People wash their hands before entering the Jinja...so, what is this called?

Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine

Hakone, Japan is only an hour away from Tokyo bullet train, making it the perfect day trip. Famed for its proximity to Mt Fuji, home to Lake Ashi

Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Nara, Japan Kasuga Grand Shrine (春日大社 Kasuga-taisha?) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara, in Nara Prefecture, Japan.[1] Established in 768 AD and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the shrine of the Fujiwara family. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lanterns that lead up the shrine. The architectural style Kasuga-zukuri takes its name from Kasuga Shrine's honden (sanctuary). Kasuga Shrine, and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest near it, are registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara". The path to Kasuga Shrine passes through Deer Park. In Deer Park, deer are able to roam freely and are believed to be scared messengers of the Shinto gods that inhabit the shrine and surrounding mountainous terrain. Kasuga Shrine and the deer have been featured in several paintings and works of art of the Nambokucho Period.[2] Over a thousand stone lanterns line the way. The Man'yo Botanical Garden, Nara is adjacent to the shrine. (Wikipedia EN: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasuga-taisha ) _______________________________________________________________________ Le Kasuga-taisha (春日大社?) est un sanctuaire shinto de la ville de Nara, dans la préfecture du même nom au Japon. Établi en 768 et reconstruit plusieurs fois au cours des siècles, c'est le mausolée de la famille Fujiwara. L'intérieur est célèbre pour ses nombreuses lanternes de bronze, alors que l’extérieur se distingue par ses nombreuses lanternes de pierre qui mènent au monument. Le sanctuaire de Kasuga et la forêt primaire de Kasugayama tout près, sont enregistrés au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO comme faisant partie des monuments historiques de l'ancienne Nara. Le style architectural Kasuga-zukuri prend son nom du honden (bâtiment principal) du Kasuga-taisha. Le chemin jusqu’au Kasuga-taisha passe par le Deer Park où des cerfs apprivoisés errent librement. Plus de mille lanternes en pierre longent la voie. Le jardin botanique Man'yo de Nara est adjacent au sanctuaire. (Wikipedia FR: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasuga_Taisha )

Hakone, Japan is only an hour away from Tokyo bullet train, making it the perfect day trip. Famed for its proximity to Mt Fuji, home to Lake Ashi

Three experts weigh in on the origins of the Japanese woodblock prints, key printmaking artists, and factors that determine their value.

CheshireCatさんの作品「松本城夕景 III」（ID：488913）のページです。撮影機材やExif情報も掲載しています。

Explore Anita Bioutone's 369 photos on Flickr!

Visiting a Shinto shrine is tightly woven into the daily life, culture and history of Japan. As a tourist, you will probably want to visit at least once during your stay. I had a list of shrines and shrine festivals I wanted to see but I was also mindful that they are places of worship and I wanted a bit of background to understand any rules and have some context to what we saw. I'm no authority on Japanese culture or religion but these are some of the tips I picked up.

Trees of ume - a Japanese apricot blossom at Jonangu shrine Kyoto. Taken on March 14th.

Collecting Japanese prints of the twentieth century has a very interesting aspect for collectors with a keen eye for art but not necessarily with a big wallet. There are still a lot of lesser known, excellent artists that have not yet become trendy and whose art prints are pretty affordable. Takeji Asano, 1900-1999, is one of them.

Torii, symbolic gateway marking the entrance to the sacred precincts of a Shintō shrine in Japan. The torii, which has many variations, characteristically consists of two cylindrical vertical posts topped by a crosswise rectangular beam extending beyond the posts on either side and a second

A wisteria arbor at Fujinomiya Sengen Shrine, Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan.

城南宮とは京都・伏見にある「城南宮（じょうなんぐう）」は、平安遷都の際に国の安泰と都の守護を願って創建された神社です。古くから、方除け（かたよけ）・厄除けの神様として信仰を集めています。