Nagoya Castle | Review by Jk

Walk out of the main entrance of JR Himeji Station and look straight down the wide Otemae-dori Avenue. You’ll immediately be deeply awestruck by the enormous ancient castle gleaming white beneath the clear blue sky. This is Himeji Castle, a national treasure and the first site in Japan to be designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site! The castle’s most legendary feature is its exterior, completely coated in pure white, high-quality plaster. From a distance, it looks like an elegant white heron about to spread its wings and soar into the sky, earning it the romantic nickname “White Heron Castle.” Even more remarkable, it has survived centuries of warfare and miraculously emerged completely unscathed from the air raids of World War II, making it truly an “immortal castle” favored by fate. After passing through the intricate, maze-like defensive passageways and climbing the steep wooden stairs floor by floor to the top of the main keep, you can look down at the overlapping tiled eaves, intricate onigawara roof ornaments, and the expansive Himeji Plain in the distance. The magnificent feeling of traveling through time will truly leave you breathless and deeply moved!

Tucked away in the quiet residential backstreets of Osaka’s Namba area, the moment you enter the grounds of Namba Yasaka Shrine and look up, the enormous Lion Hall will definitely startle you wide awake! This lion head statue, standing 12 meters tall and 11 meters wide, has a fierce, cavernous mouth and huge, glaring eyes, giving the entire hall an overwhelmingly powerful presence. Legend has it that this giant lion’s mouth possesses boundless divine power, “swallowing up” all the misfortune, bad luck, and evil around it in one bite, while drawing in endless good luck, success, and prosperity! Whether you’re praying to pass your exams, get promoted at work, or achieve business prosperity, standing before this imposing lion with your hands together in prayer gives you an incredible sense of security and strength. Take a few low-angle photos with it, and the dramatic effect is so intense that it’s incredibly satisfying to see!

As soon as you step out of Nishitetsu Dazaifu Station and make your way through the lively Omotesando to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, it instantly feels like you’ve entered a Japanese garden filled with scholarly energy and classical poetry! This is the head shrine of more than 10,000 Tenmangu shrines across Japan and enshrines Sugawara Michizane, the god of learning. Every year, countless students preparing for major exams and travelers praying for success in their careers come here to draw fortunes and pray for blessings. Upon entering the shrine grounds, the first things you see are the three red arched Taiko Bridges spanning Shinji Pond. They represent the past, present, and future. As you cross the red bridges step by step toward the main sanctuary, shaded by green trees on both sides with reflections shimmering on the water, even a restless heart gradually becomes calm.
The first thing you have to do here is touch the sacred ox statues throughout the grounds, which have been polished to a shine by countless visitors! Legend says that if you touch the sacred ox’s head and horns and then touch your own head, you can absorb the wisdom of the god of learning, sharpen your mind, and improve your studies. More than 6,000 tobiume and other plum trees are planted throughout the shrine. When the plum blossoms bloom in early spring, the garden fills with a subtle fragrance, and the mix of pink and white is beautiful beyond words. After praying, walk back along the path to Omotesando and grab a freshly baked, crispy, piping-hot Umegae mochi stamped with a plum blossom design. The outside is slightly crisp, while the red bean filling is warm and soft. Paired with a sip of hot tea, the entire pilgrimage feels soothing and satisfying!