Tag Archives: Ray Chaput

Japan

Visiting Kondo Hakkaku Tōrō and The Great Temple

We went to visit the Kondo Hakkaku Tōrō at Tōdai ji which was quite something to see. The day was a bit wet with on and off light rain  showers.

Shelley at the front of the Kondo Hakkaku Tōrō bronze Lantern
The Kondo Hakkaku Kondo Tōrō

The Kondo Hakkaku Kondo Tōrō is located in front of the Great Buddha Hall.  The ancient octagonal bronze lantern dates back to the 8th century, making it over 1,250 years old. It was created during the founding era of Tōdai-ji, around the same time  as the temple.

Ray and Shelley in front of the Buddha Temple

We went inside the temple and the Great Buddha of Nara (Daibutsu),  loomed in front of us. It is one of the largest bronze Buddha statues in the world.

The Great Buddha of Nara (Daibutsu),

The Buddha rises about 15 meters (49 feet) tall, weighs roughly 500 tons, and sits within the huge Great Buddha Hall. 

 

The photos don’t reflect the scale. The Buddha’s sheer size of the statue makes you feel small. 

We walked around the temple looking at the Buddha and other buddha idols from different angles. 

Outside of the temple is a small wooden Buddha and it was being touched by some of the visitors. We went over to check it out. 

Wooden buddha

The wooden buddha is called the Pindola and he was one of the disciples of Buddha. It is believed in Japan that when you rub a part of wooden Pindola and then rub the same part on you. That injured or troubled area of your own body will bring healing. So of course Ray had to try it.

Ray’s knee has never felt better since.

時は矢のごとく過ぎ去る。

Japan

A Day in Hatsukaichi

We began our day heading to Hatsukaichi, to explore one of Japan’s most iconic and spiritual destinations. The journey itself felt like part of the adventure, with glimpses of the Seto Inland Sea and mountain scenery welcoming us along the way.

We took the ferry to Miyajima. The short ride across the water was beautiful, especially when the famous floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine came into view.

The floating Torii Gate

Rising from the water is the Great Torii of Itsukushima vermilion gate. It is one of those sights that photos just don’t do it justice.

We arrived at the dock and walked onto the walkway.  What makes the 12th century shrine so remarkable is that it is built on pillars over the tidal flats. We arrived at low tide and so we could see the pillars embedded in the sea floor supporting the Shrine complex.

It literally stands above the sea rather than on solid ground like most shrines.

The shrine structure was designed this way out of respect for the island itself, which was considered so sacred that common people were once not meant to set foot directly on it.

After visiting the shrine, we spent time wandering the island.

Miyajima island has plenty of deer that roam freely. They would walk along looking inocente and if you were not careful they would take your snack. 

One of the many deer walking amoung the tourist on the island

There were shops and restaurants along the narrow streets. We enjoyed exploring the different shops and looking at the local handcrafted items.

shops along the streets of the island

What was really an extra enjoyable experience was walking down some of the streets away from the tourist area.

We enjoyed seeing the Cherry trees in full bloom.  We had a quiet walk and enjoyed the peace and serenity of the island. 

Sometimes the best travel moments aren’t the big landmarks but the small ones. 

“Ichi-go ichi-e”

Japan

Hiroshima Castle

Hiroshima Castle, sometimes called the Carp Castle, was originally built in 1591 but was destroyed in the atomic bomb of 1945. It was later rebuilt in 1958 as a complete replica of the original.

Hiroshima Castle located in the heart of Hiroshima

The castle is surrounded by a moat which makes it a buffer to the hustle and noise of the city.

Walking across the bridge into the castle felt a little like walking from the city into the past.  

Bridge leading in the Castle

There were several things that really stood out for us. As we walked along a path towards the Castle there was twisted tree which had a plaque. We stoped to discover that this tree had survived the Atomic Bomb of 1945.

Tree that survived the atomic bomb in Hiroshima 1945

We could see the castle on the hilltop which was quite stunning to see with the cherry trees in bloom at the base of the hill.

Hiroshima Castle

We walked up the hill to the castle and admired the details of its reconstruction. It looked like it had been there for centuries. 

We walked around the castle admiring the architecture and design. We eventually came to the temple area. 

entrance area to the Temple

We did not go into the temple but looking in we could see the ornate design and beauty of it. 

View of the interior of the Temple

It was an enjoyable day exploring the castle and the weather was perfect.  

戦争の灰の中から生まれ変わり、平和を尊ぶ

Japan

Umeda Sky Building in Osaka

The Umeda Sky Building is a two-tower skyscraper in Osaka, Japan.

We were able to go up the 40 story towers to the interconnected  glass bridges with escalators and elevators that cross an open atrium space.

View of the bridge that connects the two towers form the ground.

The journey up was part of the experience itself. After stepping into the sleek elevator, we were whisked high above the city. Then we then took the floating escalator that seems to hang in midair.

View of the escalators that connect to the observation area.

Once we reached the open air observation area we enjoyed some time exploring the views.

View of the sky deck which is 360 degrees around the top of the building.

Below we could see Osaka stretched out endlessly in every direction.

View of Osaka from the Sky deck

We walked around the observation deck slowly taking in the views of Osaka. It was the kind of moment that makes you pause and simply appreciate where you are.

Afterwards we headed down to the elevators and back to the ground. 

“人生は「今」にある”

Japan

Wandering Dotonbori District, A Perfect Afternoon

We spent an afternoon wandering through the Dotonbori area of Osaka Japan. It is a vibrant area with food and restaurant shops and it actually felt like we were stepping into a living postcard. The shops and stores all had unique signs and vibrant colours.

Shelley and I set out without much of a plan, we just wandered the narrow streets of the district.  The streets were vibrant with bright creative signs overhead, lots of locals and tourist weaving past one another.

The vendors shouting and calling out trying to entice you to buy their food. We took our time, letting ourselves get pleasantly lost among the narrow side streets and bustling main paths. Of course, it wasn’t long before we decided to sample one of the local foods called Takoyaki.

They make different types of Takoyaki which is a popular Japanese street food. It is generally made of small, round balls of batter filled with diced pieces of octopus or other fish. We bought the traditional Takoyaki with octopus to try.

Shelley having some Takoyaki

We continued exploring and looking at all the different signs and advertising. Some of the signs were three-dimensional and very creative. There were everything from dragons, octopus and crabs to other unique signs.


At one point, needing a bit of a break, we found a small outside bar tucked away along the Tonbori River.

Tonbori River in Osaka

It was the perfect spot for us, we could relax but still watch all the people and excitement of the area.

We grabbed a couple of drinks and sat for a while, watching the tour boats go by on the water.

One of the many different tour boats on the Tonbori  River

Each tour boat was unique and everyone would wave to all the people on the banks of the river.  After resting up we slowly made our way back towards our hotel.  The Dotonbori district was more than we expected  and we had a great afternoon exploring the culture and foods. 

私たちの人生のあらゆる瞬間は、無視するのではなく、楽しむべき奇跡なのです。