I wandered into Nagoro, the most remote village in Japan.
Silence hung heavy in the air, a haunting stillness.
Scarecrows outnumbered humans, 300 to 30.
Lifeless figures posed in eternal moments.
Each straw soul a memory of someone long gone.
In this village, only ghosts and dolls remain.

​I walked up the stone steps.
Chikurinji Temple stood before me.
Kōchi, on the island of Shikoku.
Number 31 of 88 temples on the pilgrimage.
Founded by Gyōki, a Buddhist priest, in the 8th century.
I passed through the temple gate.
Paid respects to Monju Bosatsu, bodhisattva of wisdom.
The main hall held a hidden treasure.
A statue of Monju, riding a lion.
Flanked by attendants, one male, one female.
I felt a deep sense of history.
And serenity in this sacred place.

​I stand on the rocky shore.
Waves crash against the cliffs.
The sea stretches endlessly.
Gulls wheel overhead, crying.
Fishing boats bob in the distance.
A lighthouse perches, steadfast.
The salty breeze fills my lungs.
I am small in this vast beauty.
Nature's power humbles me.
I find peace in the solitude.

​I drove to the Jogu Submersible Bridge.
It was early morning.
The sun hung low, casting long shadows
I parked and walked out onto the bridge
Water lapped gently at the concrete
Twice a day, the bridge sinks beneath the surface
Allowing boats to pass
A marvel of engineering
Connecting two pieces of land
Giving way to the ebb and flow
I stood there for a while
Thinking about the balance of things
How we build and adapt
Find ways to cross divides
The bridge seemed to understand this
I watched it disappear, water rising
Merging the sea and sky into blue.

​I went to Naoshima.
A small island in Japan's Seto Inland Sea.
There, on a hill overlooking the water,
Sat an enormous yellow pumpkin.
Round and gleaming in the sun.
A sculpture by Yayoi Kusama.
It made me pause and wonder.
At the peculiar beauty in ordinary things.
When seen through an artist's eyes.

​The plum blossoms beckon.
I walk the path at Korakuen.
In Okayama, where lords once strolled.
Gnarled branches, blushing petals.
A living painting from centuries past.
Ephemeral beauty, soon scattered.
But today, perfection.

Video walkthrough of Himeji Castle from the main gate all the way through the castle grounds and then to the highest level. Was accompanied by hordes of school kids in blue as you could tell.

Himeji Castle (姫路城 Himeji-jō) is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in the city of Himeji which is located in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 rooms with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period. The castle is frequently known as Hakuro-jō or Shirasagi-jō ("White Egret Castle" or "White Heron Castle") because of its brilliant white exterior and supposed resemblance to a bird taking flight.

Starting the first day of the pig year at Fushimi Inari ⛩️ Taisha to pray for a good business year ahead. Good health and happiness for everyone that I know.

Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社, Fushimi Inari Taisha) is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233 meters and belongs to the shrine grounds.

Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, resulting in many fox statues across the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794.

I didn't venture too far up the mountain though - it was just too packed. Eventually backtracked and decided to detour to Uji instead.