Off the Beaten Path Japan

Kōdōkan(Mito City, Ibaraki)【Gakkō（学校）】 means “school” in Japanese. It is a place where students learn reading, writing, and academic subject...

Kairakuen Garden(Mito City, Ibaraki)【Bai-en（梅園）】 is a garden or orchard where many plum trees are planted. Plum blossoms have long been cher...

Nikkon Museum(Shinagawa City, Tokyo)【Kougaku（光学）】is the Japanese term for optics, the science and technology of understanding and using ligh...

Hebikubo Shrine(Shinagawa City, Tokyo)【Henbi (蛇)】means snakes in Japanese, have long held a fascinating dual identity. Since ancient times, ...

Higashi Chaya District(Kanazawa City, Ishikawa)【Ochaya（お茶屋）】 is a traditional establishment—literally a teahouse—where female entertainers k...

Kenroku-en Garden(Kanazawa City, Ishikawa)【Kenroku-en（後楽園）】is one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens and stretches out beside Kanazawa Castle. I...

Kanazawa Castle(Kanazawa City, Ishikawa)【Hyakuman-goku（100万石）】refers to a yield of one million koku of rice. A koku (or goku) was a unit use...

Oyama Shrine(Kanazawa City, Ishikawa)【Toshiie to Matsu（”利家”と”まつ”）】 were a famous samurai couple who lived during the turbulent warring state...

Tondabayashi Jinai-machi District(Tondabayashi City, Osaka) 【Jinai-machi (寺内町)】 refers to a type of town that developed around a Buddhi...

Utsunomiya Gyoza Street (Utsunomiya City, Tochigi) 【Gyoza（餃子）】 are dumplings made by wrapping seasoned meat filling in a thin flou...

Ōya History Museum(Utsunomiya City, Tochigi)【Magabutsu（磨崖仏）】 is a Buddhist statue carved directly into a natural rock wall or cliff. These s...

Ōya History Museum(Utsunomiya City, Tochigi)【Kūkan（空間）】means “space” in English. Space can refer to a continuous, unoccupied area—such as th...