Holly's Reviews Page 2/3

Naminoue Shrine

As the name implies, this ancient shrine stands on a quay overhanging the blue sea, and is affectionately known as "Nanmin-san" by the local people.

• Naha, Shuri, Itoman, Nanjo
• Shrines & Temples

Naminoue Shrine is located on a seaside hill in Naha. Inside the grounds, you’ll see plenty of banyan trees, Okinawan-style tiled roofs, and tropical greenery. The overall atmosphere feels completely different from the shrines commonly seen on Japan’s main islands. The banyan trees, sea breeze, Okinawan roof tiles, and coastal setting give this shrine a distinct southern island character.

You do have to climb a rather unappealing slope on the way there, but I still thought it was a great visit. No wonder Japanese visitors feel like they’re traveling abroad when they come to Okinawa. It really has a completely different charm from mainland shrines.

Himeji Castle

This castle is a World Heritage Site and a Japanese castle masterpiece. The main keep, built by Ikeda Terumasa in the early Edo period, has a five-story exterior, one basement level, and six stories above ground on the inside, making it the largest Edo period castle tower still standing.

• Hyogo
• Tourist Attractions

I originally thought the main difference between Himeji Castle and other Japanese castles was simply its beautiful white exterior. But once I went inside, I realized its scale, state of preservation, and architectural details were far beyond what I had expected. After entering from Sakuramon Bridge, it already takes a while just to cross Sannomaru Square and reach the ticket gate. Once officially inside the castle grounds, I was drawn in by the layered views of the main keeps, smaller keeps, connecting corridors, and multiple gates. I kept stopping to walk, take photos, and look around, so there was no way I could finish the visit in the two hours I had originally planned.

Compared with the main keep, which gets the most attention, I really liked the Hyakken Corridor and Keshō Yagura in Nishinomaru. This area preserves a rare glimpse of women’s living spaces within a Japanese castle. As I walked along the wooden corridor and looked at the small rooms used by attendants, household items, and exhibits related to Princess Sen, I realized that castles were not only places for lords, samurai, and war. They also once held the everyday lives of women. Princess Sen spent some rare peaceful years at Himeji Castle, but in the end she lost both her child and husband one after another. It gave that seemingly glamorous life a sense of fated sadness.

The main keep area has a completely different atmosphere. The low gates, steep stone steps, winding passages, and sudden corners are already quite tiring for ordinary visitors, so it’s hard to imagine how enemy soldiers in armor would have advanced through them. After entering the keep and seeing the many weapon racks, shooting holes, stone-dropping openings, and hidden rooms, I finally understood that beneath Himeji Castle’s elegant white appearance lies an extremely cold, warlike nature. I’m also grateful to live in a peaceful era, when this castle built for defense can finally be appreciated for its most beautiful side.

Osaka Kizu Wholesale Market

One of the largest privately-operated regional wholesale markets in Japan, Osaka Kizu Wholesale Market draws droves of professional chefs seeking top-quality ingredients. With a history spanning nearly 300 years, the market originated in the Edo period as a “nodachi-uri” (open-air trade market) where people brought their goods to sell.

• Osaka
• Shopping Streets

Osaka Kizu Wholesale Market mainly serves restaurant industry professionals and local residents. Inside, you’ll find seafood, fruits and vegetables, dried goods, and eateries. The sections are clearly organized, and the market is cleaner than I expected.

Aside from popular dining spots serving seafood bowls and other dishes, many fresh items are now sold in smaller portions, so travelers can easily buy something too. There’s also a dining area on-site. Since most shops start closing up around noon, I’d recommend going between 8 and 10 in the morning to have the best selection of fresh foods.

What I felt most after walking around was that this place constantly makes you choose between “I want to eat” and “I want to buy.” If you start with a seafood bowl at one of the popular shops around the market, you won’t have room for the seafood inside. But if you buy seafood inside the market first, it’s hard to try many different items at once, especially when you’re visiting alone. At moments like that, I really wished my stomach were bigger.

Tokugawaen

This Japanese garden was established in the ruins that used to be called “Ōzone Yashiki ” for Tokugawa Mitsutomo (1625-1700), the second lord of the Owari branch of the Tokugawa clan, to spend his retired life in 1695. The ground is said to have about 44 ha.

• Nagoya
• Parks & Gardens

I first stopped by a nearby kissaten for a classic Nagoya breakfast, so I decided to walk into Tokugawaen afterward. To my surprise, I happened to catch a winter peony exhibition. I honestly didn’t expect to see so many peonies in winter. Their delicate petals were layered beautifully, and the colors were so rich. After seeing them all, I understood why people in the past were so fascinated by peonies.

I also happened to come across a nagashi-bina ceremony, which added movement and life to the otherwise quiet Hinamatsuri atmosphere. I didn’t expect to see this ceremony anywhere other than Shimogamo Shrine, and this one even allowed the general public to participate. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to join because I wanted to see the hina dolls at the art museum.

I had assumed a winter garden would feel plain, but the waterfall, water features, and peonies made the garden feel alive even in winter. It also helped me understand what books mean when they describe how daimyo gardens reflected control over technique, resources, and space.

Tokugawa Art Museum

This museum curates Owari Tokunaga family’s treasures. The 19th feudal lord Tokugawa Yoshichika opened it in 1935 to preserve the culture of lordship for the future generations.

• Nagoya
• Museums

I originally came because I was drawn to the Owari Tokugawa family's hina doll exhibition. But once I stepped inside, what impressed me most was the Noh stage. It was so huge that even an ultra-wide-angle lens could barely capture it all.

The tea rooms, study rooms, and artifacts are also reassembled in a way that helps fill in the missing atmosphere of the Honmaru Palace at Nagoya Castle. This museum doesn't just place cultural objects behind glass. It lets you see how they originally existed within samurai family life.

Even after political power has faded, these artifacts still carry on the lingering glow of the Tokugawa family through the way they are displayed in the space.

Kanazawa Confectionery Wooden Mold Museum

A museum of Kanazawa’s confectionery culture located on the second floor of the main store of Morihachi, a long-established Japanese sweets shop with over 400 years of history. Around 1,000 items, including wooden molds used to make sweets since the Edo period, are displayed in glass cases by era. The molds come in a wide range of sizes and designs, and part of the fun is imagining what kinds of sweets were made from them as you look around.

• Kanazawa
• Museums

I originally just wanted to make a pilgrimage to see the century-old wooden molds for wagashi, but the experience ended up being much richer than I expected. From shibugami and rakugan wooden molds to kinka-to, a type of sugar confection unique to the Hokuriku region, I was able to fill in a lot of knowledge I had only seen in bits and pieces in books. I also truly came to understand that the value of these wooden molds isn’t just in the carving, but also in the careful attention paid to selecting the wood, drying it, and preserving it.

What surprised me the most was the display of confectionery plates from the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa eras. The Taisho-era pieces, especially those with Western-style and romantic influences, made me stop and look closely at almost every single one. That section alone made the visit completely worth it. In the tea ceremony, confectionery plates are usually supporting players, but here they became the sole stars of the show.

After the visit, I went to the dining area next door and enjoyed a fresh wagashi with yellow bean paste, Kaga bocha, and kuzukiri. The mother-of-pearl lacquer tray and Kutani ware also made the whole experience feel even more distinctly Kanazawa. I hadn’t planned on buying souvenirs, but after seeing the video showing how Choseiden is made, I couldn’t resist and bought a small box to take back to Taiwan. Once I tried it after returning home, I was amazed by its light, crisp texture that quickly melted away. I immediately regretted not buying a bigger box QQ

Kiunkaku

Built in 1919 (Taisho 8), Kiunkaku is a modern villa and one of Atami's three great villas, alongside the private villas of the Mitsubishi Iwasaki family and the now-lost Sumitomo villa.

• Shizuoka
• Museums

Kiunkaku was bigger than I expected, and there was more to see than I had imagined. The Japanese-style corridors were quiet and bright, while the Western-style building’s stained glass and Roman bath were elegant without feeling gaudy. The two styles worked together surprisingly well. Personally, I thought they were the highlights of Kiunkaku.

I especially loved the stained glass. Even by today’s standards, it still feels timeless.

The café near the exit serves coffee and wagashi. The sofa was beautiful, but a little hard to sit on, so I ended up moving over near the counter. Unexpectedly, the retro space matched the colors of my kimono that day, and I got my favorite photo from the whole trip there.

Overall, the building is very well preserved. It isn’t just sealed off as an exhibit, either. You can see that it’s still being used, with classes offered for local residents, which makes it feel like the old building is truly still alive.

Atami Plum Garden

Established in Meiji 19 (1886) by the wealthy Yokohama businessman Sobei Motogi, this urban park has its roots in a plum garden. Covering approximately 44,000 square meters along the Ichigawa River, the vast garden boasts 469 plum trees of 60 different varieties, including specimens over 100 years old.

• Shizuoka
• Parks & Gardens

Atami Plum Garden has nearly 60 varieties and more than 470 plum trees. Each tree has a sign showing its variety. The blooming season runs from January through March, and if you time it right, you can enjoy them together with the Atami cherry blossoms.

There are walking paths and five bridges set along the valley stream. During the Plum Festival, there are food stalls and performances, but since the garden is so spacious, it still feels comfortable and pleasant for flower viewing despite the lively atmosphere.

Seeing all the different plum blossoms here also made it easier for me afterward to tell the difference between plum blossoms and cherry blossoms.

Izusan Shrine

Izusan Shrine is an ancient shrine dating back to the 5th or 4th century BCE. It was established to enshrine the deity Izu-san Okami, believed to be the origin of the name Izu Province. The shrine grounds span an approximate 40,000 tsubo (about 132,000 square meters) from their perch atop a highland at 170 meters, with the main shrine at its center and extending both towards the mountain and the sea.

• Shizuoka
• Shrines & Temples

Izusan Shrine is located on the mountainside in Atami. After climbing the approach, you can get a view of Sagami Bay.

The shrine is now famous for the matchmaking legend of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hojo Masako, but what drew me in even more were the red and white twin dragons on the grounds. The whole twin-dragon concept feels super powerful. Especially with the dragon on the goshuin stamp, it just has a different kind of energy.

There’s also a weeping cherry tree on the grounds. Unfortunately, I didn’t visit at the right time. Based on the map reviews and photos, it looks beautiful when it’s in bloom.

What I found most fun was the “inome” treasure hunt. I thought it would be hard to find them, but after unexpectedly spotting one through my camera, I realized they were pretty easy to look for. Since inome are said to bring good luck, I felt pretty lucky that I was able to find them all before leaving.

Kinomiya Shrine

This shrine has long been worshipped in Atami as the God of fortune and luck resides. The shrine grounds are home to Okusu, a sacred camphor tree, which is designated as a Natural monument. This is also popular as one of the best places with spiritual energy in Japan.

• Shizuoka
• Shrines & Temples

Kinomiya Shrine is an important guardian shrine in the Atami area and the head shrine of all Kinomiya shrines nationwide. It gets very crowded on holidays, and you can really feel the authority of the head shrine.

The grounds are famous for the great sacred camphor tree, which is said to be over 2,000 years old. They say that walking around it once can add one year to your life. There is also a slightly smaller camphor tree that is still over 100 years old. Both were stunning to see because the sacred trees are so impressive.

The shrine office is also very modern, with a vibe like a stylish shop in Ginza. In addition to charms, they have many fresh and creative designs for matchmaking items. I told myself I wouldn’t buy anything, but I still couldn’t resist bringing one home.

What was a little special this time was that the fortune I drew at the shrine was unexpectedly accurate. It gave me a small sense of good luck for the rest of my trip.