Murasaki

Visit to Kaizu, a fishing village with masonry walls (Takashima/Shiga)

This fishing village has a series of stone walls along the lakeshore and a distant view of the Hira mountains over the lake.Kaizu is one of the fishing villages in Takashima City, a picturesque place located on the west side of Lake Biwa.

2024.08.11

Shiga

Go to Kyoto Imperial Palace(Kyoto)

Since we are in the Kyoto Gyoen, we will stop by the Kyoto Imperial Palace.First of all, some people lump the Kyoto Gyoen and the Kyoto Imperial Palace together.There is a large park called Kyoto Gyoen,The Kyoto Gosho is located within the Kyoto Gyoen. The Kyoto Gosho is the residence of the Emperor of Japan.

2024.08.03

Kyoto

Visit the Kujo-ke family’s detached residence, Shusui-tei (Kyoto)

Shusui-tei is a building from the late Edo period.This building is both a detached residence and a tea ceremony room for the Kujo-ke family.The Kujo-ke family is one of Goseke(five families of the Fujiwara clan-Konoe-ke,Kujo-ke,Nijo-ke,Ichijo-ke,and Takatsukasa-ke), and is a family with a great history.

2024.08.03

Kyoto

Visit Ginkaku-ji Temple in the summer (Kyoto)

Ginkakuji (Jishoji) Temple, located at the foot of Mt. Daimonji, does not have buildings covered in shining silver leaf like Kinkaku-ji Temple. Compared to Kinkaku-ji Temple, it is a very simple Zen-style temple.

2024.07.21

Kyoto

Visit the Nijo-jinya (Ogawa-ke Residence) (Kyoto)

Nijo-jinya (Ogawa-ke Residence) is located just a stone's throw from Nijo-jo Castle. It faces the street, but it is so inconspicuous that you can easily walk past it.The Ogawa-ke family were originally samurai, but in the Edo period they became merchants and ran a general store called Yorozuya, dealing in rice, money exchange and medicine.

2024.07.21

Kyoto

Visit the mansion of Fujii Hikoshiro in Gokasyo (Higashi-omi/Shiga)

If you walk a little from the Gokasyo Kondo area, you will come to the Miyasho district, where you will find the grand residence of Fujii Hikoshiro.Hikoshiro was one of the Omi merchants from Gokasyo who achieved success with hand-knitted wool and artificial twisted yarn.

2024.05.11

Shiga

Visit the house of the author Tonomura Shigeru, who is descended from the Omi Merchants (Higashi-omi/Shiga)

The Tonomura Shigeru Residence is the birthplace and childhood home of Tonomura Shigeru.The Japanese-style architecture, with its beautiful garden visible from every room, is a sight to behold.

2024.05.11

Shiga

Visit the Nakae Jungoro Residence, which is part of the Minakai Department Store family (Higashi-omi/Shiga)

The Minakai Department Store chain was extremely prosperous in the Korean Peninsula and mainland China before the war.The four Nakae brothers established the Minakai Shoten store, which later developed into the large department store, Minakai Department Store.This is the main residence of the youngest of the four brothers, Nakae Jungoro, who was one of the Omi Merchants.

2024.05.11

Shiga

Walking in Gokasho of Omi Merchants (Higashi-omi/Shiga)

A walk in the Gokasho Kondo district of Higashiomi, one of the birthplaces of the Omi merchants.Omi merchants of the time would peddle their goods from this area.Their business area was all over the country.The vitality of these merchants was amazing, but even before that, their stamina to travel to distant places was also amazing.

2024.05.11

Shiga

Walking along seven slopes called Osaka Nana-saka (Osaka)

One street east of Matsuyamachi-suji lined with temples runs Tanimachi-suji.There is a large difference in elevation between the two streets.Between the higher Tanimachi-suji and lower Matsuyamachi-suji, there are several slopes: Gensei-zaka, Kuchinawa-zaka, Aizen-zaka, Kiyomizu-zaka, and Tenjin-zaka.All of them are quiet slopes away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

2024.05.04

Osaka

Go to Len in Karahori area (Osaka)

To get to Len, get off at Matsuyamachi Station on the Osaka Metro Subway.It is located at the intersection of Honeyacho-suji Street and Kannonzaka-dori Street.This is a commercial complex of old private houses in the retro atmosphere of the Karahori area.

2024.05.04

Osaka

Visit Yoshiki-en Garden, which has a moss garden (Nara)

If you walk west from the South Big Gate of Todai-ji Temple for about 10 minutes, you will reach Yoshiki-en Garden.From the detached tea house, you can look out over the moss garden, which has a lot of depth.Personally, I think this is the best view of Yoshiki-en Garden.

2024.04.28

Nara