Japan's Notorious Sites and Buildings
The image above is a glimpse of the Tokyo Imperial Palace, the official residence of the Japanese Imperial Family. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda ward and it comprises the main palace (宮殿 Kyūden), an archive, museums and administrative offices. The total area including the gardens is 1.15 square kilometres. During the height of the 1980s Japanese property bubble, the palace grounds were estimated to be more than the value of all real estate in the state of California. Tokyo used to be called Edo and the sumptuous compound was once the headquarters of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled the country for more than two-and-half centuries (1600 – 1868 – Edo Period).
The Lake Biwa
Lake Biwa or Biwakō is the largest freshwater lake in Japan. Its resemblance to the stringed instrument called biwa (a short-necked fretted lute) is believed to be the origin of its name. Lake Biwa has an area of approximately 670 square kilometres and many small rivers drain from the surrounding mountains into its compound. It ultimately flows into Seto Inland Sea at the Ōsaka Bay. Biwakō is the source of drinking water for about fifteen million people of the Kansai region.
The Kyoto Imperial Palace
The Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所 Kyōto-gosho) is one of the active palaces of the Emperor of Japan and has the longest history as the capital of the country (from 794 CE to 1868 CE). One year after declaring Meiji Restoration and Charter Oath at this place in 1868, the Emperor moved into Edo castle, currently Tokyo Imperial Palace, but he ordered the preservation of the old palace of Kyoto. Today, the grounds are open to the public, and the Imperial Household Agency hosts public tours of the buildings several times a day. The complex is enclosed by long walls and consists of several gates, halls and gardens. It sits on a 1300 metre long and 700-metre wide park, which serves as a recreational space for tourists and residents, featuring broad gravel paths, lawns and tree groves. The Kyoto Imperial Palace is the latest of the imperial palaces built at or near its site in the northeastern part of the old capital of Heian-kyō after the abandonment of the larger original Heian Palace that was located to the west of the current palace during the Heian Period. The Kyoto Imperial Palace lost much of its function at the same time as the Meiji Restoration; however, the Taishō and Shōwa Emperors still had their enthronement ceremonies held there, and it is where the Chrysanthemum Throne is stored.
The Kasugayama Castle
Kasugayama of Mount Kasuga, which belonged to the Uesugi clan, is located on one of the wettest low-lying areas of the northern hemisphere temperate zone of Nagano Prefecture. Heavy snowfall achieved in the past, 3.77 metres in one day. Today, not many structures are preserved of the Kasugayama Castle, apart from its grounds; however, it is regarded as one of the five largest medieval mountain castles of Japan. Hence, the description of the castle in the texts of the books are of the Matsumoto Castle, located also in Nagano Prefecture. After the death of Uesugi Kenshin, who in later life became a Buddhist monk and never married nor produce offspring; a succession crisis ensued between his two adopted sons: his nephew Kagekatsu and Kagetora, the son of one of his allies. The succession war that lasted almost a decade, divided Echigo into two factions and caused many internal fights, which Oda Nobunaga exploited, coming close to destroying the Uesugi clan, had his own death not come earlier.
The Shinshu or Shinano Province
Shinshū or Shinano Province, known today as Nagano Prefecture is a mountainous, landlocked area, located in the centre of Honshū mainland. Also known as the ‘Roof of Japan’ or the Japanese Alps, it gained international recognition when it hosted in 1998 the 18th Winter Olympic Games and the 7th Winter Paralympic Games. Nine of the twelve highest mountains in Japan can be found in Nagano. Nagano has a humid subtropical climate; hence seasonality is moderated. It rains constantly, so there is no dry season. Summers are hot and humid with thunderstorms. Thanks to its snow accumulation in the winter, it is one of Japan’s top-class ski resorts, with its volcanic mountains offering as well plenty of onsen (hot spring) facilities.
The Nozawaonsen Village
At the foot of the Kenashi Mountain is located Nozawaonsen. This working village with thirteen public onsen (hot spring) baths is tucked in a picturesque corner of the eastern Japan alps. It is known that bathing in their waters helps to cure stomach problems, rheumatism, feminine problems and palsy. With 90℃ hot water continuously bubbling up, this source of hot spring is rare and has been elected a natural heritage. Some villagers use the place to boil vegetables and eggs for their cooking.
The Jigokudani Valley
Jigokudani (Hell Valley) received this name because of the steam and boiling water that bubbles out of small crevices in the frozen ground. Surrounded by steep cliffs of the valley of the Yokoyu River, Nagano Prefecture, this onsen resort is buried in snow one-third of the year. The national park, known as Jigokudani Yaen-koen has been a worldwide popular place to watch the troops of wild Japanese macaque that inhabit the area and bath themselves in the hot spring.
The Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shinto Shrine
The Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Shintō Shrine is Kamakura’s most important shrine. It was built in 1180 by Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder and first shōgun of the Kamakura government. The shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the patron god of the Minamoto family and warriors. Wakamiya Kōji, a 1.8 km street in Kamakura City, connects the shrine to the Sagami Bay. The name Wakamiya Kōji means ‘Young Prince Avenue’ and derives from having been built in 1182 as a prayer for the safe delivery of Yoritomo’s first son, future shōgun Yoriie. A heavily trafficked road today, it used to be off-limits to most people as a sacred space. At the time of the Kamakura Shogunate, it was an essential part of the city’s religious life, and as such, it hosted many ceremonies and was rich with symbolism. Sagami Bay also known as the Sagami Gulf or Sagami Sea lies south of the Kanagawa Prefecture. Located about forty kilometres southwest of Tokyo, the sea stretches from the Manazuru Peninsula to the Miura Peninsula. Part of the coastline is a bustling bathing area in summer, and large numbers of boats come and go near the fishing port, showboating the energy of the local seafood industry, a well-known characteristic of Sagami by the rest of the country.
The Shitenno-ji
Shitennō-ji was the first Buddhist temple built in the country by Prince Shōtoku in 593 CE, dedicated to the four guardian kings, the Shitennō. Located in Tennōji-ward, Ōsaka City, the temple is primarily famous for its goju-no-to, the five-storied pagoda.
The Niu River
The Niu River is a stream that runs through the Shimoichi Town in Nara Prefecture and disembogues itself into the Yoshino River. The Niu-Kawakami Shrine was built in the 7th century in its vicinity to enable people to pray for the appropriate amount of rain, as the area was very prone to flooding of the Niu River. This practice attracted the favour of the Emperor, who visited the shrine and conferred to it a high court rank. After the 15th century, it fell into obscurity. Today there are three Niu-Kawakami shrines (Kamisha, Shimosha and Motomiya), all located at a stone throw distance from the other. Each claim to be the original ancient shrine.
The three Niu-Kawakami shrines and the map showing their geographical locations. (from left: Kamisha, Shimosha and Motomiya
The Doshisha University
The Doshisha University also referred to as Dodai, is a private university, located in Kyoto City. Established in 1875, it is one of Japan’s oldest private institutions of higher learning and has approximately 30,000 students enrolled on four different campuses in Kyoto. Doshisha was founded by Joseph Niijima and his wife Yamamoto Yaeko as ‘Doshisha English School, and in 1920 it was granted university status. The university now encompasses 14 faculties and 16 graduate schools with numerous affiliated institutions including Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts.
The Todai-ji Temple
The Todai-ji (東大寺, ‘the Great Eastern Temple’) is one of Japan’s most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of the Nara Prefecture. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple’s influence on government affairs. Its main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) is the world’s largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two-thirds of the original temple hall’s size. The massive building houses one of Japan’s largest bronze statues of Buddha (Dainichi Buddha). The 16 meters tall, seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas. In 743, Emperor Shōmu issued a law in which he stated that the people should become directly involved with the establishment of new Buddhist temples throughout Japan. His personal belief was that such piety would inspire Buddha to protect his country from further disaster. Gyōki, a senior Buddhist monk, travelled with his pupils to all provinces, asking for donations. According to records kept by Tōdai-ji, more than 2,600,000 people in total helped construct the Great Buddha and its Hall; contributing rice, wood, metal, cloth, or labour; with 350,000 people working directly on the statue’s construction. The 16-metre high statue was built through eight castings over three years, the head and neck being cast together as a separate element. The making of the statue was started first in Shigaraki. After enduring multiple fires and earthquakes, the construction was eventually resumed in Nara in 745, and the Buddha was finally completed in 751. A year later, in 752, a ceremony with rituals to consecrate the Buddha figure was held with an attendance of 10,000 monks and 4,000 dancers to celebrate the completion of the Dainichi Buddha. The Indian priest Bodhisena was brought specially from India to perform the ceremony for Emperor Shōmu. The project nearly bankrupted Japan’s economy. It consumed most of the available bronze of the time; though, the gold was entirely imported. Forty-eight lacquered cinnabar pillars of 1.5 m in diameter and 30 m long, support the current blue tiled roof of the Daibutsu-den.
The Kii Peninsula
The Kii Peninsula is the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū. It is named after the ancient Kii Province, which comprises what is today known as Wakayama Prefecture in the south; Ōsaka Prefecture in the northwest; the landlocked Nara Prefecture to the east; and farther east the Mie Prefecture. The Seto Inland Sea lies to the west and to the south and east is the Pacific Ocean. The Kii Peninsula is Japan’s spiritual heartland, a place of legends and deities, holy mountains and sacred rocks. In 2004, UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site: Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.
Other iconic buildings and sites
