14/04/2026 / Last updated : 14/04/2026 d.d Temple / Shrine

Kyoto Takao (Sanbi meguri)　京都高雄　三尾巡り

Nov. 5th. 2025 Michi no eki Miyama　道の駅美山 Unsurprisingly, michi no eki Miyama provided a very quiet night. We were probably the only shachuhaku vehicle. The large space was very dark and the filthy toilets only one step up from a hole in the ground. Not to be recommended. To give it its due it does have rubbish bins. We set off for Kyoto. There are three temples in the north west of the city that D. wants to visit. Saimyoji　槇尾西明寺 Arriving in Takao, we park by the river next to the entrance to Saimyoji just by the orange bridge. The parking is an exorbitant 1000 yen but we can […]

21/01/2026 / Last updated : 21/01/2026 d.d Tohoku region

Takkoku no Iwaya and Motsu-ji　達谷窟、毛越寺

Oct. 23rd. 2025 A cold night at michi no eki Genbikei, which provided a magnificent display of stars. Such an array I had not experienced for, perhaps, years. Genbikei Gorge　　厳美渓 From the michi no eki Genbikei, we walk for 10 minutes or so to Genbikei Gorge. This gorge is famous and on the tourist itinerary. Mainly because of a novel dango shop that dispenses its wares by way of a rope pulley system. The dango, soft rice balls, are delivered in a basket across the gorge. A gimmick I can do without, but I’m a miserable old sod. The gorge itself is rocky and steep-sided. It is not very long […]

17/10/2025 / Last updated : 17/10/2025 d.d Temple / Shrine

Omihachiman, Kyorinbou　　近江八幡　教林坊

2025 june 1 Come the morning Oribe no sato Motosu springs to life. There is a queue waiting for the shop to open at 8.30am. This, we discover, is for a morning set breakfast for 500 yen. I suspect it is a good deal. So, despite the poor facilities, it is perhaps a good spot for an overnight stay after all. We leave, to take the long drive to Omihachiman by Lake Biwa. The morning broke bright and clear but by the time we are skirting Lake Biwa the opposite shore is wreathed in cloud and there is a stiff wind off the water. Omihachiman In Omihachiman, we met the […]

18/09/2024 / Last updated : 18/09/2024 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Kinojo, the demon castle?　　鬼ノ城

April 14th. 2024 Michi no eki Muraoka Farm Garden Michi no eki Muraoka Farm Garden is a good place to stay and may be good place for the people want eat high quality beef ‘Tajima Beef’. It does, on first impression, look tacky, just an ill lit, run down yard but the facilities are in fact excellent, and it is generous in rubbish bin provision. It is dark. The weather may provide you with a splendid star bonus, but you have to watch your step. I also recommended you not park next to or behind the adjacent ramen shop as the kitchen duct blows into the car park. Daisen-ji to […]

26/08/2024 / Last updated : 26/08/2024 d.d Temple / Shrine

Gifu Daibutsu to Gujo Hachiman　岐阜大仏

April 10th. 2024 Michi no eki Fujihashi is recommended for an overnight stay at least on a weekday at this time of year. Others have experienced Bosozoku groups making a lot of noise on summer weekends. It has ample parking, good to excellent toilets and an onsen. Today we make our way to Gifu city. We plan to see the Bamboo Buddha. Last time we passed this way we did not find it and this time it was almost as elusive. Gifu Daibutsu Our navi. Steers us through one-way systems and directs us down very narrow two-way streets that have no right to such distinction. Eventually, we see the temple […]

26/08/2024 / Last updated : 26/08/2024 d.d Temple / Shrine

Ishiyamadera　石山寺

April 9th. 2024 Ayama michi no eki appears modern, at first, but is basic in the toilet department. On a very wet night, it is possible to park close to the facilities so exposure to the unkind elements is limited. Probably due to its basic nature, it is not popular in the morning and few cars drop in. Its only redeeming feature is that it is generous with rubbish bins. Leaving Ayama, we head for Lake Biwa but by chance notice Ishiyamadera. This name rings bells with D. so we stop and are pleased we did. Ishiyamadera The temple dates from the Heian era 1096 CE. and we realize as […]

23/08/2024 / Last updated : 23/08/2024 d.d Temple / Shrine

Tsubosakadera, Great Buddha in cherry blosssoms　壺阪寺

April 8th. 2024 A quiet night, michi no eki Yoshinoji Kurotaki is a good place to stay. There is an adequate if strange onsen nearby and the facilities are splendid for such a small rural michi no eki. Though I don’t recall any fresh flowers. Tsubosakadera Our first stop of the day is Tsubozakadera. We had planned to visit this temple on the off chance this past weekend but the sight of the jammed traffic trying to enter the approach road gave us an instant change of heart. The following day traffic was also insane so we thought there must be something worth seeing. Today, Monday, access is easy thought […]

14/08/2024 / Last updated : 14/08/2024 d.d Hiking / Walking

Akame 48 Waterfalls　赤目48滝

April 6th. 2024 Yoshinoyama mistake Michi no eki Kudoyama gave us an unexpectedly restful night being much less busy than anticipated. We rise earlier than usual and are soon on the way to Yoshinoyama to visit the temple and view its abundance of cherry blossom. We leave early as we expect it to be very busy, Sakura season, Saturday, and the last weekend of spring break. As we get closer still well before 9am. We hit significant traffic. This gets worse and worse, but we persevere as we were expecting the place to be busy. In the end, sitting in almost motionless traffic, on a steep incline watching the hoards […]