BLOG

Carved and created by another stunning river, the Kakizore Gorge is known for its rare beauty, typified by its emerald water and the majestic Ushigataki Falls. Walking trails lead into the valley, fo...

Translating as the ‘Bed of Awakening’, Nezame-no-toko is a natural formation of huge granite, that have eroded for a vast period of time and created a unique landscape in the beautiful Kiso Valley....

For more than 300 years, the trees of Aburagibirin Forest have been protected and cannot be logged. Thanks to this protection, immense trees now populate the forest including Japanese cypress, sawara...

Located in the north-east of Nagano Prefecture and within the larger Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, Shiga Kogen Highlands covers approximately 30,000ha / 300km². A landscape formed by volc...

In a region not so far away is Hakui, the southern most part of the Noto peninsula. The city has a cornucopia of places and will surprise you with their diversity. The natural beauty of Chirihama Bea...

Meditation is one the primary Buddhist practices and one which brings great peace and joy to both practicing Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. ‘Zazen’ or ‘Seated Meditation’ focuses practitioners on...

Buddhists believe that we must subjugate and ultimately rid ourselves of worldly desires in order to see the true nature of existence.  In order to guide and support us in that goal, qualified m...

Japanese calligraphy or ‘shodo’ is an ancient practice which retains its importance as one of the most popular fine arts in the country. Literally meaning ‘way of writing’, shodo embodies the virtues...

The teachings of the Buddha have been passed down to us in the form of written ‘sutras’ or religious scripture. By tracing the sutras in a form of calligraphy called ‘shakyo’, Japanese believe the wo...