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  • Kyoto Station, Japan: shinkansen ("new trunkline") reliable high speed trains are operated by Japan Railways (JR). Running at speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph), the shinkansen are Japan's reliable high-speed bullet trains, operated by Japan Railways (JR). The shinkansen, or "new trunkline", began with the Tokaido Shinkansen (515.4 km, 320.3 mi) in 1964. As of 2018, the network connects Japan's main islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Hokkaido for 2764.6 kilometers (1717.8 miles) with maximum speeds of 240–320 km/h (150–200 mph). The shinkansen is famous for efficiency, punctuality (often to the second), comfort (relatively silent cars with spacious, always forward facing seats), and safety (no fatal accidents in its history). The Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) makes the shinkansen a great travel value for foreign tourists in combination with Japan's standard rail network (much cheaper than what Japanese residents pay). The original Tokaido Shinkansen, connecting Japan’s three largest cities of Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, is one of the world's busiest high-speed rail lines. At peak times, the line carries up to thirteen trains per hour in each direction with sixteen cars each (1323-seat capacity plus standing passengers) with a minimum headway of three minutes between trains. In the one-year period preceding March 2017, it carried 159 million passengers.
    1810JPN-7444.jpg
  • Running at speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph), the shinkansen are Japan's reliable high-speed bullet trains, operated by Japan Railways (JR). The shinkansen, or "new trunkline", began with the Tokaido Shinkansen (515.4 km, 320.3 mi) in 1964. As of 2018, the network connects Japan's main islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Hokkaido for 2764.6 kilometers (1717.8 miles) with maximum speeds of 240–320 km/h (150–200 mph). The shinkansen is famous for efficiency, punctuality (often to the second), comfort (relatively silent cars with spacious, always forward facing seats), and safety (no fatal accidents in its history). The Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) makes the shinkansen a great travel value for foreign tourists in combination with Japan's standard rail network (much cheaper than what Japanese residents pay). The original Tokaido Shinkansen, connecting Japan’s three largest cities of Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, is one of the world's busiest high-speed rail lines. At peak times, the line carries up to thirteen trains per hour in each direction with sixteen cars each (1323-seat capacity plus standing passengers) with a minimum headway of three minutes between trains. In the one-year period preceding March 2017, it carried 159 million passengers.
    1810JPN-3274.jpg
  • The maxim "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" was popularized from the 1600s carving of the proverbial three wise monkeys on a storehouse in Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Japan. One interpretation is to be of good mind, speech and action. But in the Western world, the phrase often refers to those who deal with impropriety by turning a blind eye. The monkeys are Japanese macaques, a common species in Japan. The three monkeys are Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil; Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil. Outside of Japan, the last two of the monkeys' names have sometimes been corrupted, resulting in Mizaru, Mikazaru and Mazaru. Hidari Jingoro may have carved these panels to incorporate Confucius's Code of Conduct, using the monkey as a way to depict man's life cycle. Out of eight panels, the iconic three wise monkeys are panel 2. The philosophy likely originated with a Tendai-Buddhist legend, from China in the 700s (Nara Period). The figures may represent the three dogmas of the so-called middle school of the sect. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3468.jpg
  • The high limit for trees begins the alpine zone in Karasawa cirque, which is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1625.jpg
  • Seen here in the fog, the infamous Daikiretto Gap, secured by chains and ladders, is one of the most difficult non-technical routes in Japan. Kita-hotaka Mountain Hut perches near the summit of Mount Kitahotaka, which reaches 3106 m elevation (10,190 ft, Japan's 9th highest) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. This is the highest hut in Japan, excluding those on Mt Fuji. I hiked Kitahotaka (or Kitahotaka-dake) 4km round trip from Karasawa Goya hut via a steep trail secured with chains & ladders ascending 800 meters. Mt Kitahotaka is the second highest peak on Mount Hotaka (Hotaka-dake or the Hotaka Mountains), which are in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains). North of Kitahotaka-dake lies an exposed 3.5+ hour scramble via Daikiretto Gap helped by chains and ladders, connecting with Minamidake Mountain Hut. I avoided the Daikiretto by returning to Karasawa cirque, then walking all the way back to a comfortable dorm slot reserved at Tokusawa-en backcountry lodge (16 km, 800 meters up, 1615 m down).
    1810JPN-1618.jpg
  • View of larch trees from atop the Panorama Course trail, above our entry hike along Azusa River. The karamatsu, or Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi or Larix leptolepis) is a tree native to Japan, in the mountains of Chubu and Kanto regions in central Honshu. Its needle-like leaves are light glaucous green, turning bright yellow to orange before falling in autumn. The scientific name honours Engelbert Kaempfer. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1437.jpg
  • Foggy Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-1628-30-Pano.jpg
  • The summit of Mount Kitahotaka, 3106 m elevation (10,190 ft, Japan's 9th highest) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Right here is the highest hut in Japan, excluding those on Mt Fuji. I hiked Kitahotaka (or Kitahotaka-dake) 4km round trip from Karasawa Goya hut via a steep trail secured with chains & ladders ascending 800 meters. Mt Kitahotaka is the second highest peak on Mount Hotaka (Hotaka-dake or the Hotaka Mountains), which are in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains). North of Kitahotaka-dake lies an exposed 3.5+ hour scramble via Daikiretto Gap helped by chains and ladders, connecting with Minamidake Mountain Hut. I avoided the Daikiretto by returning to Karasawa cirque, then walking all the way back to a comfortable dorm slot reserved at Tokusawa-en backcountry lodge (16 km, 800 meters up, 1615 m down). This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-1612-15-Pano.jpg
  • Kita-hotaka Mountain Hut perches near the summit of Mount Kitahotaka, which reaches 3106 m elevation (10,190 ft, Japan's 9th highest) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. This is the highest hut in Japan, excluding those on Mt Fuji. I hiked Kitahotaka (or Kitahotaka-dake) 4km round trip from Karasawa Goya hut via a steep trail secured with chains & ladders ascending 800 meters. Mt Kitahotaka is the second highest peak on Mount Hotaka (Hotaka-dake or the Hotaka Mountains), which are in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains). North of Kitahotaka-dake lies an exposed 3.5+ hour scramble via Daikiretto Gap helped by chains and ladders, connecting with Minamidake Mountain Hut. I avoided the Daikiretto by returning to Karasawa cirque, then walking all the way back to a comfortable dorm slot reserved at Tokusawa-en backcountry lodge (16 km, 800 meters up, 1615 m down).
    1810JPN-1617.jpg
  • Mount Mae-Hotaka 3090.5 m / 10,138 ft. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1600.jpg
  • Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-1301-1324-Pano.jpg
  • Karasawa Goya hut, 2360m/7740ft elevation. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1549.jpg
  • Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-1394-95-Pano.jpg
  • Karasawa Goya hut, 2360m/7740ft elevation. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1298.jpg
  • "The mother looks to the future while the new child looks at her with trust." Hidari Jingoro may have carved these panels to incorporate Confucius's Code of Conduct, using the monkey as a way to depict man's life cycle. Art work on storehouse in Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Japan. The monkeys are Japanese macaques, a common species in Japan. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3467.jpg
  • Kondo (Main Hall) at Horyuji Temple, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Horyu-ji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. The Kondo (Main Hall) was rebuilt in 1954 after a 1949 fire destroyed 80-85% of its wood. Horyuji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of the country's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
    1810JPN-7313.jpg
  • Nachi-no-Taki waterfall (133 m, Japan's tallest), in Nachikatsuura, on the Kii Peninsula, on the island of Honshu, Japan. Don't miss the iconic view of thundering Nachi-no-Taki waterfall (133 m, Japan's tallest) paired with Seiganto-ji pagoda. According to a legend, it was founded (near a previous nature worship site) by the priest Ragyo Shonin, a monk from India. Seiganto-ji is part of the Kumano Sanzan shrine complex and is one of the few jingu-ji still in existence after the separation of Shinto and Buddhism forced by the Japanese government during the Meiji restoration. Seiganto-ji is is stop #1 on Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage, and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed as the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range". Access: by bus from Nachi Station (20 min) or Kii-Katsuura Station (30 min). Ask driver to stop at base of the Daimonzaka trail ("Daimonzaka" stop); or at the entrance to Nachi Waterfall ("Taki-mae"); or at the bus terminus 10 minutes climb below Nachi Shrine ("Nachi-san"). Cars can park at Seigantoji Temple. I recommend this scenic, short walk (3.5 km with 265 meters gain): starting from Daimon-zaka bus stop, ascend a stone-paved path, humbled by massive evergreens, up to the gates of Nachi Taisha shrine, descend to Seiganto-ji pagoda, then to the falls, just below Taki-mae bus stop.
    1810JPN-5709.jpg
  • Odaki Falls (Male Waterfall) on preserved feudal Nakasendo route from Tsumago to Magome, Japan. Tsumago preserves an Edo Period post town on the feudal Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). To enforce historic ambiance, phone lines and power cables are concealed, and cars are prohibited during daytime. Visitors are encouraged to stay in minshuku and ryokan lodging, and to hike a portion of the trail preserved between Tsumago and Magome villages, via pleasant rural and forest scenery. The Nakasendo, or "Central Mountain Route", was one of Five Routes (Gokaido, begun in 1601) which helped the Tokugawa shogunate to stabilize and rule Japan (1600-1868). Tsumago is in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-5168.jpg
  • Ornate wood bird carving at 1600s Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Japan. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3623.jpg
  • Carvings on Yomeimon Gate, one of Japan's most intricately decorated structures. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3617.jpg
  • Carvings on Yomeimon Gate, one of Japan's most intricately decorated structures. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3610.jpg
  • The maxim "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" was popularized from the 1600s carving of the proverbial three wise monkeys on a storehouse in Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Japan. One interpretation is to be of good mind, speech and action. But in the Western world, the phrase often refers to those who deal with impropriety by turning a blind eye. The monkeys are Japanese macaques, a common species in Japan. The three monkeys are Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil; Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil. Outside of Japan, the last two of the monkeys' names have sometimes been corrupted, resulting in Mizaru, Mikazaru and Mazaru. Hidari Jingoro may have carved these panels to incorporate Confucius's Code of Conduct, using the monkey as a way to depict man's life cycle. Out of eight panels, the iconic three wise monkeys are panel 2. The philosophy likely originated with a Tendai-Buddhist legend, from China in the 700s (Nara Period). The figures may represent the three dogmas of the so-called middle school of the sect. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3473.jpg
  • Sunset. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.
    1810JPN-2364.jpg
  • Lion dance billboard. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.
    1810JPN-2341.jpg
  • Sunset. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.
    1810JPN-1954.jpg
  • Sunset. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.
    1810JPN-1948.jpg
  • Japenese students explore the Old Town streets of Takayama. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.
    1810JPN-1896.jpg
  • Kita-hotaka Mountain Hut perches near the summit of Mount Kitahotaka, which reaches 3106 m elevation (10,190 ft, Japan's 9th highest) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. This is the highest hut in Japan, excluding those on Mt Fuji. I hiked Kitahotaka (or Kitahotaka-dake) round trip from Karasawa Goya hut via a steep trail secured with chains & ladders ascending 800 meters. Mt Kitahotaka is the second highest peak on Mount Hotaka (Hotaka-dake or the Hotaka Mountains), which are in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains). North of Kitahotaka-dake lies an exposed 3.5+ hour scramble via Daikiretto Gap helped by chains and ladders, connecting with Minamidake Mountain Hut. I avoided the Daikiretto by returning to Karasawa cirque, then walking all the way back to a comfortable dorm slot reserved at Tokusawa-en backcountry lodge (16 km, 800 meters up, 1615 m down).
    1810JPN-1607.jpg
  • Ladder on trail from Karasawa cirque to Kita-hotaka Hut. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1584.jpg
  • Tent sites rented by Karasawa Hutte, 2309m/7575ft elevation. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1486.jpg
  • Mount Yari (Yarigatake, 3180m or 10,433 ft, fifth highest in Japan) is in the Hida Mountains (Northern Japan Alps), in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, on the border of Omachi and Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture and Takayama in Gifu Prefecture. Its shape resembles a spear (yari) thrust into the sky, and it is known as the Matterhorn of Japan.
    1810JPN-1459.jpg
  • Chain ring attached to rock. Panorama Course trail. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1368.jpg
  • Karasawa Goya hut, 2360m/7740ft elevation. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1326.jpg
  • Colorful white and orange tree bark pattern. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation atop Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's third highest peak. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below.
    1810JPN-1280.jpg
  • "One monkey faces the world head on, while another, looking down with trepidation is encouraged by a friend." Hidari Jingoro may have carved these panels to incorporate Confucius's Code of Conduct, using the monkey as a way to depict man's life cycle. Art work on storehouse in Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Japan. The monkeys are Japanese macaques, a common species in Japan. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3471.jpg
  • Standing 131 meters tall just across from Kyoto Station in Japan, Kyoto Tower is the city's tallest structure. The tower was completed in 1964, the same year as the opening of the shinkansen (bullet train) and the Tokyo Olympics. A viewing platform is located 100 meters above ground with a 360 degree view of Kyoto, and as far as Osaka on clear days. Kyoto Tower stands on top of a typical commercial building with souvenir shops, restaurants, hotel and public bath in the basement. The Kyoto Station (Kyoto-eki) building opened in 1997, built on the 1200th anniversary of the capital's foundation in Kyoto, Japan. Its futuristic design was conceived by Japanese architect Hara Hiroshi (who also designed the Umeda Sky Building in Osaka). The city's transportation hub is served by Japan Railways (including the Tokaido Shinkansen), Kintetsu Railways, the Karasuma Subway Line and a large bus terminal. Kyoto Station has two sides: Karasuma and Hachijo. The busier Karasuma side to the north faces downtown and is named after the main street leading downtown. The main bus terminal is located on the Karasuma side, as are many hotels, shops and Kyoto Tower. The calmer Hachijo side to the south access es more hotels, Toji Temple and some highway bus stops.
    1810JPN-7387-p1.jpg
  • Use machines to top up your SUICA or PASMO transit cards, which avoid fumbling for change on buses, subways and some local trains throughout Japan. Most vending machines accept transit cards. <br />
The Kyoto Station (Kyoto-eki) building opened in 1997, built on the 1200th anniversary of the capital's foundation in Kyoto, Japan. Its futuristic design was conceived by Japanese architect Hara Hiroshi (who also designed the Umeda Sky Building in Osaka). The city's transportation hub is served by Japan Railways (including the Tokaido Shinkansen), Kintetsu Railways, the Karasuma Subway Line and a large bus terminal. Kyoto Station has two sides: Karasuma and Hachijo. The busier Karasuma side to the north faces downtown and is named after the main street leading downtown. The main bus terminal is located on the Karasuma side, as are many hotels, shops and Kyoto Tower. The calmer Hachijo side to the south access es more hotels, Toji Temple and some highway bus stops.
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  • Dragon carving on the Kondo building, which was rebuilt in 1954 after a 1949 fire destroyed 80-85% of its wood. Horyuji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of the country's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Horyu-ji is in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-7278.jpg
  • Dragon carving on the Kondo building, which was rebuilt in 1954 after a 1949 fire destroyed 80-85% of its wood. Horyuji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of the country's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Horyu-ji is in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
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  • Kondo (Main Hall). 5-story pagoda, world's oldest wooden building. Horyuji Temple, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Horyu-ji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. In the foreground is the Kondo (Main Hall), rebuilt in 1954 after a 1949 fire destroyed 80-85% of its wood. Horyuji Temple's five-story pagoda (32 meters or 122 feet high, seen in background) is the oldest wooden building existing in the world. The wood used in the center pillar of the pagoda is estimated through a dendrochronological analysis to have been felled in 594. Horyuji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of the country's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
    1810JPN-7263.jpg
  • Horyuji Temple's five-story pagoda (32 meters or 122 feet high) is the world's oldest wooden building. Nara Prefecture, Japan. The wood used in the center pillar of the pagoda is estimated through a dendrochronological analysis to have been felled in 594. At left is the Kondo (Main Hall), which was rebuilt in 1954 after a 1949 fire destroyed 80-85% of its wood. Horyu-ji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of Japan's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-7229-p1-Pano.jpg
  • Buddhist statue of Jizo / Ojizo-sama at Seiganto-ji Temple in Wakayama Prefecture, on the Kii Peninsula, Honshu, Japan. In Japan, Buddhist statues of Jizo (or respectfully Ojizo-sama) can sometimes be seen wearing tiny children's clothing or red bibs, or with toys, placed by grieving parents to protect their lost ones. Ojizo-sama is one of the most loved of Japanese divinities. His features are commonly made more baby-like to resemble the children he protects. His statues are a common sight along roadsides and graveyards. Traditionally, he is seen as the guardian of children, and in particular, children who died before their parents. Jizo has been worshipped as the guardian of the souls of mizuko, the souls of stillborn, miscarried or aborted fetuses ("water children"). Jizo is a Japanese version of Ksitigarbha (Sanskrit for "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix" or "Earth Womb"), a bodhisattva revered in East Asian Buddhism. Ksitigarbha is usually depicted as a Buddhist monk with a halo around his shaved head. He carries a staff to force open the gates of hell and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness.  Seiganto-ji (Temple of the Blue Waves) is a Tendai Buddhist temple. Don't miss the iconic view of thundering Nachi-no-Taki waterfall (133 m, Japan's tallest) paired with Seiganto-ji pagoda. According to a legend, it was founded (near a previous nature worship site) by the priest Ragyo Shonin, a monk from India. Seiganto-ji is part of the Kumano Sanzan shrine complex and is one of the few jingu-ji still in existence after the separation of Shinto and Buddhism forced by the Japanese government during the Meiji restoration. Seiganto-ji is is stop #1 on Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage, and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed as the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range". Access: by bus from Nachi Station (20 min) or Kii-Katsuura Station (30 min). Ask driver to stop at base of the Daimonzaka trail ("Daimonzaka" stop); or at
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  • A common raptor found throughout Japan is the black-eared kite (Milvus migrans lineatus), a a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Unlike others of the group, black kites are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. They spend a lot of time soaring and gliding in thermals in search of food. Their angled wing and distinctive forked tail make them easy to identify. They are also vociferous with a shrill whinnying call. The black kite species (Milvus migrans) is thought to be the world's most abundant bird of prey. Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. In Nachikatsuura, don't miss the impressive tuna market auction at 7:00am, easily viewed from above in the open public gallery. (In contrast, Tokyo's restrictive early morning fish auction at Toyosu Market limits viewers via registration and a wall of glass). Japan is the world's biggest consumer of tuna.
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  • Medaki (Female Waterfall) on preserved feudal Nakasendo route from Tsumago to Magome, Japan. Tsumago preserves an Edo Period post town on the feudal Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). To enforce historic ambiance, phone lines and power cables are concealed, and cars are prohibited during daytime. Visitors are encouraged to stay in minshuku and ryokan lodging, and to hike a portion of the trail preserved between Tsumago and Magome villages, via pleasant rural and forest scenery. The Nakasendo, or "Central Mountain Route", was one of Five Routes (Gokaido, begun in 1601) which helped the Tokugawa shogunate to stabilize and rule Japan (1600-1868). Tsumago is in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
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  • Odaki Falls (Male Waterfall) on preserved feudal Nakasendo route from Tsumago to Magome, Japan. Tsumago preserves an Edo Period post town on the feudal Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). To enforce historic ambiance, phone lines and power cables are concealed, and cars are prohibited during daytime. Visitors are encouraged to stay in minshuku and ryokan lodging, and to hike a portion of the trail preserved between Tsumago and Magome villages, via pleasant rural and forest scenery. The Nakasendo, or "Central Mountain Route", was one of Five Routes (Gokaido, begun in 1601) which helped the Tokugawa shogunate to stabilize and rule Japan (1600-1868). Tsumago is in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-5167.jpg
  • Stone pathway through forest on preserved feudal Nakasendo route from Tsumago to Magome, Japan. Tsumago preserves an Edo Period post town on the feudal Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). To enforce historic ambiance, phone lines and power cables are concealed, and cars are prohibited during daytime. Visitors are encouraged to stay in minshuku and ryokan lodging, and to hike a portion of the trail preserved between Tsumago and Magome villages, via pleasant rural and forest scenery. The Nakasendo, or "Central Mountain Route", was one of Five Routes (Gokaido, begun in 1601) which helped the Tokugawa shogunate to stabilize and rule Japan (1600-1868). Tsumago is in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-5157.jpg
  • Stone pathway through forest on preserved feudal Nakasendo route from Tsumago to Magome, Japan. Tsumago preserves an Edo Period post town on the feudal Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). To enforce historic ambiance, phone lines and power cables are concealed, and cars are prohibited during daytime. Visitors are encouraged to stay in minshuku and ryokan lodging, and to hike a portion of the trail preserved between Tsumago and Magome villages, via pleasant rural and forest scenery. The Nakasendo, or "Central Mountain Route", was one of Five Routes (Gokaido, begun in 1601) which helped the Tokugawa shogunate to stabilize and rule Japan (1600-1868). Tsumago is in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-5159.jpg
  • "Ring the bell hard against bears" sign on preserved feudal Nakasendo route from Tsumago to Magome, Japan. Tsumago preserves an Edo Period post town on the feudal Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). To enforce historic ambiance, phone lines and power cables are concealed, and cars are prohibited during daytime. Visitors are encouraged to stay in minshuku and ryokan lodging, and to hike a portion of the trail preserved between Tsumago and Magome villages, via pleasant rural and forest scenery. The Nakasendo, or "Central Mountain Route", was one of Five Routes (Gokaido, begun in 1601) which helped the Tokugawa shogunate to stabilize and rule Japan (1600-1868). Tsumago is in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-5162.jpg
  • Stone pathway through forest on preserved feudal Nakasendo route from Tsumago to Magome, Japan. Tsumago preserves an Edo Period post town on the feudal Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). To enforce historic ambiance, phone lines and power cables are concealed, and cars are prohibited during daytime. Visitors are encouraged to stay in minshuku and ryokan lodging, and to hike a portion of the trail preserved between Tsumago and Magome villages, via pleasant rural and forest scenery. The Nakasendo, or "Central Mountain Route", was one of Five Routes (Gokaido, begun in 1601) which helped the Tokugawa shogunate to stabilize and rule Japan (1600-1868). Tsumago is in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-5149-p1-Pano.jpg
  • Stone pathway through forest on preserved feudal Nakasendo route from Tsumago to Magome, Japan. Tsumago preserves an Edo Period post town on the feudal Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). To enforce historic ambiance, phone lines and power cables are concealed, and cars are prohibited during daytime. Visitors are encouraged to stay in minshuku and ryokan lodging, and to hike a portion of the trail preserved between Tsumago and Magome villages, via pleasant rural and forest scenery. The Nakasendo, or "Central Mountain Route", was one of Five Routes (Gokaido, begun in 1601) which helped the Tokugawa shogunate to stabilize and rule Japan (1600-1868). Tsumago is in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-5147.jpg
  • Stone pathway through forest on preserved feudal Nakasendo route from Tsumago to Magome, Japan. Tsumago preserves an Edo Period post town on the feudal Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo). To enforce historic ambiance, phone lines and power cables are concealed, and cars are prohibited during daytime. Visitors are encouraged to stay in minshuku and ryokan lodging, and to hike a portion of the trail preserved between Tsumago and Magome villages, via pleasant rural and forest scenery. The Nakasendo, or "Central Mountain Route", was one of Five Routes (Gokaido, begun in 1601) which helped the Tokugawa shogunate to stabilize and rule Japan (1600-1868). Tsumago is in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-5146.jpg
  • Carvings on Yomeimon Gate, one of Japan's most intricately decorated structures. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3616.jpg
  • Carvings on Yomeimon Gate, one of Japan's most intricately decorated structures. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3615.jpg
  • Carvings on Yomeimon Gate, one of Japan's most intricately decorated structures. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3613.jpg
  • Carvings on Yomeimon Gate, one of Japan's most intricately decorated structures. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3614.jpg
  • Long stairways lead to viewpoints above Kurobe Dam, on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Northern Japan Alps. Kurobe Dam is Japan's tallest dam at 186 meters / 610 ft. Built with many difficulties over 7 years, it was completed in 1963. Over 170 people lost their lives to the project. Its hydropower plant supplies electricity to the Kansai Region. Kurobe Dam spans across Kurobe Lake in an arc, and it can be accessed via electric bus from the east or the cablecar from the west. Visitors walk over the dam to get between the bus and cablecar stations in about 10-15 minutes. At the eastern end of the dam, a long flight of stairs leads up the concrete-covered mountain slope for an aerial view of the dam and its surroundings. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route carries visitors across the Northern Japan Alps via cablecars, trolley buses and a ropeway. Completed in 1971, this transportation corridor connects Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture with Omachi Town in Nagano Prefecture. The Tateyama Mountain Range lies within Chubu Sangaku National Park.
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  • Northern Japan Alps rise over Kurobe Lake at Kurobe Dam. Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Kurobe Dam is Japan's tallest dam at 186 meters / 610 ft. Built with many difficulties over 7 years, it was completed in 1963. Over 170 people lost their lives to the project. Its hydropower plant supplies electricity to the Kansai Region. Kurobe Dam spans across Kurobe Lake in an arc, and it can be accessed via electric bus from the east or the cablecar from the west. Visitors walk over the dam to get between the bus and cablecar stations in about 10-15 minutes. At the eastern end of the dam, a long flight of stairs leads up the concrete-covered mountain slope for an aerial view of the dam and its surroundings. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route carries visitors across the Northern Japan Alps via cablecars, trolley buses and a ropeway. Completed in 1971, this transportation corridor connects Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture with Omachi Town in Nagano Prefecture. The Tateyama Mountain Range lies within Chubu Sangaku National Park.
    1810JPN-3119.jpg
  • Northern Japan Alps rise over Kurobe Lake at Kurobe Dam. Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Kurobe Dam is Japan's tallest dam at 186 meters / 610 ft. Built with many difficulties over 7 years, it was completed in 1963. Over 170 people lost their lives to the project. Its hydropower plant supplies electricity to the Kansai Region. Kurobe Dam spans across Kurobe Lake in an arc, and it can be accessed via electric bus from the east or the cablecar from the west. Visitors walk over the dam to get between the bus and cablecar stations in about 10-15 minutes. At the eastern end of the dam, a long flight of stairs leads up the concrete-covered mountain slope for an aerial view of the dam and its surroundings. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route carries visitors across the Northern Japan Alps via cablecars, trolley buses and a ropeway. Completed in 1971, this transportation corridor connects Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture with Omachi Town in Nagano Prefecture. The Tateyama Mountain Range lies within Chubu Sangaku National Park.
    1810JPN-3025.jpg
  • Red tree branches pruned in fractal pattern. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.
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  • Japenese students explore the Old Town streets of Takayama. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.
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  • Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters elevation (10,466 ft at center right) atop Mount Oku-Hotaka (Okuhotakadake), Japan's third highest peak. At left is Mt Mae-Hotaka 3090.5 m. Right is Mt. Karasawa 3103.3 m. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya and Karasawa Hutte. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
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  • Skyscrapers rise above Tokyo Imperial Garden, Japan. Tokyo Imperial Palace and Garden, the current residence of Japan's Imperial Family. The current Imperial Palace is on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo Station. Edo Castle was formerly the seat of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled Japan from 1603-1867. In 1868, the shogunate was overthrown, and the country's capital and Imperial Residence were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. In 1888 construction of a new Imperial Palace was completed. The palace was once destroyed during World War Two, and rebuilt in the same style, afterwards.
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  • Folding fans for sale along the Philosopher's Path in Kyoto's Higashiyama district, Japan. The pleasant stone Philosopher's Path follows a canal lined with cherry trees. The 2-kilometer path begins at Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) and ends in Nanzenji neighborhood. A famous Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro was said to meditate while walking this route to Kyoto University. This is part of Lake Biwa Canal which tunnels 20 kilometers through the mountains to Lake Biwa in nearby Shiga Prefecture. Built during the Meiji Period to revitalize the stagnating local economy, the canal powered Japan's first hydroelectric power plant.
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  • Daikodo (Great Lecture Hall, rebuilt in 990, at Horyuji Templ, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Horyu-ji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of the country's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Enclosed by roofed corridors, the Western Precinct is home to the world's oldest surviving wooden structures: the central gate (Chumon), the main hall (Kondo) and a five-story pagoda. They were built sometime in the Asuka Period (538-710) and never suffered destruction, but were renovated multiple times over the centuries.
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  • Horyuji Temple's five-story pagoda (32 meters or 122 feet high) is the oldest wooden building existing in the world. The wood used in the center pillar of the pagoda is estimated through a dendrochronological analysis to have been felled in 594. Horyuji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of the country's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Horyu-ji is in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-7245.jpg
  • Horyuji Temple's five-story pagoda (32 meters or 122 feet high) is the world's oldest wooden building. Nara Prefecture, Japan. The wood used in the center pillar of the pagoda is estimated through a dendrochronological analysis to have been felled in 594. At left is the Kondo (Main Hall), which was rebuilt in 1954 after a 1949 fire destroyed 80-85% of its wood. Horyu-ji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of Japan's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
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  • Ancient trees on a Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route. Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine was built in homage to Nachi-no-Taki waterfall's kami (spirit god). Don't miss the iconic view of thundering Nachi-no-Taki waterfall (133m, Japan's tallest) paired with Seigantoji pagoda, in Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine fuses Buddhist and Shinto influences along the 1000+ year pilgrimage routes of Kumano Kodo. The "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range" form an impressive entry on UNESCO's List of World Heritage Sites. Access: by bus from Nachi Station (20 min) or Kii-Katsuura Station (30 min). Ask driver to stop at base of the Daimonzaka trail ("Daimonzaka" stop); or at the entrance to Nachi Waterfall ("Taki-mae"); or at the bus terminus 10 minutes climb below Nachi Shrine ("Nachi-san"). Cars can park at Seigantoji Temple. I recommend this remarkably scenic, short walk (3.5 km with 265 meters gain): starting from Daimon-zaka bus stop, ascend a stone-paved path, humbled by massive evergreens, up to the gates of Nachi Taisha shrine; then descend to the falls, at Taki-mae bus stop.
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  • Tuna auction in Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. In Nachikatsuura, don't miss the impressive tuna market auction at 7:00am, easily viewed from above in the open public gallery. (In contrast, Tokyo's restrictive early morning fish auction at Toyosu Market limits viewers via registration and a wall of glass). Japan is the world's biggest consumer of tuna.
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  • An imagined elephant carving by an artist who had never seen one. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3713.jpg
  • Ornate wood bird carving at 1600s Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Japan. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-3629-p1-Pano.jpg
  • The Sleeping Cat Carving (Nemurineko) protects the entrance gate to the grave of Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3569.jpg
  • Ornate peacock carved in wood. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
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  • "A new couple embarks on life together, facing a tidal wave of trials and tribulations," in one of 8 panels of art work on a storehouse in Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Japan. Hidari Jingoro may have carved these panels to incorporate Confucius's Code of Conduct, using the monkey as a way to depict man's life cycle. The monkeys are Japanese macaques, a common species in Japan. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3479.jpg
  • "The young monkeys looking up to the blue clouds signifies their ambition." Hidari Jingoro may have carved these panels to incorporate Confucius's Code of Conduct, using the monkey as a way to depict man's life cycle. Art work on storehouse in Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Japan. The monkeys are Japanese macaques, a common species in Japan. Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600s. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Toshogu contains both Shinto and Buddhist elements, as was common until the Meiji Period when Shinto was deliberately separated from Buddhism. Toshogu is part of Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage site.
    1810JPN-3470.jpg
  • Art work on large sliding screens. Tamozawa Imperial Villa (Tamozawa Goyotei) blends traditional Edo and early modern Meiji Period architecture throughout its 106 rooms. The villa was erected in Nikko in 1899, using parts of a residence that originally stood in Tokyo, Japan. Before being moved to Nikko, the building served initially as the Tokyo residence of a branch of the Tokugawa family and was later temporarily used as the Imperial Palace. In Nikko, it was enlarged into a summer residence and retreat for the Imperial Family, but suffered neglect after World War II. In 2000, the villa was opened to the public after extensive renovation works. Tamozawa Imperial Villa is one of the largest remaining wooden buildings in Japan. The interior of the villa is a curious mix of Japanese and Western styles: many floors are carpeted and elaborate chandeliers hang from the ceilings, yet Japanese elements include sliding paper doors and tatami flooring. Although still impressive in size and grandeur, Tamozawa Imperial Villa currently occupies only one third of its original area. It now functions as a museum and memorial park.
    1810JPN-3355.jpg
  • Snow & fog on Mount Tate (Tate-yama or Tateyama, 3015 m or 9892 ft). Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Murodo, Toyama Prefecture, Chubu Sangaku National Park, Northern Japan Alps. Along with Mount Fuji and Mount Haku, Tateyama is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" (Sanreizan). This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-2685-p1-Pano.jpg
  • The Azusa River drains Mount Hotaka (Hotaka-dake or the Hotaka Mountains), whose highest peak is Okuhotakadake (3190 m or 10,470 ft), in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. This is Kamikochi ("Upper Highlands"), a high valley last logged in the mid 1800s, now a popular nature resort. The valley floor ranges from 1400 m (4600 ft) to 1600 m (5200 ft) elevation. The karamatsu, or Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi or Larix leptolepis) is a tree native to Japan, in the mountains of Chubu and Kanto regions in central Honshu. Its needle-like leaves are light glaucous green, turning bright yellow to orange before falling in autumn. The scientific name honours Engelbert Kaempfer.
    1810JPN-1873.jpg
  • Japenese students explore the Old Town streets of Takayama. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.
    1810JPN-1892.jpg
  • Mount Oku-Hotaka (or Okuhotakadake), Japan's third highest peak, rises above Karasawa Goya hut in Karasawa cirque. Karasawa cirque is cradled by the Hotaka Mountains, in the "Northern Japan Alps" (Hida Mountains) in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, Japan. Within the cirque, two lodges provide beds and meals for hikers and climbers: Karasawa Goya (2360 m or 7740 ft elevation) and Karasawa Hutte. Also known as Mount Hotaka or Hotaka-dake, the Hotaka Mountains reach 3190 meters or 10,466 ft atop Mt Oku-Hotaka. About 2000 meters in diameter, the cirque bottoms out at 2300 m elevation. Snow melting here forms the River Azusa which flows through Kamikochi valley below. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-1527-1544-Pano.jpg
  • Skyscrapers rise above Tokyo Imperial Garden, Japan. Tokyo Imperial Palace and Garden, the current residence of Japan's Imperial Family. The current Imperial Palace is on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo Station. Edo Castle was formerly the seat of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled Japan from 1603-1867. In 1868, the shogunate was overthrown, and the country's capital and Imperial Residence were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. In 1888 construction of a new Imperial Palace was completed. The palace was once destroyed during World War Two, and rebuilt in the same style, afterwards.
    1810JPN-0149.jpg
  • Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Tokyo, Japan. Shinjuku Gyoen originated during the Edo Period (1603-1867) as a feudal lord's Tokyo residence. Later it was converted into a botanical garden before being transferred to the Imperial Family in 1903 who used used it for recreation and the entertainment of guests. The park was almost completely destroyed during World War II, but was eventually rebuilt and reopened in 1949 as a public park. Access Shinjuku Gyoen park via three gates: Shinjuku Gate is a ten minute walk east from the "New South Exit" of JR Shinjuku Station or a five minute walk from Shinjukugyoenmae Station on the Marunouchi Subway Line. Okido Gate is a five minute walk from Shinjukugyoenmae Station on the Marunouchi Subway Line. Sendagaya Gate is a five minute walk from JR Sendagaya Station on the local Chuo/Sobu Line. The distinctive cigar-shaped Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower is a 204-metre (669 ft), 50-story educational facility in the Nishi-Shinjuku district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The building is home to three educational institutions: Tokyo Mode Gakuen (fashion vocational school), HAL Tokyo (special technology and design college), and Shuto Ikō (medical college). Completed in October 2008, the tower is the second-tallest educational building in the world and is the 17th-tallest building in Tokyo. It was awarded the 2008 Skyscraper of the Year by Emporis.com.
    1810JPN-8919.jpg
  • Surgical masks are worn in Japan for many reasons: preventing sickness in oneself; avoiding spreading of sickness to others; warmth; increasing privacy; reducing unwanted social interaction; fashion; and precluding the need to wear makeup. In 2003, medical supply maker Unicharm released a new cheap, disposable, effective mask for hay fever sufferers, launching a boom in mask popularity. Kabukicho entertainment and neon red-light district at night in Shinjuku ward, Tokyo, Japan. Kabukicho was named from late-1940s plans to build a kabuki theater which never happened.
    1810JPN-8843.jpg
  • Crowded steets in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Shibuya is one of 23 city wards in Tokyo, but often refers to just the popular shopping and entertainment area found around Shibuya Station. Shibuya is a center for youth fashion and culture, the birthplace to many of Japan's fashion and entertainment trends.  The Tokyo urban area is home to over 38 million people.
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  • Three-storied Koyasu Pagoda and an array of wooden ema ("picture-horse") prayer plaques. Kiyomizu-dera ("Pure Water Temple") is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto, Japan. Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site. Kiyomizu-dera was founded on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the early Heian period, in 780 by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro. Ordered by Tokugawa Iemitsu, its present buildings were built entirely without nails in 1633. Ema ("picture-horse") are small wooden plaques, common to Japan, in which Shinto and Buddhist worshippers write prayers or wishes. The ema are left hanging up at the shrine, where the kami (spirits or gods) are believed to receive them. They often carry images or are shaped like animals, or symbols from the zodiac, Shinto, or the particular shrine or temple. In ancient times people would donate horses to the shrines for good favor; over time this was transferred to a wooden plaque with a picture of a horse. Once inscribed with a wish, Ema are hung at the shrine until they are ritually burned at special events, symbolic of the liberation of the wish from the writer.
    1810JPN-8464.jpg
  • In Japan, Buddhist statues of Jizo (or respectfully Ojizo-sama) can sometimes be seen wearing tiny children's clothing or red bibs, or with toys, placed by grieving parents to protect their lost ones. Ojizo-sama is one of the most loved of Japanese divinities. His features are commonly made more baby-like to resemble the children he protects. His statues are a common sight along roadsides and graveyards. Traditionally, he is seen as the guardian of children, and in particular, children who died before their parents. Jizo has been worshipped as the guardian of the souls of mizuko, the souls of stillborn, miscarried or aborted fetuses ("water children"). Jizo is a Japanese version of Ksitigarbha (Sanskrit for "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix" or "Earth Womb"), a bodhisattva revered in East Asian Buddhism. Ksitigarbha is usually depicted as a Buddhist monk with a halo around his shaved head. He carriesa staff to force open the gates of hell and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness. Kiyomizu-dera ("Pure Water Temple") is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto, Japan. Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site. Kiyomizu-dera was founded on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the early Heian period, in 780 by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro. Ordered by Tokugawa Iemitsu, its present buildings were built entirely without nails in 1633.
    1810JPN-8456.jpg
  • Art work along the Philosopher's Path in Kyoto. The pleasant stone Philosopher's Path follows a canal lined with cherry trees through Higashiyama district in Kyoto, Japan. The 2-kilometer path begins at Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) and ends in Nanzenji neighborhood. A famous Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro was said to meditate while walking this route to Kyoto University. This is part of Lake Biwa Canal which tunnels 20 kilometers through the mountains to Lake Biwa in nearby Shiga Prefecture. Built during the Meiji Period to revitalize the stagnating local economy, the canal powered Japan's first hydroelectric power plant.
    1810JPN-8328.jpg
  • The pleasant stone Philosopher's Path follows a canal lined with cherry trees through Higashiyama district in Kyoto, Japan. The 2-kilometer path begins at Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) and ends in Nanzenji neighborhood. A famous Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro was said to meditate while walking this route to Kyoto University. This is part of Lake Biwa Canal which tunnels 20 kilometers through the mountains to Lake Biwa in nearby Shiga Prefecture. Built during the Meiji Period to revitalize the stagnating local economy, the canal powered Japan's first hydroelectric power plant.
    1810JPN-8126.jpg
  • Kimono-clad visitors at Fushimi Inari Taisha, Shinto shrine gate, Kyoto, Japan. Fushimi Inari Taisha is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto, Japan. Bright vermilion Senbon Torii ("thousands of torii gates") straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari (233 meters). Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, honored in many statues. The shrine predates the capital's move to Kyoto in 794. The torii gates are donated by individuals and companies, as inscribed on the back of each gate. Prices for small to large gates run from 400,000 to over one million yen.
    1810JPN-8118.jpg
  • Koko-en is a Japanese style garden opened in 1992 on the former site of of the feudal lord's west residence (Nishi-Oyashiki) in Himeji, Japan. Kokoen has nine separate, walled gardens designed in various styles of the Edo Period (and used for movie-sets), including: a pond with a waterfall in the garden of the lord's residence; a tea ceremony garden and house; pine tree garden; bamboo garden; and flower garden. Ornamental Koi (nishikigoi, "brocaded carp") were selectively bred from domesticated common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Japan starting in the 1820s. If allowed to breed freely, the koi subspecies will revert to original carp coloration within a few generations. Native to Central Europe and Asia, carp were first bred for color mutations in China more than a thousand years ago, where selective breeding of the Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) eventually developed goldfish (Carassius auratus), which is a species distinct from common carp and koi. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1810JPN-7715-p1-Pano.jpg
  • Orange and white koi in blue-green pond. Koko-en is a Japanese style garden opened in 1992 on the former site of of the feudal lord's west residence (Nishi-Oyashiki) in Himeji, Japan. Kokoen has nine separate, walled gardens designed in various styles of the Edo Period (and used for movie-sets), including: a pond with a waterfall in the garden of the lord's residence; a tea ceremony garden and house; pine tree garden; bamboo garden; and flower garden. Ornamental Koi (nishikigoi, "brocaded carp") were selectively bred from domesticated common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Japan starting in the 1820s. If allowed to breed freely, the koi subspecies will revert to original carp coloration within a few generations. Native to Central Europe and Asia, carp were first bred for color mutations in China more than a thousand years ago, where selective breeding of the Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) eventually developed goldfish (Carassius auratus), which is a species distinct from common carp and koi.
    1810JPN-7700.jpg
  • The Kyoto Station (Kyoto-eki) building opened in 1997, built on the 1200th anniversary of the capital's foundation in Kyoto, Japan. Its futuristic design was conceived by Japanese architect Hara Hiroshi (who also designed the Umeda Sky Building in Osaka). The city's transportation hub is served by Japan Railways (including the Tokaido Shinkansen), Kintetsu Railways, the Karasuma Subway Line and a large bus terminal. Kyoto Station has two sides: Karasuma and Hachijo. The busier Karasuma side to the north faces downtown and is named after the main street leading downtown. The main bus terminal is located on the Karasuma side, as are many hotels, shops and Kyoto Tower. The calmer Hachijo side to the south access es more hotels, Toji Temple and some highway bus stops.
    1810JPN-7365.jpg
  • Horyuji Temple was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, an early promoter of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of the country's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Horyu-ji is in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
    1810JPN-7312.jpg
  • Kyoto Shibori Museum opened in 2001 to protect and pass down the knowledge of the shibori traditional fabric dyeing technique, in Kyoto, Japan. Their displayed artwork "Sport in the forest", or "Shibori Manga Choju-jinbutsu-giga", shows Monkeys, frogs and rabbits enjoy sports on a piece of 40 meter silk scroll completed using shibori dyeing and tujiga-hana techniques. Originally drawn in the Heian period around the 1100s-1200s, these caricatures are derived from the scroll of Choju-jinbutsu-giga ("Animal-person Caricatures" or 'Choju-giga' for short), well-known as one of the oldest manga (cartoon) in Japan. Toba Sojo and others created the historic Choju-giga or "Scrolls of Frolicking Animals and Humans".  The coming 2020 Tokyo Olympics helped inspired the modern 40 meter silk artwork shown in Kyoto Shibori Museum.
    1810JPN-7038.jpg
  • Traffic in street by Kyoto's Minamiza Kabuki Theatre, a prime place in Japan to see kabuki. It is located in a grand building on the corner of Shijo-dori and Kawabata-dori in Gion district, Kyoto, Japan.
    1810JPN-6843.jpg
  • Kyoto's Minamiza Kabuki Theatre is a prime place in Japan to see kabuki. It is located in a grand building on the corner of Shijo-dori and Kawabata-dori in Gion district, Kyoto, Japan.
    1810JPN-6842.jpg
  • A wall reflects in the moat around Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo) in Kyoto, Japan. Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo) was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu completed the castle's palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five-story castle keep. After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, Nijo Castle was used as an imperial palace for a while before being donated to the city and opened to the public as a historic site. Its palace buildings are some of the best surviving examples of castle palace architecture of Japan's feudal era, and the castle was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994.
    1810JPN-6714.jpg
  • A Japanese couple kneels in formal kimonos, posing for wedding photos at Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho), in Kyoto, Japan. The man gives a peace sign. Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho) was the residence of Japan's Imperial Family until 1868, when the emperor and capital were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. Kyoto Gosho is within spacious Kyoto Imperial Park (Kyoto Gyoen National Garden) which also encompasses Sento Imperial Palace. The current Imperial Palace was reconstructed in 1855 after it had burnt down and moved around town repeatedly over the centuries. The complex is enclosed by long walls and has several gates, halls and gardens. The enthronement ceremonies of Emperors Taisho and Showa were held in the palace's main hall. Tokyo Imperial Palace is now used for enthronement ceremonies. The palace grounds (but not the buildings) can now be entered and explored without joining a tour and without any prior arrangements.  To license this Copyright photo, please inquire at PhotoSeek.com.
    1810JPN-6735.jpg
  • A bridge reflects in a pond at Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho), in Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho) was the residence of Japan's Imperial Family until 1868, when the emperor and capital were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. Kyoto Gosho is within spacious Kyoto Imperial Park (Kyoto Gyoen National Garden) which also encompasses Sento Imperial Palace. The current Imperial Palace was reconstructed in 1855 after it had burnt down and moved around town repeatedly over the centuries. The complex is enclosed by long walls and has several gates, halls and gardens. The enthronement ceremonies of Emperors Taisho and Showa were held in the palace's main hall. Tokyo Imperial Palace is now used for enthronement ceremonies. The palace grounds (but not the buildings) can now be entered and explored without joining a tour and without any prior arrangements.
    1810JPC1-620.jpg
  • Fish on skewers in Nishiki Market in Kyoto, Japan. Nishiki Market is a narrow five-block shopping street lined by 100+ shops and restaurants, in Kyoto, Japan. Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", this lively retail market specializes in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware, and is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi. It all started as a fish wholesale district, with the first shop opening around 1310. The market has many stores that have been operated by the same families for generations. Nishiki Ichiba often gets tightly packed with locals and visitors.
    1810JPN-6517.jpg
  • Tiny octopus on skewers in Nishiki Market in Kyoto, Japan. Nishiki Market is a narrow five-block shopping street lined by 100+ shops and restaurants, in Kyoto, Japan. Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", this lively retail market specializes in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware, and is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi. It all started as a fish wholesale district, with the first shop opening around 1310. The market has many stores that have been operated by the same families for generations. Nishiki Ichiba often gets tightly packed with locals and visitors.
    1810JPN-6499.jpg
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