Tohoku Choshoji Temple Zenringai
Explore Choshoji Temple and Zenringai in Hirosaki: the Tsugaru clan family temple, 33 Zen temples, Sanmon gate, castle-town defenses, access, and guided tour notes.
Temples & Shrines
Tohoku 
Aomori Saishoin Temple & Hirosaki Yasaka Shrine
Visit Saishoin Temple in Hirosaki: an original Edo-period pagoda, adjacent Yasaka Shrine, access from Hirosaki Castle, what remains, and goshuin notes.
Oda Nobunaga Honno-ji Temple, Former Honnoji Site & Nanbanji: Nobunaga Kyoto Guide
The current Honno-ji Temple was rebuilt in 1592 — the actual 1582 incident site is a separate location nearby. This guide covers all three connected spots: the rebuilt temple (Nobunaga memorial, museum, goshuin), the original site, and the lost Nanbanji church marker.
Kansai Toyokuni Byo — The Mausoleum of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyokuni Byo is Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s mausoleum on Amidagamine in Kyoto. This guide explains how it differs from Toyokuni Shrine, what remains today, the stone steps, access, and practical tips for visiting.
Ieyasu Travel Guide Ueno Toshogu: The Golden Tokugawa Shrine Hidden in Ueno Park — and Whether the ¥700 Paid Area Is Worth It
Visit Ueno Toshogu, a gold-leafed Tokugawa shrine inside Ueno Park, Tokyo. Built in 1651 for Ieyasu — see fees, hours, and whether the ¥700 inner hall is worth entering.
Ieyasu Travel Journal 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.
Hideyoshi Travel Guide 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.
Hideyoshi Travel Guide 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.
Kansai 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.
Kansai 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.
