Visiting Historic site in Japan

  Five Surprising Discoveries from a Walk Through Fukagawa’s “Temple Town” 1. An Invitation to the “Labyrinth of Edo” Hidden in a Modern Coffee District As you stroll through Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, the rich aroma of freshly roasted coffee fills the air. Often dubbed “Tokyo’s Brooklyn,” this neighborhood has become synonymous with a refined café culture. Yet, between the sleek modern buildings, you’ll suddenly encounter the imposing gates of historic temples. This area was once a teramachi —a “temple town” where numerous temples were gathered together. The route introduced here is the “Fukagawa Temple Town & Deep Edo Course” proposed by Koto City. Starting from the Fukagawa Tokyo Modern Museum and ending at the Fukagawa Edo Museum, the journey spans just 2 kilometers and takes about two and a half hours. So why walk this route now? Because within this short distance lies an astonishing concentration of history: the footsteps of explorers who inscribed their names on world ma...

 Tokyo is often described as a city of constant change. New buildings replace old ones, trends come and go, and entire neighborhoods reinvent themselves every decade. But then, there are places that resist that flow. Monzen-Nakacho, in Koto City, is one of them. I recently walked the Fukagawa Monzen-Nakacho “Blessings” Course —a compact 1.5 km route that takes about 90 minutes. On paper, it looks like a typical sightseeing course. In reality, it feels more like stepping into a different layer of Tokyo—one that has quietly continued since the Edo period. The Starting Point Is Already a Clue The walk begins at Fukagawa Tokyo Modan-kan , a building from 1932. At first glance, it’s just a retro structure. But spend a few minutes inside, and you realize something: this area has long been a place where “modern life” and “local culture” coexist. That theme—old and new layered together—continues throughout the entire route. A Narrow Alley That Explains Tokyo Better Than Any Guide...

 How Myth Preserved Political Integration in Early Japan I. Mist Over Izumo In western Japan, along the coast of the Sea of Japan, stands one of the oldest and most enigmatic shrines in the country: 出雲大社 . Each October, according to tradition, all the gods of Japan leave their respective shrines and gather in Izumo. While the rest of the country calls this month Kannazuki —“the month without gods”—Izumo alone calls it Kamiarizuki —“the month when the gods are present.” It is an image both mystical and atmospheric: deities assembling in silence, ancient rituals unfolding in a place that feels detached from modern time. Yet behind this sacred scenery lies a historical puzzle. Why does Izumo, far from the early political center of Yamato (present-day Nara basin), hold such theological prestige in Japanese mythology? And why does its principal deity, Ōkuninushi, willingly “transfer” the land to the heavenly descendants who later rule Japan? The answer may lie not only in religion—but i...

  Iwasaki Yataro (1835–1885) was a Japanese entrepreneur and the founder of Mitsubishi. Born into a lower-ranking samurai family in Tosa (present-day Kochi Prefecture), he rose from modest beginnings to become one of the most influential business leaders of the Meiji era. Through determination and sharp strategic thinking, he transformed Mitsubishi into a powerful shipping company that supported Japan’s rapid modernization, later expanding into mining, finance, and heavy industry. Today, Iwasaki is remembered as a bold and visionary businessman who helped lay the foundation for modern Japanese capitalism. Yet beyond boardrooms and shipping routes, Iwasaki had another passion—stones. Famous Stones of Kiyosumi Garden Iwasaki Yataro was known for his deep appreciation of stones. When developing Kiyosumi Garden in Tokyo, he collected remarkable stones from all over Japan and made them the centerpiece of the garden’s design. These stones were not randomly placed decorations; they w...

  Explore Fujizuka — Tokyo’s Hidden Mini Mt. Fujis and a Piece of Edo-Era Belief When you think of Mt. Fuji , you probably picture Japan’s tallest and most iconic peak rising above the clouds — a world-famous symbol of natural beauty. But did you know that Tokyo alone is home to dozens of miniature “Mt. Fujis”? These are called fujizuka — small mounds built to resemble Mt. Fuji tucked into neighborhood shrines and parks all across the city. (Fujiduka Near SHinagawa_station) What Are Fujizuka? During the Edo period (1603–1868), the worship of Mt. Fuji became deeply popular among ordinary people. Climbing the real Mt. Fuji was seen as a spiritually significant act — a pilgrimage with religious meaning. But for most people of that era, the actual mountain was too far, too expensive to reach, or simply too difficult to climb. To bring that experience closer to home, local religious associations known as Fuji-kō built fujizuka — artificial hills fashioned in the likeness of Mt. F...

 Like many other regions in Japan, the Nagoya area is home to countless shrines. From large, famous Shinto complexes to small neighborhood sanctuaries, shrines are deeply woven into everyday life. However, among these, there is a particularly unique and lesser-known type of shrine that stands out—one that you might easily overlook if you are not paying attention. In Nagoya, you can sometimes find shrines not at ground level, but on top of buildings. These are located on the second floor or even on the rooftop above the first floor. This unusual style of shrine is called a “Yanegami” , which literally means “rooftop deity” or “rooftop shrine.” Unlike traditional shrines surrounded by trees and torii gates, these rooftop shrines quietly watch over the city from above.   Rooftop shrines can be found especially in Nishi-ku (Ward) , Nakamura-ku , and Naka-ku of Nagoya City. One well-known example appears in Shikemichi , a small historic street that preserves the atmosphere of the ...

 Nagoya castle is one of the most famous castle in Japan It was build in Edo period in 1612. Nagoya Castle official web site     Who build this castle? of course , there are many people are involved. But I want to highlight one person. His name is Kiyomasa Kato, Japanese Daimyo in Edo period. He is know as master of castle construction.  Kiyomasa Kato (wikipedia)  He was involved in 3 big castle in Japan. 3 big castle are , (There are some other so called 3 big castle depending on different view) Kumamoto castle Osaka castle Nagoya castle  Because of this, Kiyomasa's statue is in from of Nagoya castle.  you may be able to see castle in his right.  One of the Feature Kiyomasa build castle is "Ishigaki" stone wall.  Cutting stone require very high level of skill. The rechnic was show in front of Kiyomasa's statue.  So if you have a chanse to go to Nagoya Castl, please also go to this starte and see how make this beautiful stone wall.