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Okadera is a lovely temple about 15 minutes walk (uphill) from the Ishibutai kofun (previous post) in Nara Prefecture. Surrounded by forest, it looks down upon the Asuka plain below.
Although most tourists think of Kyoto as Japan’s ancient capital, the original political and spiritual heart of Japan was Nara. The years from 250 to 590 is considered Japan’s kofun era. Kofun are large burial mounds and the countryside of Nara is littered with them. The largest known megalith structure in Japan is the Ishibutai Kofun in Asuka. Around 30 stones were used to construct it, the largest, which forms the roof, weighs about 75 tons! As time passed, the earthen mound covering the stones eroded - visitors can now walk around it and even go inside. The park surrounding the kofun is filled with cherry trees and is especially beautiful during sakura season. @excursions_japan #nara #visitnara #ishibutaikofun #asuka #奈良観光 #石舞台古墳 #stone
About 20 minutes on foot from Kyoto’s Rurikoin (previous post) is Miyake Hachimangu, one of the many shrines in Japan dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war and the protector of Japan.
Kyoto’s Rurikoin has become quite famous on social media due to its incredibly shiny wood floors and a large lacquer table - all of which reflect either the green of spring or the red & orange of autumn. The temple is open to the public in spring (usually mid-April to mid-June) and autumn (approx. October 1 to mid-December). Only a limited number of visitors are allowed in at one time, so the wait to get in can be quite long. Most websites say 2-4 hours! The entrance fee is also very steep - 2000 yen.
Kyoto’s Heian Jingu is relatively new, it was built for the 1895 Industrial Exhibition Fair and the 1,100th anniversary of the city’s founding. It is a partial reconstruction of the innermost section of Kyoto’s original Heian palace - but built on a smaller scale.
If you travel to Kyoto and really want to learn more about the city’s culture, consider experiencing Japanese tea ceremony. The ‘Way of Tea’ was born in Kyoto and all three of Japan’s main schools are located here. Although there are a few English tea ceremony options to choose from, I personally recommend Camellia. Recently I was fortunate enough to enjoy a private session with Camellia’s lovely owner, Atsuko Mori (pictured here). Atsuko and her staff are fluent in English and are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Unlike many traditional tea ceremony experiences in Japan, they create an authentic, yet relaxed atmosphere where questions are encouraged. It was, perhaps, the most enjoyable tea ceremony that I have ever participated in!

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