of cultural experiences which will be a different episode.

See you next week at Owakudani, the volcanic zone we visited enroute Kyoto…

Till then, do subscribe, like and comment…

Kyoto’s beautiful temples….Kinkaku-ji and Fushimi-Inari

06/03/2026 by Leela Gopinath, posted in Japan

Located in the beautiful city of Kyoto in Japan is this majestic temple called Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion in Japanese) also known as the Rukuonji temple. The top two floors of the temple are coated in 0.5 um gold leaf. The gold incorporated into the building is believed to negate any negative thoughts and feelings towards death. The aesthetic construction with the golden building reflecting on the pond below is amazing indeed! It is a World Heritage Site since 1994.

History

The origin of Kinkaku-ji dates back to the 14th century . In 1397, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu took over the retirement villa that stood here. He built the Kitayama palace centering the golden stupa. This was the centre of politics and culture and was used to welcome the Emperors of Japan and trading partners from China. After Yoshimitsu passed away, it was converted into a temple as per his will.

The temple has a rather sad history when a young mentally unstable monk set it on fire before attempting suicide in 1950. The monk survived but passed away in 1955 of tuberculosis. A book “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion “by Yukio Mishima refers to these events.

The statue of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was destroyed in the fire and later restored. The present pavilion was built in 1955 and is three storeys high. In 1984, it was noticed that the gold leaf was peeling off and then it was restored with thicker gold leaf.

A silver pavilion temple has also been built on its model in Kyoto called Ginkaku-ji by Yoshimitsu’s grandson on the other side of Kyoto city.

Architecture

The three floors are built in distinctly different styles and serves as a shariden housing Buddha’s ashes. It reflects the wealthy aristocratic style prevalent in Kyoto during Yoshimitsu’s time.

The entrance

The landscaped garden with walking path

The building itself is located in a garden landscaped in muromachi style, a classical japanese strolling garden style. Located in a pond, the structure provides a stunning reflection of itself in the water. The pond has 10 smaller islands.

The temple and the pond

The temple adds to the beauty of the surroundings…

As we look closely we see details of the amazing architecture….

The first floor called Chamber of Dharma is designed as an open space with verandahs and uses natural unpainted wood and plaster. Statues of Shaka Buddha and Yoshimitsu are present here . Though you cannot enter the temple, these can be seen through the sliding doors which are often open.

The second floor is the Tower of Sound Waves built in style of warrior aristocrats and has a hall and Buddha shrine .The statues here are not shown to visitors.

The third floor is built in Chinese style and called Cupola of the Ultimate.

The roof is a thatched pyramid with a bronze phoenix on top.

Close up showing the three floors and phoenix clearly

The Fudo Hall with the image of the wise man and protector of Buddhism lies along the path. A thick rope which helps in sounding a gong ( to awaken the Gods to your prayer) is another unique feature.

Fudo Hall with the gong and rope

The garden with bonsai trees adds beauty and in fall, the colours add another level of ethereal beauty to the temple.

The beautiful garden

As we walk along the path, there is a spring and a waterfall…

The spring and the waterfall

The garden has few other points of interest including a pond that never dries up and statues where people throw coins to fulfill their wishes.

Drop coins for good luck

A Sekkatei teahouse …a traditional Japanese tea house can be seen just before one exits the temple.

The Sekkatei Tea House

Leaving Kinkaku-ji, we headed to another of Kyoto’s iconic temples…The temple of tori gates…Fushimi Inari.

Fushimi Inari

Famous for its tori gates, this temple too is very attractive and sacred to the locals.

The shrine rests on the mountain called Inariyama and aims at promoting the harmonious coexistence of deities, humans and nature. Inari Okami, is the presiding deity of the temple founded in 711 AD. People gather here to pray for bountiful harvest, business prosperity , safety of home and family and fulfillment of wishes.

Tori gates are traditional Japanese gates to Shinto shrines. They are composed of two vertical posts topped by two cross beams and painted red. The Japanese believe that passing through a Tori gate is a transition into a holy space.

Fushimi Inari has almost ten thousands tori gates which straddle the walking path that leads to the wooded forest of sacred mount Inari. Inari is the short form of “Ine Nari” meaning reaping of rice in Japanese. There are more than thirty thousand Inari shrines from all over Japan that are affiliated to Fushimi reflecting the importance of this temple to the locals. Foxes are believed to be messengers of Inari and many statues of foxes are seen across the shrine.

Our visit

As you enter the complex, the main Tori gate is called the Romon Gate.

Our group below the Romon gate (a tori gate) with the Fushimi Inari shrine behind

**The main shrine with the sacred fox images on either side**

**The side view of the main shrine with the steps leading to the Tori gates**

As one walks up the stairs one comes across a board explaining the location of various shrines at the temple.

**Our guide shows us the tori gates on a board and explains the location**

A wishing horse is another speciality here. Though the temple was primarily meant for praying for good harvest, people believe that praying to the horse for progress in business ventures is helpful. Many people put their visiting cards inside.

The wishing horse….note the cards inside the shrine

Just behind the main shrine is the entrance to the tori gate covered hiking trail which has parallel rows of gates called Senbon Torii creating an impression of a tunnel. There are believed to be ten thousand such gates that lead to the top. These gates are donations by individuals whose names are inscribed on the back of each gate.

The gates with names of donors and giving a feel of walking through a tunnel

Click on video to walk through the Tori tunnel

After the first set of parallel gates are over, you reach an open area with multiple shrines.

Shinto shrine with a display of fox amulets

**The decorated fox statues seen all around this temple**

Lot of locals were trying their hand at lifting a heavy stone known as the Omokaru stone. Making a wish and lifting it is believed to grant the wish if the stone feels lighter after you make the wish.

Lifting the Omokaru stone

The gates continue from behind this upwards to the mountain and lead to several smaller shrines covering a distance of four kilometers and takes around two hours to walk.

We had limited time and so walked back to our bus after visiting the temple. Like most temples in Japan, the paths leading to the temples are lined with plenty of shops selling food items and souvenirs.

Tempting display of food items along the walking path to the temple

Enjoying some of the treats on offer, we walked to our bus after a great day of sightseeing at Kyoto.

Hope you enjoyed these unique Japanese temples.

See you next week with more from Kyoto, the beautiful Japanese city

Till then, do subscribe, like and comment…

A Day in Tokyo: Gardens, Shrines, and the Skytree

05/02/2026 by Leela Gopinath, posted in Japan

Our second day at Tokyo saw us visiting the Rikugien garden also called the Zen Garden.

Rikugien Garden

One of Tokyo’s most beautiful strolling gardens, it is a tranquil garden with a central pond, walking paths and iconic bridges representing scenes from Japanese poems. It is an ancient garden created in 1700 and offers visitors a feast of colours in all seasons. During spring, the cherry blossoms are all in bloom giving the entire garden a pinkish hue. In autumn, there is a myriad of colours leaving you mesmerised.

Night views with illumination are also organised during special occasions.

Some pictures…

The autumn colours were just starting at…Rikugien

The central pond with the reflection of the trees

The bright colours of autumn

More colours….

The grooming of a tree

An antique bridge adds to the beauty

After those amazing autumn colours at the garden, we proceeded to the Meiji-jingu shrine

The Meiji Jingu shrine

This shrine is peculiar in that it is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken ; the first Emperor and Empress of modern Japan. However, the Emperor’s grave is not located here but in Kyoto. It was built between 1920 and 1926 and lies in a man made tranquil forested area with gardens and long walking tracks in the midst of the Tokyo hustle.

Shinto is the original Japanese religion with no founder, no holy book but values harmony with nature and a true sincere heart. They believe anything divine is Kami (spirit).

The tranquil surroundings of the forest were really appealing in spite of the crowds.

In less crowded times; it would be a very meditative experience…..my thoughts as I walked along…

**A traditional bridge in tranquil surroundings**

Chrysanthemum is the national flower of the Japan and the symbol of the Imperial family . A beautiful display of Chrysanthemum flowers and bonsai trees greeted us to the shrine.

**The Chrysanthemum and bonsai display**

One of the unique features of this shrine are the barrels of wine and Sake displayed decoratively.

Along the pathway on one side are displayed wine barrels. Emperor Meiji loved French wine and encouraged the adoption of western cultures in the Meiji period when Japan started getting modern. Barrels of French wine were donated and is still offered at the temple.

On the opposite side , parallel to this are displayed decorated Sake barrels.ake plays a very important role in Shinto . Emperor Meiji encouraged technological advancements in all areas including sake production. The barrels displayed here are empty and are offered along with sake in bottles as a token of gratitude by brewers.

The juxtaposition of traditional Sake with modern Wine is symbolic of the adoption of modern while retaining the traditional; an approach adopted by Japan in the Meiji period

Walking along the gardens one reaches the Tori gate that mark the entrance to the sacred area of the temple. The Tori gate has Chrysanthemum crests which signify the connection of the royal family with Meiji-Jingu.

An open courtyard lies ahead of the gate

A group picture in at courtyard leading to the main shrine

A Temizusha or purification area where one can wash one’s hands and mouth to purify oneself before visiting the shrine greets us here.

Next is the Minami Shinmon or the main gate which is a grand, traditional wooden gate of impressive size, featuring ornate details, a teal roof, and marking the main entrance to the inner shrine area.

Two large camphor trees…the husband and wife trees stand in the foreground of the main shrine. linked by a rope symbolising happy marriage.

The husband and wife camphor trees bound by a rope

Ema or wooden plaques where one can write one’s wishes or feelings of gratitude are available and many locals tie it around the tree.

Ema or wish amulets

That led us to the ornate main shrine. The intricate designs and architecture of this structure is strikingly similar to many Hindu temples of Kerala.

The main sanctuary with beautiful architecture

After this cultural treat, we headed to a Japanese restaurant for lunch. More on that later….

Post lunch we headed to the Skytree, the towering icon of Tokyo

Tokyo Skytree

This is a broadcasting and observation tower located in Tokyo. At 634 mts., it is the tallest tower in the world. The older Tokyo tower no longer gives digital broadcasting coverage as it is surrounded by high rise buildings.

The base of the tower is shaped like a tripod but from a height of 350 mts, the structure is cylindrical and gives panoramic views of the city and the Sumida river. There are two observatories at 350 mts and 450 mts height. There is a glass skywalk that gives a direct view of the streets below.

A view of Mt Fuji from this tower is a coveted sight on clear days.

Some pictures…

The Sky tree

Entrance to the Skytree

Sky tree and the old Tokyo tower as seen from our hotel

Four ultra speed elevators takes us to the Tembo deck which is the observatory . These lift decorations feature the four seasons and operate at 600mt/minute speed. It reaches the deck in about 50 seconds.

The lift reaching the deck as shown on a video inside the elevator.(click on video)

The Tembo deck or observatory is circular and has large glass panes around providing views all round. A part of the deck has glass floor which gives views of the steel framework and the street below. At various points along the circumference are signboards guiding us to the important landmarks visible from that direction.

The Tembo Deck

Glass floor

Views of Tokyo city and the Sumida river from the deck

Sky tree provides views of Mt Fuji on clear days. Unfortunately it was hazy when we were at the sky tree. However we got a fleeting sight as the clouds decided to grace us!!

Blessed with a fleeting view of Mt Fuji as the clouds cleared.

A cafe and souvenir shop also function here.

Evenings see the Sky tree illuminated in various hues. …Iki, Miyabi and Nobori themes. The Iki theme is the water theme in tribute to the sumida river and has the central tower in faint blue.

The sky tree illuminated in Iki theme

From here we headed back to our hotel for dinner and rest . Next day we were to head for Yamanashi for Mt Fuji views.

It must be amply clear by now how Tokyo truly amalgamates the ancient and the modern.

See you next week from Mt. Fuji. Till then, do subscribe, like and comment.

Exploring Tokyo: Modern Marvels and Cultural Gems

23/01/2026 by Leela Gopinath, posted in Japan

Tokyo is Japan’s bustling capital that provides the visitor a taste of diverse experiences ranging from the ultra modern to the traditional. With its towering skyscrapers, neon lights and flyovers crisscrossing the Sumida river on one side and traditional temples like the Senso-ji and Meiji Jinku on the other ; it is truly an amalgam of modern and traditional Japan. It is exceptionally clean and so difficult to find a public dustbin ; that we wonder if it really is the world’s most populous metropolitan area ?

It is the main economic centre of the country and the seat of the government and the Emperor of Japan. Originally known as Edo, it has evolved from a small fishing village to what it is today. And one has to remember that all this has been achieved in spite of numerous earthquakes and the World wars that plundered it.

Landing at Narita airport, these were the signs that greeted us…

First glimpses of Japan

Driving from Narita airport to town, we did see the towering skyscrapers, flyovers and sparkling billboards of modern Tokyo.

A beautifully lit bridge on the Sumida river with skyscrapers in the background

The busy locals and the colourful billboards

The disciplined movement of traffic is something that is striking!!!! (click on video)

We checked into the beautiful Tokyo Dome Hotel and the views from there were wonderful.

The Hotel and a bird’s eye view of Tokyo city

This Hotel is part of an entertainment arena called Tokyo Dome. It has various fun activities and shopping areas in the complex.

The illuminated Tokyo Dome arena and entertainment area (click on video)

The brightly lit ferris wheel in the shopping area.

Next morning, looking down from our hotel room, the organised movement of people at the signal amused us as they resembled small black ants….click on the video below for some fun…

Bird’s eye view of the start to a day at Tokyo…(click on video)

Soon we were on our way looking around and we first visited the Imperial Palace and garden.

Imperial Palace and Garden

The primary residence of Japan’s Emperor, this palace is located on the grounds of the former Edo Castle. It features Japanese style gardens with historic castle ruins, moats, walls and the Nijubashi Bridge. The outer gardens are accessible to the public but the inner gardens are not.

Some pictures…

A bronze statue of Kusunoki Masashige a famous 14th century samurai adorns the pathway of the garden near the palace. He was very loyal to the Emperor and is seen here awaiting his return from exile. It is regarded as one of Tokyo’s important bronze statues.

The garden

The bronze samurai

The Japanese style garden with bonsai trees

The Nijubashi bridge across the moat is famous for its two arches like two eyes. Behind it is the original bridge and to the left is the main entrance to the palace

Nijubashi bridge with the palace watchtower behind

Our group at the outer gardens

The entrance to the inner gardens

Some of the buildings in the palace complex with stone walls and moats around

From here we proceeded to the Asakusa temple also called the Senso-ji temple.

Senso-ji Temple (Asakusa Temple)

Dedicated to Kannon, the Bodhisattva of compassion it is believed to be one of the most widely visited religious sites in the world.

The senso-ji legend

In 628 AD, two brothers discovered the statue of Kannon while fishing in the Sumida river. The statue was 5.5 cms in height and made of pure gold. This idol is housed in this temple which was completed in 650 AD making it Tokyo’s oldest temple.

Asakusa was at that time, a small fishing village in the Tokyo bay. Visitors flocking to worship Kannon increased the popularity of not only the temple but Asakusa too. Gradually the placed developed and by the 18th century, it became a very busy part of the city. Destroyed during an air raid in WW II, it was rebuilt in 1950.

The Temple

The entrance to the temple is dominated by a Thunder Gate with a massive lantern painted in red and black suggesting thunder clouds and lightning.

The Thunder gate

This gate leads to the Nakamise-dori the shopping street that has shops selling food items, souvenirs, Buddhist scrolls, kimonos, traditional fans and curios.This shopping street was established after the locals were given permission to run the businesses in exchange for keeping the street clean.

Nakamise -dori (The shopping street)

The shopping street ends at the inner gate or the Treasure house gate which is a two storey gate with Senso-ji’s treasures in the upper floor.

Treasure house gate

The temple grounds house the main hall, and a five storey pagoda. The main hall houses Kannon. A large beautiful shrine lies inside the main hall but the statue of Kannon is never shown to the public. The entrance to the main hall also has a huge red lantern.

Just outside the main hall is also an incense burner and purification fountain found in most Japanese temples.