temples

Tokyo no-map-app walk! Getting lost with Mr. Sato on the way to Kishimojin

Mr. Sato wanted to get lost in order to rediscover the joy of urban exploring.

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How to get into this beautiful off-the-beaten-path Kyoto temple earlier than the general public

Getting up early and heading outside the regular tourist circuit could lead to an unforgettable experience this autumn.

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Famous Kyoto shrine has a message for foreign tourists who think it’s okay to dance at sacred sites

Fushimi Inari Taisha asks visitors to show some respect after dance videos filmed beneath its famous torii gates spark criticism online.

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Are Japanese temples on Mt Koya cashing in on the foreign tourism boom?

With more than 100 million yen in underreported income, questions are being raised over the morals of profiting from overseas tourists.

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Ghibli/Kyoto crossover artwork decorates goshuin papers for Zen and Ghibli art exhibition [Pics]

Kyoto museum’s ”Ghibli for grown-ups” event collaborates with three Kyoto Zen temples.

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Megadeth guitarist becomes voice of reason regarding tourists dancing at shrine in Japan

Tourists’ dance video at Kyoto shrine prompts angry response from Marty Friedman.

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Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimono

Visitors to 600-year-old temple prohibited from wearing traditional garment following problems caused by those prioritizing cool social media photos over basic manners.

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Beautiful 785-step Japanese shrine sando stairway walk is one very good reason to visit Kagawa

A sweaty, but unforgettable, visit to Kompirasan.

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Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed

Sacred fire saved from non-sacred fire on Miyajima.

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Japanese manhole lid raises eyebrows with fertility god symbol that looks like… well, you know

Festival of the Steel Phallus deity gets a steel lid in a rural city. 

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Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]

Mr. Sato starts his urban exploration of Tokyo to catch a glimpse of local neighborhoods’ pasts before they’re changed forever.

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Now is the time to visit one of Tokyo’s best off-the-beaten-path plum blossom gardens

The ume of Ikegami grow up a terraced hillside, and under the radar.

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Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood?

With a diplomatic spat prompting a warning from the Chinese government, we go to see if it’s had any effect on Tokyo’s most popular historical neighborhood.

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7-Eleven Japan offering sakura extract lipstick blessed by 300-year-old Kyoto temple

Sakura Veil plumpers make a stop at temple in the Kyoto foothills before making their way to convenience stores.

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Buddhist monks in Japan preparing to hold funeral service for thousands of stuffed animals, dolls

Temple founded centuries ago helps out with unique modern ceremony in Osaka Prefecture.

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Kyoto travel alternative: The “little Kyoto” of Shuzenji【Photos】

Sometimes great travel experiences come in little-Kyoto packages.

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Hidden travel gems of northern east Japan, presented by the Kita Kanto Brothers!【Photos】

Our northern Kanto reporters team up and head to Gunma for a look at this part of Japan that gets overlooked by tourists.

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This overlooked neighborhood east of Tokyo is awesome in many ways, left us with just one regret

And that regret is entirely on us, not on Shimosa Nakayama Station.

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Temple-heavy Kyoto presenting a unique challenge for travelers looking for Muslim prayer rooms

Kyoto City Tourism Association extends help to those looking for a place to pray the Islamic way.

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Is Kyoto really as crowded with foreign tourists as they say?

Assessing the state of overtourism firsthand reveals some surprising results. 

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