Culture Dewa Sanzan Sacred Mountain Alena Eckelmann Mountain worship, such as that performed in Yamagata's Dewa Sanzan, has a long tradition in Japan, a country that is 70% covered..
Culture In Search of the Sakai Daimyo in Tsuruoka City Alena Eckelmann The Sakai, a samurai clan that originated in the 14thcentury, became chief retainers to the Shoguns of the Tokugawa Clan. The Sakai..
Museums The Old Abumiya Residence Alena Eckelmann Sakata, a small town in the northwestern part of Honshu Island, has a rich merchant history. The "Band of 36", a group of powerful..
Museums Sankyo Rice Warehouses Alena Eckelmann The heritage of Sakata City in Yamagata Prefecture tells the stories of rich rice merchants and of poor day laborers in rice warehouses...
Museums On the Movie Set of “Okuribito” Alena Eckelmann "Okuribito" (Departures) won the Best Foreign Language Oscar in 2009. The main movie set, the NK Agent's office, is now open..
Historical Shakyo at Kyoto's Unryuin Temple Karen Zheng Being a branch temple of the Sennyu-ji Temple, the Unryuin Temple was commissioned in the late 14th century by Emperor Go-Kogon..
10 Historical Nigatsu-do Hall in Todaiji Temple Karen Zheng Designated as a National Treasure, Nigatsu-do (also known as ‘Hall of the Second Month) is located within the famous Todai-ji ..
12 Street & Urban Hollander Slope in Nagasaki Alena Eckelmann Hollander slope in Nagasaki; Western-style houses of former foreign settlers