Travel Japan: Takahata Fudoson Temple

The Takahata Fudoson temple is located at 733 Takahata Hino-shi, Tokyo. The Takahata Fudoson temple is 5-minute walk from Takahatafudo station on the Keio Line or Tama Intercity monorail.

The Takahata-san Myoo-in Kongo-ji Temple of the Shingon-shu Chizan-ha (Chizan division of Shingon Sect) Bekkaku Honzan (Extra-status Cathedral), is called Takahata Fudo-son Temple.

The Takahata Fudoson temple is counted among the Kanto religion's 3 major temples dedicated to Fudo Myoo (Acala Vidyaraja). The temple contains a lot of cultural assets, some of which are designated as Important Cultural Assets.

Major annual Festivals:

Travel Japan: Asakusa Temple or Sensoji Temple

Sensoji (also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple) is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, the center of the shitamachi. For most of the twentieth century, Asakusa was the major entertainment place in Tokyo.

The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built there for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making Asakusa the oldest temple in Tokyo.





When approaching the temple, visitors first enter through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), the outer gate of the Sensoji and symbol of Asakusa. A shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise, leads from the outer gate to the temple's second gate, the Hozomon. There are many shops selling toys, souvenirs, swords, dresses, foods, freshly made cookies and various other items.

 

Beyond the Hozomon main gate stands the temple's main building and a five storied pagoda. The Asakusa Shrine, built in the year 1649 by Tokugawa Iemitsu.

Sightseeing:

Next to the Sensō-ji temple grounds is a small carnival complex with rides, booths, and games, called Hanayashiki. The neighborhood theaters specialize in showing classic Japanese films, as many of the tourists are elderly Japanese.

Asakusa is Tokyo's oldest geisha district, and still has 45 actively working geisha. Sayuki is an Australian-born geisha in Asakusa.
 
Cruises in the Sumida River is very famous and it is merely a five minutes walk from Asakusa temple.

Tthere are frequent matsuri (Shinto festivals) in Asakusa, as each temple or shrine hosts at least one matsuri a year, if not every season. The largest and most popular is the Sanja Matsuri in May, when roads are closed from dawn until late in the evening. Among others there are

• Hozuki-ichi (Hozuki Market) - July: Hozuki are ground cherries, a typical summer plant in Japan. 
• Asakusa Samba Carnival - August
• Tokyo Jidai Matsuri - November: a festival commemorating the history of Tokyo and the Edo culture.
• Hagoita-ichi (Hagoita Market) - December: Hagoita is the wooden paddle used in Hanetsuki, a traditional game that resembles badminton. 

How to get to Asakusa temple:

Sensoji or Asakusa Temple is a few steps from Asakusa Station, served by the Ginza Subway Line, Asakusa Subway Line and Tobu Railways.

From Tokyo Station: Take the JR Yamanote Line to Kanda Station (2 minutes, 130 yen) and transfer to the Ginza Subway Line for Asakusa (10 minutes, 160 yen).

From Shinjuku Station: Take the orange JR Chuo Line to Kanda Station (10 minutes, 160 yen) and transfer to the Ginza Subway Line for Asakusa (10 minutes, 160 yen).


To move around inside the temple area there is a special type of man driven car, called ricksaw.

Continue Reading More on Japan from My Blog:

• Tokyo Disneyland
• Tuna Auction
• How to Reach Tsukiji Market
• Takahata Fudoson Temple
• Breakfast in Japan
• Takahatafudoson Temple in Japan

Travel Japan: Nikko

The Guard in Toshogu Shrine Entrance

A famous Japanese saying proclaims Nikko wo minakereba "kekkō" to iu na. Most tourist literature translates this as "Don't say 'magnificent' until you've seen Nikko". Nikko, the temple town is mostly famous for Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine. Nikko National Park adds scenic landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, wild monkeys and hiking trails to the temples and shrines. Nikko and the surrounding area, specially  Lake Chuzenji are well known for their beautiful autumn colors (koyo). In the average year the colors start descending from the higher elevations of Yumoto Onsen in early October, are best around Lake Chuzenji and reach the town of Nikko in the first half of November. Oku-Nikko is famous as a hill station in summer time for its cold weather. Average temperature of August in central Nikko is 21-22 Celsius degrees, and 18-19 degrees in Chugushi Shrine near the Lake Chuzenji. Average temperature of January in Senjogahara plateau is -7 Celsius degrees. The lowest temperature sometimes goes down to -20 Celsius degrees. Also, skiing areas are arranged because of a large amount of snow. Reasonably, Nikko is often called "the natural refrigerator". Shinto shrine and Buddhist temples had been harmonized well since Priest Shoto civilized Nikko.

What to See in Nikko:
Central Nikko:
The central area is an entrance of Nikko. Altitude of this area is the lowest in Nikko. The central Nikko is a temple town of Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple, Futarasan Shrine and Taiyuin Mausoleum.

Toshogu Shrine:
Tōshō-gū shrines are found throughout Japan. The most famous Tōshō-gū is located in Nikko. It is one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations. The Toshogu is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. The shrine complex consists of more than a dozen Shinto and Buddhist buildings. The whole campus is set amidst a beautiful forest. Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular temple complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu.

You can find lots of wood carvings and gold leaves used to decorate all the buildings.

How to Reach Nikko in Japan by train

Nikko is a popular tourist destination in Japan. It consists of many attractive places like Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple, Chuzenji Lake, Kegon Waterfalls etc.

How to Reach Nikko by Train:

By Tobu

The fastest and most convenient way to access Nikko is on the private Tōbu Nikkō Line  from Tokyo's Tobu-Asakusa station.

Tōbu Railway runs all-reserved limited express services, known as tokkyū  trains, to the area. These trains, which use Tobu's "SPACIA" railroad equipment, have comfortable, reclining seats, with vending machines and KIOSK available on most trains. One service, called Kegon  runs directly from Asakusa to Nikko in the morning, and back to Asakusa in the afternoon. There is one daily departure from Asakusa at 7:30 am, and depending on the season, there may be an additional departure at 9:30 am. The other service, Kinu, departs from Asakusa more frequently, but branches off to Kinugawa so you will need to transfer at Shimo-Imaichi station  to a local shuttle train for the final 10-minute run to Nikko. This train is timed to meet the Kinu arrival. Both the Kegon run, and the Kinu run with transfer, take about 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Sight seeing at Varanasi

One of the world’s oldest living cities, Varanasi or Benaras is "older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend” as Mark Twain had rightly remarked. Situated on the western banks of the holy River Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, Varanasi is full of traditions and Hindu mythologies. It is believed that the mighty Ganges River possesses miraculous powers to wash away the sins of mortals.

How to reach Baranasi

Trains from Howrah : Howrah-Varanasi Express; 2381 Purva Express (Day 3 4 7); Himgiri Express (Day 2 5 6); Amritsar Mail; Amritsar Express; Sealdah-Varanasi Express; Sealdah-Amritsar Akal Takht Express(Day 3); Upasana Express (Day 2); Asansol-Amritsar Express (Day 7); Doon Express; Sealdah- Jammu Tawai Express. Varanasi is 678 km from Kolkata. It takes between 13 and 25 hours. The best trains are Purba Express (10 hrs), Amritsar Mail (l0 hrs) and Howrah-Varanasi Express (15 hrs). Most of the trains go via Mughalsarai. Mughalsarai is 15 km south of Varanasi and is connected by buses, autos, share taxis and DMU local trains.

Kushinagar, the Land of Budha

Kushinagar is one of the most popular Buddhist pilgrimage centre in India. Lord Buddha got nirvana at Kushinagar. The holy cremation was done at 'Mukut Bandhan' where 'Mallas` constructed a big Budhist stupa over the ashes. Later king Ashoka renovated it.