Japan Off the Beaten Path Tips by Paul2001

Japan is not especially noted for birdwatching but I found this place with the help of friend. My friend was living in the little town of Tokoru near Abashiri on the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk on Hokkaido. It was very much of the beaten track as far as Western tourist go. My friend and I were the only ones there. Really there was not all that much to see in this region but there was this large wetland where you can see migrating cranes such as these. This region actually several small inlets where birds gather and it was worth exploring for this reason.

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For me a highlight along the Philosopher Walk was a stop at Eikando Temple. Not one of the more famous of many temples in Kyoto is still worth visiting for its lovingly landscaped grounds. The temple is surrounded by maple trees. Naturally this cuts quite a picture in the autumn when the leaves turn colour but alas I visited in June.
The temple is also known as Zenrinji Temple. It was founded in 856. It was named Eikan after a head priest in the 12th century. The interior of the temple seems to be forgotten in all the take about the wonderous fall colours around the temple grounds, but I found the alter and Buddhist carvings quite interesting. Also of interest were the fine screens pictured here. They were some of the best that I saw in Japan.
The temple is open from 9am to 4pm daily and the admission price is 600 yen.

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Hikone Castle, in the town of Hikone, is one of the few castles in Japan that's original buildings have not been lost to war or fire. The castle was built in 1622 by Ii Naotsugu. Hikone is surrounded by impressive moated walls which are also quite thick. A highlight for anyone's tour of the castle is the keep or tenshu. Small when compared to such castles as Himeji, the tenshu is quite beautiful just the same. Only three stories high, the view from the tenshu windows of the surrounding countryside and Lake Biwa. Also noteworthy of the tenshu is the brightness is the interior rooms, the result of well placed windows along the walls of the upper section of the building. Japanese castles were no where near as grim as those in Europe. Within the castle walls is also a museum where you can see exhibits of Japanese armoury and weapons.
Hikone Castle is open daily from 8:30am to 5pm and cost 500 yen to enter. Hikone Castle is a five minute walk north of JR Hikone Station. I visited the castle on a daytrip from Kyoto which was about 40 minutes away by train.

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After visiting Itukushima and the O-torii gate, one should take in the Daishô-in temple, which is located just a short walk to the south. This is a very pleasant temple complex that impressed a jaded, temple overdose traveler like me. The temple has some superbly carved wooden pavilions, bridges, ponds and stone lanterns. Highlights include the marvellous gate, complete with temple guardians and a cave filled with small Buddhas and hanging candle-lit lanterns. The setting of the temple along a hillside, is stunning.
Daishô-in was founded in the 9th century but I would have to imagine that has since been rebuilt over the centuries. Shortly after my visit, Daishô-in was severely damaged by a typhoon but I understand that it has been restored.
I have posted a website below but it is in Japanese only.

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Website: www.galilei.ne.jp/daisyoin/

If you want a break from things Japanese while in Okayama then think about visiting the Okayama Orient Museum. This is a collection of artifacts from Iran and Iraq featuring 1,947 works of art mostly from the Persian Empires. That means this museum is not exactly for everyone but I quite interested in archeology so off I went. Also it was 37C that day and I wanted to get out of the heat.
The exhibits here are very well displayed including English labels. Therefore it was quite educational. The collection was the work of Mr. Shinjiro Yasuhara, the original director of the museum. Such museums dedicated to the arts outside of Japan are a rarity in this country and it was a surprised to find such a quality museum located here.
The Okayama Orient Museum is located at
9-31 Tenjin-cho, Okayama. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm and is closed on Monday. It cost 300 yen to visit the museum.

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Phone: (086)232-3636
Website: www.city.okayama.okayama.jp/orientmuseum/orient-e/

This is the Ishikawa Gate which is all that really remains of Kanazawa's, what were at one time, magnificent walls. As you can see by the stonework at the bottom, the walls must have been quite impressive in their day. Nearby is the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum for Traditional Products and Crafts (Ishikawa Kenritsu Dento Sangyo Kogeikan). This is supposedly one of the best museums in Kanazawa but I cannot give you a firsthand account of it since I did not pay it a visit.
The gateway and museum is located in the southwest section of the city near the Kenrokuen Park.

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Nomura Samurai House in Kanazawa is a well preserved house set up as it existed centuries ago when it would have been occupied by samuri. The house has belonged to the Nomura family for 10 generations. In the various rooms are the personal belongings of the Nomura samuri that date from the Edo Period. They include weaponry and clothing. On the grounds of the house is a lovely garden with a pond and minature waterfall. I found it to be very tranquil. The house is located in Nagamachi Samurai district of Kanazawa.
The Nomura Samurain House is open daily from 8:30am to 5:30pm. A visit costs 500 yen.

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Phone: 076/221-3553

The historical district of San-machi Suji is one of the best places in Japan to get a sense of historical town life in Japan. The narrow streets here are flanked by 18th century wooden homes and shops. The streets are interlaced with small canals which were used to fight fires, always a problem in Japan, and for other household purposes. Many of the shops sell great lacquer ware articles and most importantly, sake, for which the town of Takayama is famous. There is also several museums, mostly featuring folk art and local history in some of the traditional wooden mansions.
All of this is with a marvelous mountain backdrop. The scenery around Takayama is superb set as it is in the Japan Alps.

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Shiroyama Park is a lovely park on the Southeast corner of the city of Takayama. The park is located on a hill where the castle of Takayama once stood. The castle was destroyed in the late 17th century but the remains, which you can see in this photo, can still be seen. The park itself is wilder than most Japanese urban parks and is a pleasant place to hike. From the summit of the hill there are good views of the Japan Alps, as also seen in this photo. The park is free to enter and is open all year round.

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