Local (art) museums, outdoor art installations, castles, old buildings, gardens, etc.

Tamba Sasayama
03/06/2020 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Sasayama Castle and Okutsu Onsen　 篠山城 、奥津温泉

June 2019, Kyotamba Ajimu no Sato Kyotamba Ajimu no Sato is an excellent place for shachuhaku. It is one of those two faced affairs. One side is the  michi no eki and the other a SA on the highway. Being perched on a hill, there are good views of the sunset. After 8 pm there is only one, multi-purpose toilet. As we were the only people staying overnight, it was a personal bathroom. Once the michi no eki becomes popular, and it is very new, this could be a problem. The access to the  main restrooms on the SA side is open from 7 am so not a big deal. […]
Wakakusayama
01/12/2019 / Last updated : 01/02/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Wakakusayama and Unkei statues　若草山

Resuty Karako・Kagi michi no eki Resuty Karako・Kagi, proves to be a good place to stay and with easy access to Nara. A look around the shop shows it offers a wide range of produce, vegetables, meat and a few bentos. It also has a bakery, a restaurant and sells clothes and trinkets. Also, within walking distance, are the Karako Kagi Remains, now a park featuring the Yayoi era. Wakakusayama　　若草山 We leave, and make for the Nara Okuyama Driveway. This is not what we expected at all and we find ourselves in a car park at the top of Wakakusayama overlooking Nara. This is a viewing spot but if you want […]
27/05/2019 / Last updated : 31/01/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Sanjusangendo and La Collina at Omihachiman　三十三間堂、近江八幡

October 2017, Sanjusangen-do　　三十三間堂 After an uneventful and unexpectedly quiet night, being right on Route 9., we left Gareria Kameoka around 9am. for the drive into Kyoto.We follow R9 into the city and find the free car park in front of Sanjusangen-do. This parking is for the temple and free for 40 minutes but although we stayed for an hour and a half the attendants did not seem bothered at all. The temple is one of the very famous Kyoto temples and is well worth a visit. A very long main hall houses the thousand Buddhist images flanking the main large seated Kannon. Of these 1000 images 124 were made in […]
Himeji castle
08/05/2019 / Last updated : 11/02/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Himeji, The White Heron Castle 姫路城

Days 87, 88 and 89,  December 2016, After 3 days in Kyoto visiting old friends and some of our favourite places – Kiyomizudera, Maruyama Park, Tetsugaku no michi and Manshuin to name a few – we headed out of Kyoto and followed R. 9 as the weather deteriorated. Finally we stopped at Yoka Tajima no kura michi no eki for a hot bath and to sleep for the night. We wake to weak sunshine, mist in the hollows and steam rising everywhere as we set off for Himeji. The views are wonderful with the mist rising and the sun trying to assert its supremacy; sumie scenes all around. Takeda Castle […]