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If you are visiting Kyoto’s Ohara District and want a special lunch, dine at Shino Shoumon. The restaurant specializes in dishes made of locally grown seasonal heirloom vegetables and tofu - although they also serve meat and fish. There is an English menu and it is possible to have a vegetarian meal - although, in this case, it is best to call ahead and make a reservation.
It doesn’t matter how many times I visit Sanzen-in, I cannot get enough of this amazing temple and its smiling Jizo statues. Founded over 1,000 years ago, Sanzen-in is the largest temple in Kyoto’s countryside district, Ohara. It is also a special monzeki temple - meaning that members of Japan’s imperial family served as head priests (until the late 1800’s). The grounds are extensive, so if you visit, give yourself plenty of time to explore. These warabe jizo sit on a moss carpet in the temple’s Yusei-en garden. Warabe is a ancient word for child. Warabe jizo are said to protect children and people also pray to them in order to have a safe, uneventful pregnancy and delivery. @excursions_japan #sanzenin #ohara #kyoto #京都大原三千院 #京都大原 #japanesetemple #japanesegarden #jizo #moss #mosscarpet
If you visit Jinaimachi, in Tondabayashi, Osaka (previous post), between 11:00-15:00, consider eating at Kitchen Ai, a tiny cafe run by a lovely local who is an excellent cook. For 1000 yen, lunch includes a plate of 6 seasonal vegetable dishes, miso soup, rice, pickles, salad, and a choice from two main dishes. On our visit the choices were Japanese style hamburger or asparagus & shrimp cutlets (both were fantastic)! Add a drink for 200 yen and/or dessert for 400 yen.
There are 110 designated historic preservation districts around Japan and Osaka Prefecture is home to one of the loveliest - Jinaimachi, in the city of Tondabayashi. Founded in the mid-1500’s, during the Edo Era, Jinaimachi prospered due to its location at the crossroads of two major kaido (ancient highways) and close to the Ishikawa, a river used to transport goods. About 180 residences that remain in Jinaimachi were built between 1750-1920, and some have been converted into cafes and shops. Wandering around for a couple of hours is a wonderful way to ‘time slip’ into the past. To catch the eye of tourists passing by, here an ingenious shop owner created giant smiley faces on the pavement with water!
If you travel to Tondabayashi, a city in the south of Osaka Prefecture, it is impossible to miss the giant 600 feet / 180 meter tall ‘Great Peace Tower’ - symbol of the Church of Perfect Liberty (PL).
On my visit to Hachijojima (previous post), we took a walk along the island’s volcanic coastline and took some time to relax on this bench overlooking the sea. Hachijojima is technically part of Tokyo but sits quite far out into the Pacific Ocean. It is great destination for nature-lovers who wants to ‘get away from it all’. Popular activities include hiking, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, golfing, and fishing.

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