Kyoto Tourist Information Center “Kyo-navi” | Review by Holly

大鳥神社位於東京雜司谷，是一座與鬼子母神堂有深厚歷史淵源的神社。主祭神為日本武尊，並配祀倉稻魂命，同時也是雜司谷七福神中供奉惠比壽神的場所。原本這裡的神明以「鷺明神」之名供奉在鬼子母神堂境內，直到明治時期因神佛分離令而遷出，才逐漸形成現在的大鳥神社。
這次是因為雜司谷手創市才順道來到大鳥神社，沒想到實際走進來後，反而讓我對這座神社留下不錯的印象。雖然這次造訪剛好遇上手作市集延伸到境內，現場比平時熱鬧許多，但和鬼子母神堂相比，人潮還是少了不少。雖說手創市集有延伸到神社境內，但這裡的攤位更偏少一點，且作品比較集中在花藝與手工藝，其中我特別喜歡把聖誕花圈做成鑲嵌玻璃的作品，精緻又很有自己的風格。
這次最讓我驚喜的，是意外遇到正在設置的年越大祓茅之輪。原本知道夏季會有茅之輪，卻沒想到年底也會出現，看到用茅草編成的大圓圈時還愣了一下，隨後立刻拿手機重新確認「茅之輪くぐり」的正確繞行方式，畢竟之前只在京都北野天滿宮穿越過，隔了一段時間早就忘得差不多了，難得遇到一次，當然要趕緊照著網路上的方式走一遍，來幫自己除穢氣。

I included Tokyo Daijingu Shrine in this trip mainly because it is quite well known among Tokyo’s shrines for finding love. It also has deep historical ties to Ise Jingu, so since I was already planning to visit Ise Jingu, I wanted to stop by here first and pray for good luck in love. I was also scheduled to attend a handicraft market in Zoshigaya that day, so after considering transportation and the direction of my itinerary, I decided to visit the shrine in the morning.
When I arrived, I found that the shrine grounds were a little smaller than I had imagined, but there were quite a lot of visitors. I also happened to see a couple holding a Shinto wedding ceremony that day, which was an unexpected bonus. There was a wide variety of love-themed omikuji, including basic love and matchmaking fortunes, as well as flower fortunes, blood type fortunes, and lucky matchmaking fortunes, so you can choose according to your preference. The shrine office also sold a wide selection of charms. The most famous is the “Enmusubi Suzuran Mamori,” but after looking for quite a while, I ultimately chose the “Enju Mamori,” which I personally preferred. The outer layer of this charm is made from a special cocoon silk, giving it a very delicate texture. It suited my taste better than the cute lily-of-the-valley charm.
There were also seats made from wooden posts next to the amulet office, allowing visitors to take a short break. It was a very thoughtful design. Perhaps because it was a holiday, there were consistently many visitors. By the time I was getting ready to leave, the line to pray at the main hall was several times longer than when I had arrived, showing just how popular this place really is.
One distinctive point is that although the shrine grounds are not large, the buildings are constructed in the shinmei-zukuri architectural style. The roofs and buildings themselves have a very strong presence, which made the space feel slightly oppressive to me. If buildings of the same scale were placed in a spacious setting like Ise Jingu, perhaps the feeling would not be as noticeable.
Also, my visit happened to be close to the Japanese New Year, and I unexpectedly saw craftspeople nearby making New Year’s pine decorations. It was my first time seeing the process of making this kind of traditional New Year’s decoration in person, and I found it quite interesting. Overall, the grounds of Tokyo Daijingu Shrine are not large, and around 20–40 minutes should be enough to pray, enjoy the surroundings, and shop for charms. If you happen to be planning an itinerary around Iidabashi, it may be worth stopping by.

The main reason I visited Okayama Castle this time was to attend a local sake event held inside the castle at night. You can take the streetcar to Shiroshita Station and then walk about 10 minutes to Okayama Castle. However, if you come at night, the route from Shiroshita Station to the castle isn’t particularly well lit. I found this stretch of the walk a little scary, and the lighting only noticeably increased after I actually entered the Okayama Castle and Ujo Park area. If you’re visiting at night, I recommend having your phone’s flashlight ready so you can at least feel safer while walking.
The castle tower you see at Okayama Castle today is a reconstruction. The original tower was destroyed in the 1945 air raid on Okayama and wasn’t rebuilt until 1966. Once inside, I felt it was more like a history museum themed around Okayama Castle. In addition to historical exhibits, there are also plenty of interactive activities and experiences, such as trying on samurai and princess costumes and riding in an Edo-period palanquin.
If you collect stamps from Japan’s 100 Famous Castles, you can get the Okayama Castle stamp here as well. The stamp is currently located near the reception area on the first basement floor. However, since it’s inside the paid area, you still need to purchase admission to use it. If you have the Okayama Enjoy Pass, you can use it here to redeem a package that includes admission to the Okayama Castle tower and a seasonal fruit parfait at Ujo Cafe.
However, rather than the castle tower itself, I found the truly interesting parts of Okayama Castle to be the remaining stone walls and castle ruins around it. The honmaru still has stone walls from different periods. You can see traces of the castle construction from the time of Ukita Hideie, sections left from later expansions by the Ikeda clan, and even excavated stone walls and markings left by stonemasons. Looking closely at the stone walls actually gives you a stronger sense of how Okayama Castle changed under different lords and through different eras. Compared with the reconstructed castle tower, I personally felt that these unassuming stone walls and ruins were more distinctive of Okayama Castle.