#88 - Yamadera, a mountain-top temple

Yamadera (山寺), meaning mountain temple, is built in the mountains of Yamagata Prefeture. It was founded in 860 as a temple of the Tendai Buddhist sect. It is a great place for a short hike and for some great views. In most guide books I have seen, Yamadera is mentioned as a good side trip from places like Sendai, although you would have to travel a little ways to get there.

At the base of the mountain, you can find several temple buildings. The oldest building here houses a flame which is said to have been burning since Yamadera was founded. There are also some small shops for food, water and other things! I managed to buy a shrine book with a lovely picture of Yamadera on it (unfortunately, I didn't actually use it because I was yet to fill my other book with stamps!).

In the upper area.

Climbing up.

To get up the mountain, you will need to climb around 1000 steps, which can be a bit of a hike. You can see stone lanterns and small statues as you ascend. Needless to say, I was exhausted as I got to the top!

There are many buildings scattered near the top, and I could see other areas, such as a balcony-like seat in the rock face. Unfortunately, my bus going there arrived late, so I didn't have time to have a good look around. Added to my rushed hike (run?) up the mountainside, I really didn't have a good opportunity to take it all in anyway!

View of the valley.

From the upper areas, there is a great view of the surrounding valley. Luckily, the weather was good when I visited, so it looked great!


Yamadera is also famous for one of the places visited by the poet Basho. He wrote one of his well-known haikus here in 1689, which mentions the stillness and quietness of Yamadera. Here is an English translation:

"ah this silence / sinking into the rocks / voice of cicada"

Although my time there was short, I did enjoy being able to visit Yamadera. It was a place I had been wanting to visit since living in Sendai. If I am able to visit the region again, I would love to spend some more time here to leisurely take in the atmosphere. But, I'm not sure if I'll be thrilled about climbing up again!

#87 - Tokyo Game Show

The Tokyo Game Show is a big video game convention, which showcases new games and new releases, as well as new gaming technology. It is held just outside of Tokyo, in the Makuhari Messe in Chiba and lasts for four days. The first two are for invited business and media guests, but the last two are open to the public.

Squeenix!

This annual expo usually focuses on Japanese developers, such as Sony, Konami and Square Enix (but not Nintendo), although some European and international companies are also represented.

One of the school booths.

The huge exhibition halls are divided into different sections which focus on a particular area of gaming. For example, in the Developer's Area you can find large stage areas and booths where the more prominent developers and companies show off their products. If you are interested in entering the video game industry, you can browse the booths in the Game School Area. You can find a lot of information on courses, but on the whole, it will be in Japanese. There is also an area for mobile games, and others, such as games made for children.

Waiting in line.

I attended the 2013 Tokyo Game Show, which apparently had the record number of people attending! I can believe that - just lining up to get inside, we were placed in areas and had to wait to be released into the hall! It was so hot that day, with no shade either!

A Bayonetta costume.

 As well as the games, Tokyo Game Show is apparently known for the girls who dress in costumes as game characters!

Large hall - lots of people!

Overall, I really enjoyed attending this event. I got to see a lot of stalls and grabbed a lot of freebies and fliers!

#86 - Matsushima: A Wet Experience!

Matsushima is a group of islands and bay in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan and is a short trip from Sendai. The name 'Matsushima' explains it quite clearly - matsu (松) means pine tree, and shima (島) means island. So, 松島 means islands covered in pine trees.

This area is known as one of the Three Views of Japan, so a lot of visitors are drawn here. There are also plenty of temples to occupy your time and several mausoleums.

The sand and rock garden
in Entsuin temple.

Some parts built into the rock face.

Shoes off!

Unfortunately, I didn't have a good chance to see a lot of the sites, because it started to rain. Actually, it was a bit more than just rain. A typhoon was coming that weekend, so the streets became flooded pretty quickly! To try and lessen any damage, I took my shoes off to walk towards the train station. As it turned out, water had flooded some of the train tracks coupled with some strong wind further down the line meant that the trains were stopped and weren't about to go any time soon!

After it stopped raining, the water across the roads disappeared extremely quickly! Look at the comparison in these photos!

With rain...

...and the same place without rain!

Because it had gotten a little sunnier (and also because I needed another way back to Sendai...) I boarded on one of the ferries. Usually, ferries make round trips so that you can get a little closer to the islands. As I found out, children (and some adults) spend the journey throwing prawn flavoured snacks off the back of the boat to attract armies of seagulls! It was a little scary!

A view of Godaido, a small temple hall.

A different seagull-swamped ferry.

A wet me on the ferry.

Another small island.

An island.

Regardless of the typhoon and not being able to see much, I still really enjoyed visiting Matsushima! The typhoon was interesting to experience and it was kind of like an adventure - I will never forget it for sure! I would like to go again in the future to see everything I can.

#85 - Jozenji Street Jazz Festival

With its origins in 1987, the Jozenji Street Jazz Festival is an outdoor music event in Sendai. It is run by volunteers every year, and is completely free to watch. The idea behind the festival is to give people a chance to hear different music for free, and an opportunity for musicians to perform to big crowds.

The main stage, between Jozenji Street
and Kotodai Park.

The main stage usually lies just off of Jozenji Street, which is a long street lined with zelkova trees, which are well-known in Sendai. During the festival, there are a few different stages in a few different areas. The downtown area is very compact, so it's easy to get around on foot.

On Jozenji Street.

Of course, you can find a lot of fast food and street food stands which are common for any big Japanese festival. You can find stands selling beer and drinks, pulled pork, takoyaki, grilled beef tongue (gyuu-tan, a speciality for Sendai), pancakes and so much more!

A Taiko (drum) performance.

Although it is called a jazz festival, there are many genres of music and a variety of musicians who play. For example, when I was watching we saw some pop-inspired bands, a shamisen performance, and gospel choirs. A lot of groups from the local prefectures came to play, and there were also a lot of school groups performing.

The festival is held each year around September, and it usually is not cancelled even if it rains! I attended September 8th, 2013.

#84 - Ishinomori Manga Museum

The Ishinomori Manga Museum (石の森萬画館), also known as the Ishinomaki Mangatten Museum, is a small manga museum in Ishinomaki (石巻), Miyagi Prefecture. It is dedicated to the works of Shotaro Ishinomori, who was born in the local area, and lived in Ishinomaki for a time.

Entrance to the museum.

The entrance tickets all had images on them.

Shotaro Ishinomori (石の森章太郎) was an influential manga artist who worked in the super-powered and transforming ranger manga genres. He created series like Cyborg 009, the first super-powered hero team created in Japan, and the Kamen Rider series, which is still ridiculously well known even today.

The museum is a big white egg!

The museum was opened in 2001 and is on "manga island" which is in a bay. The architecture is kind of unusual, and the whole building looks like a giant white egg. Inside the museum you can walk through and read about Ishinomori's works. There are images of some of the manga, as well as life-size models of some of the characters. There is a small movie theatre within the museum which shows special short films. When I visited, it was showing a short live-action Kamen Rider film.

Looking over the entrance foyer.

There is also a manga library on one of the floors, where you can browse the collection of Ishinomori works, and sit and read (if your Japanese is good enough). If you feel like you want to grab a snack, there is a small cafe nearby. Downstairs near the entrance is a tiny shop which sells books and gifts featuring some of the characters, usually different Kamen rider figures, or 009 and other cyborgs.

Coin lockers with different mange depicted.

Unfortunately, the city of Ishinomaki was badly hit by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Although the museum's building was still standing, it had been severely damaged by the tsunami and a lot of its collection was destroyed. Inside, you can see photographs of what it looked like after the tsunami hit. Luckily, the museum was re-opened in the following years.

#83 - Mount Kōya

South of Osaka lies Wakayama Prefecture, and there in an 800 metre high valley in the mountains lies the centre of Shingon Buddhism. The founder of this sect is one of Japan's most significant religious figures. Kukai (空海), also known as Kobo-Daishi after his death (弘法大師, The Grand Master Who Propogated the Buddhist Teaching) settled in Mount Koya in 819, and began to develop a monastery. Legend has it that, while studying in China, he threw his sankosho (a tool used in Buddhist ceremonies) towards Japan. Later, he found the tool stuck the branches of a pine tree on Mount Koya, and that's why he started to build his monastery there. The pine tree is still growing in the complex!

Today, the monastery has developed into the town of Koya (高野).  For visitors, there are about 120 temples and shrines to visit, as well as memorials and other structures. There is plenty to keep you busy for a day, but many people stay overnight. Around 50 temples offer lodging (called shukubo), so you can experience the simple, traditional lifestyle of Buddhist monks! And, Mount Koya is one of the best places to do it.

Okunoin 奥の院

The bridge towards Kobo-Daishi's mausoleum. 

Surrounded in forest trees, Okunoin is the site of Kobo-Daishi's mausoleum. It is believed that he didn't actually die, but instead he rests in eternal meditation awaiting the Buddha of the Future. Many people come to this site to pray at this popular pilgrimage spot. You can feel that it is a sacred site. There is a small bridge to cross, and you should bow to pay respects to Kobo-Daishi before crossing. Photography, food and drink are all forbidden past this point.

Between the trees.

Many people, such as prominent monks and feudal lords, wished to be close to Kobo-Daishi in death, and so they had tombstones erected here. This is Japan's largest cemetery, with over 200,000 tombstones. It is about 2 kilometres in length to walk the main path here.

Part of the pathway.

There are a lot of tall forest trees scattered throughout the area, and it makes the walk very atmospheric. You can definitely feel something spiritual here! Many guidebooks recommend walking through Okunoin at night, as it provides a very different experience than during the day. In the dark, it really feels like another world!

Kongobu-ji Temple 金剛峯寺

Kongobu-ji front.

Originally constructed in 1593 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) in dedication of his mother, Kongobu-ji has now become the head temple of Shingon Buddhism. You can enter this building and see the rooms, including beautifully gilded sliding doors, audience rooms and kitchen.

A prominent feature of this temple is its rock garden. Called Banryutei (蟠龍庭), it is the largest rock garden in Japan (2340 square metres). The large granite stones were brought from Shikoku, the island where Kukai was born, and the arrangement is said to represent two dragons emerging from a sea of clouds to protect the temple.

The rock garden, Banryutei.

Pilgrimage Trails

Daimon Gate. 

Due to the vast number of temples and its historical and religious importance, there are a number of popular pilgrimage trails which connect Mount Koya to the outside world. Many people now use the cable car, but you could also hike the trails across the mountains using a more traditional approach. It is also the start and end point of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage.

With Koya-kun, a mascot character.

Whether you want to hike to Koya, or just walk around it, there are plenty of smaller temples to see. You may even see the mascot, Koya-kun, like we did! Actually, you can sometimes find a picture of Koya-kun at some sites. Why? Standing behind him gives a good angle for photographs!

Candle Festival: ろうそく祭り

A path with candles.

I went to Mount Koya during Obon, a Buddhist event for commemorating your ancestors. Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses, graves are visited and Obon dances are performed! It is a very important event for most people in Japan.

At Mount Koya, they hold a candle festival. The paths in Okunoin are lined with polystyrene and foil. This is so you can place lit candles into them. These run all along the entire trail of the forest, which is quite impressive! You can buy candles from stalls, so we didn't need to have our own luckily! 

Me lighting and placing a candle.

Walking through the forest and cemetery along a path of light was a very interesting experience. Hundreds of people were there to enjoy the festival. There was something spooky and spiritual about the event. 

At one part, there were some unlit steps. As we passed, a small girl in a white kimono silently appeared from the darkness. A Japanese woman saw this and almost screamed from fright and it looked like she was about to have a heart attack! Little girls in white dresses are an image of a ghost in some folklore, so that's why it freaked her out so much! 

Overall Impressions

I really enjoyed visiting Mount Koya. It was a place with a lot of nature, and it is really relaxing to walk around the small town and visit the temples and buildings. It was by total accident that the Candle Festival was happening. I didn't know about it before going! However, I will always remember that experience as unique. I would love to visit Mount Koya again, perhaps to stay overnight at temple lodgings! I didn't have a chance to do it before, because I only went there for one day. Perhaps in the future!

#82 - Nara : Temples, shrines, and deer

Nara is a city in the Kansai region of Japan. Nara Prefecture is located next to Kyoto Prefecture and makes for a good short trip for a day or two. Nara (奈良) was Japan's first permanent capital city from 710 until 784, which thus made of most of the Nara Period. Nowadays it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the so-called "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara". This is made up of eight temples, shrines and ruins, the Heijo Palace (平城宮 Heijou-kyuu) and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest. This has made Nara an important stop for temple-hoppers and history lovers.

Temples and Shrines

The eight UNESCO sites are: Todai-ji (東大寺), Saidai-ji (西大寺), Kofuku-ji (興福寺), Kasuga Shrine (春日大社), Gango-ji (元興寺), Yakushi-ji (薬師寺) and Toshodai-ji (唐招提寺). Nara is a fairly small place, so it should be fairly easy to get around to visit them. I won't go into a lot of detail about each temple or shrine here, but I will tell you some of the highlights.

The big Buddha at Todai-ji.

Todai-ji (東大寺) is one of the most famous temples in Japan and one of the most historically significant. In its main hall, you can see the Big Buddha known as Daibutsu (大仏). It is one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha, which is 15 metres tall.

Horyu-ji Temple.

Horyu-ji (法隆寺) is one of Japan's oldest temples, dating from the 7th century. It was founded by Prince Shotoku, who is said to have introduced Buddhism to Japan. Some of the buildings within the area are the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. Additionally, Horyu-ji is wheelchair accessible, which is unlike many other historic attractions in Japan.

Kofuku-ji Temple.

Kofuku-ji (興福寺) was once the temple of the Fujiwara clan, the most powerful family clan during the Nara and Heian Periods. At one time it had over 150 buildings, but today only a couple remain. Here, you can see Japan's second tallest five story pagoda, which stands at 50 metres tall and is a symbol of Nara. Entrance to Kojuku-ji's grounds is free but you will have to pay to enter some of the buildings.

Deer

Sign about the deer.

Apart from the historical sites, Nara is also famous for its deer. Around the Nara Park area, many wild deer roam freely. You can usually find small stalls selling deer crackers (鹿煎餅 Shika-senbei) if you want to feed them. The deer in Nara are known to be a little adventurous, and will sometimes approach you boldly and try to take your food (like ice cream) from you! 

In Nara Park.

According to folklore, the god Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto appeared from a mountain riding a white deer and therefore the deer in this area are considered sacred. Killing one of these deer was punishable by death up until 1637! Today, however, the deer no longer have their divine status, but have instead been designated as national treasures.

How to get there

Nara is within easy reach from Kyoto. There is a JR train which operates between Kyoto Station and Nara Station. It costs about 710 yen for a one-way ticket and takes 45 minnutes. This is covered under the JR Rail Pass. 

You could also use the Kintetsu Railway which travels from Kyoto Station to Kintetsu Nara Station. Because it is a private railway, its costs a little more, usually around 1,130 yen one-way. The journey takes about 35 minutes.