Castle Towns

At the time of the Meiji Restoration, in 1868, some 250 castle towns (jokamachi) formed the core of a well developed urban network in Japan. Although constructed primarily as defended... Read more...
Landslides

The mountains in Japan are very steep and the rocks unstable due to weathering. Landslides are common whenever there are heavy rains. Many rural villages have established themselves along the... Read more...
Namiki

The idea of planting trees along the roadside to provide shade for travelers had occurred to the Chinese when they developed their highway system more than 2000 years ago. Almost... Read more...
Pilgrimage

The idea of making a pilgrimage to visit religious places is present in nearly every culture and religion. In Japan, it is typical of both major religions, Buddhism and Shinto... Read more...
Omote-ura - Public and Private Faces

Omote (the public face) and ura (the private face) are twin concepts that are applied to almost any aspect of Japan or life in Japan. Omote refers to the image... Read more...
The Shinkansen

The Shinkansen is commonly known outside Japan as the 'bullet train' but the word actually means 'new trunk line'. It is a high-speed passenger train system which now stretches from... Read more...
Kyoto Development Issues

Kyoto holds a unique position in Japan as the ancient, imperial capital and the cultural center of the nation. It was because of these reasons that the Japan specialists who... Read more...
The Ashita Honjin

Although only a small town, Ashita boasts the oldest surviving honjin on the Nakasendo. It has also been owned by the same family since its' original construction in the late... Read more...

Hot Springs and Shrines

Ichinomiya – Main Shinto Shrines

Ichinomiya means the first or most important shrine and refers to the main Shinto shrine in a province (the provincial system has been replaced by the present prefectural system). These shrines continue, in most cases, to be among the main Shinto shrines. The granting of special status to important shrines dates back to the 8th… [Read more]

Hot Springs

Springs (onsen) have been valued for centuries as places to bathe; nothing is better for relaxation and there are medicinal benefits as well. Hot springs may also be used as an energy source: to produce electricity, heat the public bath, defrost the public roads, and even heat greenhouses where vegetables are grown. Most people, however,… [Read more]

Kamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate (1185-1333) was the first shogunate. It was founded by the Minamoto family, also known as the Genji, a provincial family of warriors who came to wield great power in the 12th century. The Kamakura shogunate was named after the site of its capital, Kamakura, which is located an hour’s train ride to the southwest of modern Tokyo. The shogunate established a new government controlled by samurai who imposed order throughout the empire and re-established contact with China. The new Chinese contacts brought in new sects of Buddhism, especially Zen Buddhism, which flourished. Kamakura is now a quiet sea-side town with large temples scattered beautifully throughout.

Castle Towns

Landslides

Namiki

Pilgrimage

Omote-ura - Public and Private Faces

The Shinkansen

Kyoto Development Issues

The Ashita Honjin

Ichinomiya – Main Shinto Shrines

Hot Springs

The University of Tokyo

The Present Political Structure

The Niegawa Barrier

The Japanese Family System

Climatic Disasters

Hot Springs and Shrines

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