following the shogun | Following The Shogun

Ueno Toshogu Shrine Complete Guide｜Golden Hall, Karamon Gate, Paid Area Tips, and 11 Historic Highlights

A detailed guide to Ueno Toshogu in Tokyo — 11 historic spots including the Golden Hall and Karamon Gate. Free to the torii gate; ¥700 for the inner precinct. Hours, access, and goshuin included.

2026.04.25

Ieyasu Travel GuideTokugawa IeyasuTokyo Area

Ueno Toshogu Shrine “Kinshikiden” Special Door OpeningBeyond the Doors Usually Kept Closed

A first-hand report on Ueno Toshogu Shrine’s Kinshikiden Special Opening, with details on the golden interior, carvings, fees, crowds, goshuin, and visiting tips.

2026.04.25

Ieyasu Travel JournalTokugawa IeyasuTokyo Area

Mt. Hiei Enryakuji Temple Saito Precinct: 5 Highlights | Shakado Hall (1347 — Enryakuji’s Oldest), the Ninaido Twin Halls & Jodo-in

The Saito precinct, where the crowds thin and the air changes. A firsthand guide to the Ninaido twin halls (said to have been shouldered by the legendary warrior Benkei), the oldest surviving building at Enryakuji — Shakado Hall (1347) — and Saicho's mausoleum at Jodo-in.

2026.04.24

Hideyoshi Travel GuideNobunaga Travel GuideOda NobunagaOsaka-Kyoto AreaToyotomi Hideyoshi

Mt. Hiei Enryakuji Temple Todo Precinct: 7 Highlights & a Firsthand Guide to the Konpon Chudo Restoration

The Konpon Chudo National Treasure restoration runs until 2031. A firsthand guide to seeing the roof repairs up close — plus all 7 highlights of the Todo precinct, recommended route, and dining options.

2026.04.24

Hideyoshi Travel GuideNobunaga Travel GuideOda NobunagaOsaka-Kyoto AreaToyotomi Hideyoshi

Mt. Hiei Enryakuji Temple: Complete Visitor’s Guide to Todo, Saito & Yokawa — Highlights, Admission Fees & Access

Enryakuji on Mt. Hiei — birthplace of Honen, Shinran, Dogen & Nichiren. A firsthand complete guide covering admission fees, access, seasonal highlights, and how to explore all three temple precincts.

2026.04.24

Hideyoshi Travel GuideNobunaga Travel GuideOda NobunagaOsaka-Kyoto AreaToyotomi Hideyoshi

Mt. Hiei Enryakuji Temple Yokawa Precinct: 3 Highlights | The Birthplace of Omikuji, Ganzan Daishi-do, Yokawa Chudo & Eshin-do

Reaching Yokawa is when you finally feel in your body that Enryakuji is not a single temple. A firsthand winter guide to the hall of the monk who invented the omikuji fortune slip, and the quiet hall where the foundations of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism were written.

2026.04.24

Hideyoshi Travel GuideNobunaga Travel GuideOda NobunagaOsaka-Kyoto AreaToyotomi Hideyoshi

Taiyuin Mausoleum, Treasure Museum & Hidden Spots — Complete Archive | Nikko Toshogu (On-Site: 2026/2/22)

On-site verified Feb 2026. Complete coverage of Taiyuin Mausoleum, Treasure Museum exhibition notes (no photography), the Tenkai statue & hidden remains — with 360° panoramas and a Toshogu vs Taiyuin comparison.

2026.04.16

Ieyasu Travel GuideTokugawa IeyasuTokyo Area

Nikko Toshogu: Complete Guide to Every Spot — Gates, Sculptures, Shrine Buildings & Inner Sanctuary (On-Site: 2026/2/22)

On-site verified Feb 2026. Encyclopedic guide from the First Torii to the Inner Sanctuary — Yomeimon, Three Monkeys, Sleeping Cat & 360° panoramas. Signboard summaries and field notes included.

2026.04.16

Ieyasu Travel GuideTokugawa IeyasuTokyo Area

Toyotomi Brothers! Taiga Drama Museum & Related Exhibitions: Complete Venue Guide [2026]

A complete guide to all eight venues across three areas—Nagoya/Nakamura, Nagahama, and Yamato-Koriyama. In addition to admission fees, exhibition periods, and access information, this guide also includes links to firsthand visit reports. You’ll also find venue-by-venue highlights and practical tips on the best way to explore each site.

2026.04.11

Hidenaga Travel GuideHideyoshi Travel GuideTaiga DramaToyotomi HidenagaToyotomi Hideyoshi

NHK VR Toyotomi Osaka Castle: Experience Report & Guide | Shibuya, Tokyo

Full experience report of NHK VR "Samurai's Dream: The Ghosts of Osaka Castle" at Shibuya BEAM, Tokyo. Walk through Toyotomi Hideyoshi's lost castle in VR, witness the Siege of Osaka, and step inside a full-scale Golden Tea Room. Tickets, access, practical tips, and honest review.

2026.03.29

Hidenaga Travel GuideHideyoshi Travel GuideTaiga DramaTokyo Area