Culture Enryaku-ji Temple Enryaku-ji Temple, located on Mount Hiei in Otsu, overlooks all of Kyoto from its serene mountaintop. The temple was founded in 788 in the early Heian..
Festivals Otsu Festival Mid Oct Otsu Matsuri takes place in early October and features thirteen ornate floats with ingenious mechanical puppets.
Museums Okishima Chris Glenn Okishima is unique as the only inhabited lake in Japan and it’s long history is even more unique. The 450 residents descended ..
Culture Shiga Omi Textile Factory Kenny King Hin Choi The Shiga Omi textil facrtory is the only factory in the Shiga region practicing authentic ways of textile production.
Museums Hikone Castle Bryan Baier One of the 12 remaining pre Edo-era castles in Japan just outside of Kyoto
Culture Kongorin-ji Temple Kongorin-ji Temple is a peaceful place to relax, off the beaten path. If you want to venture outside the popular tourist spots of Kyoto and get away from..
12 Temples & Shrines Shirahige Shrine Cathy Cawood The "floating" tori at Shirahige Shrine is smaller than the tori at Miyajima, but forms a beautiful scene against the backdrop of..