Linking modern and traditional Japan, Hanazono Jinja in Shinjuku is an unexpected and beautiful Tokyo shrine worth visiting. … More Hanazono Jinja – Secret Shrine Between Tokyo’s Skyscrapers
The Maison Carrée in the French city of Nîmes is an extraordinary Roman building. 2000 years old, it is an ideal example of Roman design. … More The Remarkable Perfection of the Maison Carrée in Nimes
The temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia is one of the largest and most beautiful womders of the world. And we’re still learning its mysteries. … More Amazing Angkor Wat – Discovering Cambodia’s Mysterious Ancient Monument
Known for the amazing trees that appear to swallow it into the jungle, Ta Prohm in Cambodia is one of the most enigmatic and haunting of the temples of Angkor. … More Ta Prohm – The Cambodian Temple Being Swallowed by the Jungle
The Japanese city of Nara is the perfect size and location for both day trips and overnight stays. But which is better? … More Visiting Nara as a Day Trip or Overnight Stay?
Something strange happened when the clocks hit 5pm in Nikkō. The town suddenly fell quiet, the people disappeared, the shops shut their doors, and restaurants turned their ‘open’ signs around to ‘closed’. The sun went down in a haze of muted oranges and purples, a chilly evening began to creep in, and we were left … More A Sketchbook Visit to Nikkō, Japan’s UNESCO Temple Town
My bowl of udon tempura was so small, it fit into the palm of my hand. I couldn’t eat it either, because the chopsticks were the size of toothpicks. It was, however, extremely fun to make. In Mayuka’s Bonchi studio of miniature plastic food, we sliced tiny clay noodles, painted little shallots, and poured epoxy … More Kyoto in Sketches: Japan’s Cultural Heart
Dambulla temple is Sri Lanka’s best preserved cave temple complex, one of the country’s fantastic UNESCO world heritage sights. It’s a decent climb to reach the caves, but the reward are five sanctuaries with outstanding wall fresco paintings, images of past kings and queens, and many golden statues of the Buddha. There’s a sense of … More Dambulla Cave Temples – The Ancient UNESCO Caves of Sri Lanka
Koyasan, a secluded temple town in the mountains, has a quiet, charming sense of mystery. The centre of Shingon Buddhism, Kobo Daishi’s tomb, the surrounding cemetary, and the temple complexes are a lovely trip away from modern Japan.
Near the top of the mountain, we walked into a perfect view of Fushimi Inari’s torii gates. We turned a corner, and there it was waiting for us, with no tourists or anything. A long tunnel of vermillion was being illuminated by a perfectly angled sun, turning every gate a different shade of bright orange, … More Fushimi Inari, Kyoto’s Wonderful Torii Gate Mountain
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