16/09/2020 / Last updated : 01/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Yagyu Kaido Takisaka-no-michi　柳生街道　滝坂の道

November 2019, Bus to Enjoji-temple　圓成寺 We leave michi no eki Resti Karako Kagi early. We have to catch a bus to Ishiuchi from in front of Nara Kintetsu station at 9.15. This bus will take us to Ninnikusan bus stop. A fare of 660 yen. This stop is next to Enjoji Temple which has a splendid garden, a pond and a very famous statue by Unkei. On this occasion, we do not visit the temple but cross the road in front of it and take the Yagyu Kaido Takisaka no Michi back to Nara where we have parked the car. This is a walk of about 12 kilometres. At this […]

07/09/2020 / Last updated : 01/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Onaruto Bridge to Horyuji　大鳴門橋、法隆寺

November 2019, Hina no Sato Katsuura michi no eki A very quiet night at Hina no Sato Katsuura michi no eki. Ours was the only vehicle in a very large car park and the road, after the evening rush, was largely devoid of traffic. The facilities are reasonable but during the morning busy period prove to be rather too small. This is because the adjoining JA vegetable market is very popular. This area of Shikoku we have explored on previous trips, so after filling up with fuel, (for some reason I cannot fathom, Tokushima-ken has significantly cheaper fuel than most other places) we head out on the highway across Awaji-shima […]

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 […]

01/12/2019 / Last updated : 13/07/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Temples of Nara Park　奈良公園

November 2018, Udaji Ouda michi no eki is an early riser. Piped, tinkly music starts just before 7am. I am not sorry to leave, as we head off into Nara city. This is a pleasant drive along R. 370 and R. 80 that turns suddenly exciting. It becomes very narrow indeed for a very long stretch. So much so that, I was relieved to meet something coming the other way. Even though reversing was necessary to pass each other, at least it was reassuring to know there was a way out. Once in Nara, we wander through the deer, admiring the temples and traces of Koyo (colourful autumn leaves). The […]

19/10/2019 / Last updated : 01/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Hiking Yamanobe no michi – an ancient road　山の辺の道

November 2018、 Yamanobe no michi Busy, early on a Sunday morning, Kudoyama michi-no-eki was quiet during the night. An excellent place to stay with good facilities and rubbish bins provided. Our plan today is to walk half of Yamanobe no michi. So, we take the Keinawa Highway, as it is toll free, to Sakurai Station to park our car. From Sakurai we take the JR line three stations to Yanagimoto Station. From this station it is about a 10 min. walk to join the Yamanobe no michi. We plan to walk back along this route to Sakurai. The Yamanobe no michi is an ancient route dating from the 7th. Century. […]

25/04/2019 / Last updated : 11/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Muroji and Hasedera Temples plus Sekijuku　室生寺、長谷寺、関宿

Day 83, November 2016, Muroji Temple　　室生寺 We wake to a chilly morning after a quiet night but, thankfully, the weather is brighter. I discover the michi no eki Udaji Muro has a river behind it, the Uragawa, and I watch the egrets and a cormorant. After breakfast, we move out towards Muroji, a temple that used to be exclusively for women as Koyasan was forbidden to females. After parking the car near Muroji, we wander through the village a little, then over a red arched bridge and, turning right, enter the temple. Passing through the gate, we note that the guardians, Niosama, are nothing extraordinary. A steep flight of steps leads you […]

24/04/2019 / Last updated : 11/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Mt.Yoshino – Kinpusenji and a walk up to Mikunari Shrine 　吉野山

Day 82, November 2016, Yoshinoyama Kinpusenji Temple　　吉野山金峯山寺 Another chilly, damp morning and the rain, despite a contrary forecast, starts before we set off for Mt.Yoshino. We decide to walk in rain suits, if necessary, but when we arrive, the rain has stopped though it is still decidedly chilly. We park in a huge, empty car park and set off uphill for Kinpusenji Zaodo. Kinpusenji Zaoudo is the second largest wooden building after Todaiji temple. It is just as impressive as I remember it from our first motorcycle journey, in cherry blossom season, well over 30 years ago. D. is struck by the huge, wooden pillars that are labeled as wood […]

29/03/2019 / Last updated : 11/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Tamaki Shrine and Tanize Suspension Bridge　玉置神社

Day 80, November 2016, Another damp, chilly morning, the hills are draped in mist but the higher peaks are in sunshine. Unfortunately, we are deep in shade in a river valley. The river itself is mostly lost in the sea of gravel that forms its bed. We depart, heading for some elusive shrine up the hillside. Tamaki Jinja (Shrine) When we arrive at the spot where the footpath to the shrine begins, the road is very narrow and there is absolutely nowhere to park so, we give up. As we descend, we pass a local bus going up and realize that the only way to access the shrine is by […]