Besides Daffodils there are many more spring bulbs that bloom in the garden from February to May. Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) is usually the first bulb to bloom in the season with the possible exception of Paperwhite Narcissus. Iris reticulata Dutch Crocus (Crocus vernus) Common Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) Anemone blandaPurple, white and pink varieties are available….

Our trip today was to Miyajima Island which is one of the most photographed locations in Japan. We took a ferry to the island traveling through Hiroshima Bay. Our first view of the Tori gate was from the water. Itsukushima Shrine The largest structure on the island is the Itsukushima Shrine; it was originally built…

The children of Japan gathered together to make a peace memorial for Hiroshima. They made thousands of paper cranes and delivered them to Hiroshima. They are on display now at the Peace Memorial Park along with a sculpture and a bell. We visited Peace Memorial Park where many memorials are placed in memory of the…

The castle was completed in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu who was the first Shogun. Many important events took place in this palace including, in 1867, the power was handed over to the emperor from the Shogun. That ended 200 years of Japanese isolation from the outside world. This was the beginning of the modernization of…

There’s a 2-3 mile walk from the Silver Pavilion towards Kyōto. What a pleasant walk that was! There is a canal lined with Cherry trees and the breeze is blowing the petals into the water which carries them away. There are many interesting cafes, galleries and shops along the way to make the walk even…

We have arrived in Kyōto and are visiting 3 world known gardens. Ryoanji Temple The pond garden has many beautiful views through the trees. Because of the Cherry trees blooming now this is the best time too see the garden. Ryoanji is most noted for its rock garden which is totally enclosed by a wall….

The Great Buddha Temple (Todai-ji Temple) This is the entry gate to the Great Buddha Temple in Nara with a fierce guard on each side. This is the temple which was until recently the largest wood structure in the world. It is 160’ tall and 187’ wide and 165’ in depth. It was built in…

The cherry trees are in full bloom here in Kanazawa – what an awe inspiring sight. Everywhere you go the blossoms add accent to the gardens. The first garden we visited is Kenrokuen Garden. The Cherry trees cover the paths and the wind carries the petals as if they were snow. The Japanese garden is…

Kanazawa is a large city in Japan with a population of 500,000. Here is produced 99% of all gold leaf in the country. Hakukokan Gold Leaf Center Gold leaf is used for many ornamental purposes and some electronic uses. The process starts out with an ignot of gold which is flattened into a ribbon which…

On the way to the thatched roof cottage village in Shirakawago we encountered a lot of snow but by the time we got there it had stopped.     Shirakawago There are 114 of the thatch roof houses in the village which became a World Heritage site in 1995. These type of houses have existed…