Sam Lin's Reviews

Chigogafuchi

Chigogafuchi is a coveted destination set on the southwestern side of Enoshima, a marine plateau formed by the earth rising after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. The name "Chigogafuchi" is derived from the tragic tale of a chigo (apprentice monk) named Shiragiku, who was training at Soushouin, a temple affiliated with Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in Kamakura.

• Kanagawa
• Nature Spots

Miyako Island

The Miyako Archipelago is located in the middle of the Ryukyu Arc that arcs from Okinawa Island to Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands. Miyako Island is the main island among eight islands of various sizes, including Ikema Island and Ogami Island.

• Miyako, Yaeyama (Ishigaki Island), Kume Islands
• Famous Places

Yasaka Shrine

The shrine’s deities are Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Kushiinadahime-no-Mikoto, and Yahashira-no-Mikogami, and it is the head shrine of approximately 2,300 Yasaka Shrine and related shrines with Susanoo-no-Mikoto enshrined scattered throughout Japan.

• Kyoto
• Shrines & Temples

Lake Shinji sunset Spot (Torupa)

A 300m-long promenade was set up along the east side of national highway route 9 so visitors can enjoy the sunset over Lake Shinji, one of Japan's Top 100 Sunset Views. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport assigned the location as the Parking Lot to Capture the Sunset (Torupa) and people love to take a snap here.

• Shimane
• Tourist Attractions

Kodaiji Temple

At the foot of Mt. Higashiyama, Kyoto, northeast of Hokanji Temple known for Yasaka Pagoda, there is a zen temple. After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, his wife Nene (Kita-no-Mandokoro) moved from Osaka to Kyoto and retired into religion.

• Kyoto
• Shrines & Temples

Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine stands on the island of Itsukushima, which is also known as the island of gods. It is said that the shrine was founded in 593 by Saeki no Kuramoto, and the 3 goddess “Ichikishimahime-no-Mikoto,” “Tagorihime-no-Mikoto,” and “Tagitsuhime-no-Mikoto” are enshrined there. Famous for granting a wide list of benefits, these three goddesses as are worshipped as the goddesses of the sea, transportation, fortune, and art.

• Hiroshima
• Shrines & Temples

Lake Biwa

Lake Biwa, which belongs to the first-grade Yodo River system and is located in the center of Shiga Prefecture, occupies an area of about 670 k㎡, or about one-sixth of the prefecture's land area, and is the largest lake in Japan in terms of both area and water storage capacity, with 27.5 billion tons of water pouring in through rivers from the surrounding mountains of Ibuki, Suzuka, and Hira, all of which are over 1,000 meters high.

• Shiga
• Nature Spots

Kinkaku-ji

During the Muromachi Period, the 3rd Ashikaga shogun, Yoshimitsu, made an abode in this temple called Kitayamadono. It was named as Rokuon-ji after the posthumous name of Yoshimitsu. He had also built Shokoku-ji Temple, and Rokuon-ji, his retirement home, was turned into a branch temple of Shokoku-ji.

• Kyoto
• Shrines & Temples