Amenohi Travels http://amenohitravels.com/ When in rains home, go on a journey Sun, 04 Dec 2022 02:06:13 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.4 Higashi Honganji http://amenohitravels.com/places-to-visit/higashi-honganji/ Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:36:36 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=8208 Large Buddhist temple within 10 min walk from Kyoto station.

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Higashi Honganji is situated in close proximity to Kyoto station and is a convenient place to go if you have little time. It’s an impressive set of structures (the main hall being the largest wooden building in Kyoto) – you’ll have to take off your shoes and go inside to really appreciate how massive it is. Apart from the towering halls the temple grounds are rather dull – just a big space filled with gravel, no pretty gardens here – but on one side the compound is flanked by a moat, and if you look back, away from the entrance, you’ll see the Kyoto tower reflected in its water.

The temple is an easy 10 min walk to the north from Kyoto station.
Main gate

Higashi Honganji belongs to Jodo-shinshu school of Japanese Buddhism. The two main structures are Amidado (hall of Amida) and Hondo (main hall), connected by a walkway, so you can enter from one and exit from the other. I suggest going from left to right, from Amidado to Hondo.

No photography allowed inside, so I’m taking pictures from the terrace.

Kyoto tower and golden ginkgo trees in mid-November.
View of Amidado from one of the gates.

Unlike many temples in Kyoto, the entrance to Higashi Honganji is free.

Fall foliage information: there are no maple trees in Higashi Honganji, but there are some ginkgos.

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Three best places for Afternoon Tea in Victoria, BC http://amenohitravels.com/canada/three-best-places-for-afternoon-tea-in-victoria-bc/ Sat, 28 May 2022 00:50:00 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=8017 One of my interests when travelling to big metropolises or medium sized cities with Old World charm (like Victoria BC) is trying out their afternoon tea. Here I did it 3 times.

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One of my interests when travelling to big metropolises or medium sized cities with Old World charm (like Victoria BC) is trying out their afternoon tea. Not sure what it is? Picture a variety of tiny sweets on a tiered platter – the image most commonly associated with the tradition – and tea served in sumptuous sets of fine china, and you get it. It will make your wallet lighter, and your belly heavier, but as they say: why the hell not, we only live once.

I’ve acquired this hobby during my 2018 trip to London, where I had my very first afternoon tea. Seems only fitting – after all, England is the birthplace of this tradition, another name of which is high tea, and I’ve since partaken in it in Bangkok, New York, Saint-Petersburg, Paris and Dubai, before coming here to Victoria, where I had afternoon tea 3 times (trying not to think about my waistline; eat first, exercise later).

So here is my rundown of 3 most popular places for afternoon tea in Victoria.

Abkhazi Garden

 

I first tried out the teahouse at Abkhazi Garden. Both the garden and the teahouse are among the smallest in the area, which gives the whole experience a really intimate feel. The atmosphere was quiet and relaxing, and although I didn’t get the table by the window (so, no garden view), I had the cutest teapot ever and probably the best scones in my life. Everything else was good too (including friendly and attentive service), but the scones really stood out. Would come back anytime.

Butchart Gardens

Next on my list was the afternoon tea at the Butchart Gardens. The gardens are quite large and immensely popular with visitors (for good reason), so the atmosphere here was much more lively. I liked the interior of the teahouse, located inside a glass covered terrace with beautiful display of potted flowers throughout. The menu featured absolutely stellar sandwiches. The service was polite and efficient, but had more distant feel (as is always the case with places that deal with large volumes of tourists). But I would definitely come back, if only to experience the gardens at another time of year.

Fairmont Empress Hotel

My last stop for afternoon tea was the Fairmont Empress hotel – probably the most well-known and definitely the most high-end option in Victoria. This is the only place with dress code, so people actually dressed up, which was nice. But the space somewhat lacks ambience – it’s a very big lobby, lots of tables close to each other, and it wasn’t so quiet. But the set was nice, and here the best part of it was the sweets (although the scone was excellent too). I enjoyed my time here, but once is probably enough for me. If I ever find myself in Victoria again, I’ll explore other tea houses or go back to Abkhazi and Butchart.

To sum it up I can say that I was very well pleased with the quality of food in all 3 places (which kind of confirms my general observation that food in BC is overall better than in Washington state). The best part for me is that the desserts are not too sweet. Too much sugar in sweets often ruins the experience for me, but it was not the case in Victoria.

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Kofu castle http://amenohitravels.com/japan/kofu-castle/ Fri, 01 Apr 2022 00:04:43 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=6192 City park with views on the site of former castle

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This post is part of a series called Japan 2017

Maizuru castle park, or Kofu castle, is located on a small hill just outside JR Kofu station, so I made it my last stop on 2017 Yamanashi-Nagano road trip itinerary, spending a leisurely couple of hours here after dropping off my car and before hopping on a train back to Tokyo.

As far as Japanese castles go, there isn’t much to see here. No tenshu, only one reconstructed yagura (housing a museum that was already closed at the time of my visit), some gates and fortifications. But it’s a nice park with beautiful city views from the top of the hill, and that alone makes it worth visiting in any season – although, of course, springtime is said to be the best with all the sakuras in and around.

I’m entering from the North-Eastern corner, and this is the reconstructed Inari yagura.
The yagura from the other side (entrance to the museum, that was closed).
Autumn colors inside the park.
Inside the park (the white banner shows family crests of all the clans that ruled Kofu castle).
Views towards the North

Views towards the South, which are the city views with Mt Fuji visible on a clear day.

 

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Kalaloch Beach http://amenohitravels.com/usa/kalaloch-beach/ Thu, 22 Jul 2021 08:59:47 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=7958 Visiting Olympic Peninsula's Kalaloch Beach and the Tree of Life on a sunny August day.

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This post is part of a series called Olympic loop 2020

Kalaloch beach – or whatever is the official name for the long stretch of sand right next to the Kalaloch Lodge – does not have any striking rock formations that can be found on other beaches along Olympic’s southwest coast (such as my favorite Ruby), but it’s worth visiting for sweeping ocean vistas and a tree that grows virtually out of thin air.

It’s a different kind of beauty: flat and vast, nothing but ocean and sky meeting each other above the stretching line of sand. Although I can appreciate it, I get bored fairly quickly. Luckily for me, there’s a point of interest on this beach, known as the Tree of Life.  Erosion washed away the soil under its roots, forming a cave, with the tree hanging over it, somehow still alive. I’ve known about this tree for some time, and even tried to find it once, but walked in the opposite direction due to lack of signs on the beach 🙂 The second time I did my homework and walked in the right direction: north. It’s a 10 minute walk to the tree from Kalaloch lodge.

I visited Kalaloch beach and the Tree of Life in August 2020 as part of my Olympic loop drive.

Descent to the beach from Kalaloch lodge parking lot.

Here I’m facing north, the creek you see at the distance is the one you need to cross to get to the tree.
Here it is up close, already from the other side.
There’s no way of crossing it without getting wet (unless you have a pair of tall rain boots). I took my shoes off and rolled my pants legs. The water is really chilly!
If you don’t want to get wet, you can probably park at Kalaloch campground, it should be right above the tree. I’ve seen people coming from that direction. I’ll try it myself next time.
Meanwhile, here I just keep walking north.
And in about 7-10 minutes – here it is, the Tree of Life.

 

View from inside the tree cave.

Of course, I built my little pyramid too.

Going back

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Royal Opera House http://amenohitravels.com/united-kingdom/royal-opera-house/ Wed, 30 Jun 2021 22:26:07 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=7894 Attending an evening performance at Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

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As a lover of performing arts, I couldn’t miss the Royal Opera House during my first time visit to London in 2018. The building dating from 1858 was extensively remodeled in the 1990s – the façade, foyer and auditorium are from the original structure, everything else is new.

The facade of Royal Opera House in London
The façade.

View of the surrounding area from the window.

It’s a nice building, although it felt a little bit cramped, reminding me of a kind of theater you’d find on Broadway, where all the space is occupied by the auditorium and there’s nowhere to just hang around. The Royal Opera House is not entirely like that, but still I wish there were more halls to walk around and benches to sit on. The Paul Hamlyn Hall adjacent to the main building provides some additional space, but mainly serves as a restaurant. If you don’t plan to order, there isn’t really anything for you to do there.

Paul Hamlyn Hall in Royal Opera House, London.
Paul Hamlyn Hall. As you can see, all the space is occupied by tables.
Staircase.

The auditorium, of course, is beautiful. And I loved the performance I was watching, the Lohengrin.

Beautiful opera by Wagner.

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Shinobazu Pond http://amenohitravels.com/japan/shinobazu-pond/ Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:09:30 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=7847 Iconinc pond in Tokyo with lotus flowers blooming in August.

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Shinobazu pond is the best part of Ueno park (which was one of my least favorite places in Tokyo when I lived there, but kind of grew on me after I moved away). And the best time to visit the Shinobazu pond is when lotuses are blooming – if you can stand the sweltering August temperatures, of course.

Shinobazu pond in Ueno park with lotus flowers blooming (Tokyo, Japan)

It just so happened that I found myself in Tokyo in August 2018, and it wasn’t even that hot – I comfortably strolled around the pond, marveling at huge green leaves and majestic flowers. I remember when I, young and easily impressed girl from snowy Moscow, saw a lotus for the first time in my life. It was a shock – I had no idea flowers can grow that big. The sense of wonder has faded a bit over the two decades that passed since, but I’m still amazed whenever I see lotuses in full bloom. Especially in quantities that Shinobazu pond offers.

So yes, come in August, if you can 😊

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In fact, Shinobazu pond is quite large and is divided by two walkways into three parts. One of those parts is Lotus Pond, it’s covered entirely by lotuses. The other two parts are lotus-free, but I didn’t go there this time.

Shinobazu pond in Ueno park with lotus flowers blooming (Tokyo, Japan)

Benten-do in Ueno park with lotus flowers blooming on Shinobazu pond (Tokyo, Japan)
Here at the back you can see Benten-do – a small pavilion that was part of much larger temple, Kan’ei-ji, that once occupied all these grounds, including the pond.

Shinobazu pond in Ueno park with lotus flowers blooming (Tokyo, Japan)

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Lake Quinault and around http://amenohitravels.com/usa/lake-quinault-and-around/ Fri, 25 Jun 2021 00:39:08 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=7775 A few natural sites around Lake Quinault at the heart of Olympic peninsula.

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This post is part of a series called Olympic loop 2020

Apart from sitting on the veranda of beautiful Lake Quinault Lodge, staring blissfully at the lake, there are other things to do here, for all levels of activity. There’s plenty of hiking (obviously), some old growth trees, some waterfalls, and you can actually drive around the lake (although I’ve never done that, since all the places of interest seem to be concentrated along the south shore).

I visited Lake Quinault in August 2020 as part of my Olympic loop drive.

Front lawn of Lake Quinault Lodge in summer - Olympic peninsula, Washington state
Waterfront at Lake Quinault Lodge
World's largest sitka spruce, Lake Quinault (Olympic peninsula, WA)
World’s largest sitka spruce. Unfortunately, no people for comparison, but it’s really, really big 🙂

I’ve checked the most accessible old growth trees off my list a long time ago. I love them, but I can’t keep going to the same places – this time I wanted to see something new, so I went on a short hike to Gatton Creek Falls.

The short (0.6 miles) and easy trail brings you to the wooden bridge over a lovely creek with a series of cascades. The weather was perfect, sunny but not too hot, so I really enjoyed the walk.

Gatton Creek Falls trail, Olympic peninsula, WA
Gatton Creek Falls trail.

Gatton Creek Falls trail, Olympic peninsula, WA

Gatton Creek Falls, Olympic peninsula, WA
The bridge and cascades at Gatton Creek Falls
Gatton Creek Falls, Olympic peninsula, WA
Below the bridge, looking down the river.

Gatton Creek Falls, Olympic peninsula, WA

Then I came back to the lake, parked at Falls Creek (where there’s another tiny waterfall right off the road) and just strolled along the lake, following the footpath to Lake Quinault Lodge (my stop for the night).

Waterfall at Falls Creek
This is all part of Falls Creek and Quinault Loop Trail.

Lake Quinault, Olympic peninsula, WA
Lake Quinault
Lake Quinault Lodge (Olympic peninsula, WA)
Lake Quinault Lodge

Next morning I drove a bit further along the south shore, past the lake and into the valley, to see Merriman Falls. It’s a beautiful mid-sized waterfall right off the road – there’s no signs, just a little pullout area, but I saw it and didn’t miss it. Entertained myself for some time playing with my tripod, then turned around and went back to highway 101. I still had a long day ahead of me and a long drive to Port Townsend.

Merriman Falls, Olympic peninsula, WA
Merriman Falls

Merriman Falls, Olympic peninsula, WA

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Saruhashi http://amenohitravels.com/japan/saruhashi/ Thu, 24 Jun 2021 17:54:20 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=6154 Historic bridge in Yamanashi prefecture crossing a scenic gorge.

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This post is part of a series called Japan 2017

The picturesque Saruhashi bridge in Yamanashi prefecture has long been known as a place of scenic beauty and is featured on many old Japanese prints. I came here on the last day of my Japan 2017 trip because I was collecting the “the three unusual bridges of Japan” – it made for a quick but pleasant stop.

Saruhashi bridge (Yamanashi prefecture, Japan)
Saruhashi is the best know example of a “hanebashi” design, where the bridge is supported by a set of overlapping beams jutting out from each side of the gorge. The present day Saruhashi is reinforced with steel, but retains its original shape and look.
This is the close up of the supporting beam structure. I’m not sure what part is steel and what part is wood now, but originally it was all wood. No more wooden bridges of this kind survive in Japan.
Saruhashi bridge (Yamanashi prefecture, Japan)
In Edo period the bridge was part of Koshu-kaido road.
On both sides of Saruhashi there are other bridges crossing the same gorge, which makes for an interesting sight.
Saruhashi bridge (Yamanashi prefecture, Japan)
And the gorge itself is very scenic. Must be beautiful later in the fall season.

Saruhashi bridge (Yamanashi prefecture, Japan)

View full photo album:
Saruhashi

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The Tower of London http://amenohitravels.com/united-kingdom/the-tower-of-london/ Tue, 22 Jun 2021 22:28:36 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=7736 Famous fortress in the heart of London.

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The thing with all top tier attractions in popular tourist destinations is that they are really hard to enjoy now because of crowds. Even with all the pro travelers tips and tricks, sometimes there’s just nothing you can do to avoid it (for instance, in January 2020 in pre-pandemic Bangkok I was at the ticket office of the Grand Palace half an hour before opening on a weekday, and the line already stretched some 200 meters long). This is why it came somewhat as a surprise that I really enjoyed my first visit to the Tower of London.

Being there right at the opening really worked this time: there were no lines at the ticket office, and I got about half an hour of relative peace and quiet inside. Quickly saw the crown jewels, joined the fun and informative yeoman tour and spent the rest of my time there exploring on my own.

Since I love all things medieval, and the Tower is a quintessential medieval experience (from architecture to shining sets of armour inside the White Tower to dressed up staff doing occasional small performances for kids) it was almost perfect. I explored at leisure and only left sometime in the afternoon when the level of crowding got hard to tolerate. If I ever find myself in London again, I’ll definitely be back to the Tower to soak up more of its charm and history.

On the grounds in the first 20 minutes after opening.
Looks pretty empty.
Our cheerful yeoman.
Big guy and little guys.
He looks comfortable in front of cameras.
Some more of the big and little, guarding the crown jewels.
Love the tall walls and narrow passageways.
Looking down from the wall and trying to imagine what it would be like to live in a place like that (yeoman housing, I think).
Dressed up people.
The famous White Tower, on my way in.
The tower hosts a branch of Royal Armouries museum.
The shining armor (minus the knight).

Now this is something really fascinating, at least for me. This samurai armor was presented to the King of England by the shogun Tokugawa Hidetada in 1613 – finding a frigging samurai armor in the Tower of London is pretty giggle-inducing in and off itself, but what really struck me was to whom it originally belonged to. The armor belonged to Takeda Katsuyori – a relatively obscure (but beloved by Japanese history buffs such as myself) historic figure at the site of whose tragic death I had just been some 8 months before, during my 2017 Japan trip. The guy lived and died on the other side of the globe, in the middle of Japanese nowhere, and his armor (via the hands of the one who caused his demise) ended up in the Tower of London. Can’t help but pause and marvel at how amazingly twisted life sometimes can be.

Going back to the European theme. Beautiful medieval chapel inside the tower.
View of the Tower Bridge out of the window.
Some more dressed up people performing for kids.

Tower Bridge peeking through the trees.
Some “medieval” snapshots.

The banks of Thames on the other side.
One last look at the Tower before going back to subway.

Full photo album:
The Tower of London

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Lake Quinault Lodge http://amenohitravels.com/usa/lake-quinault-lodge/ Sun, 09 May 2021 01:02:30 +0000 http://amenohitravels.com/?p=7564 Beautiful rustic lodge close to Olympic National Park.

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This post is part of a series called Olympic loop 2020

Lake Quinault Lodge is my favorite place to stay on Olympic peninsula – I’ve been here many times, ever since I discovered it during my very first trip to the park. It’s old (built in 1926), so don’t come here for top notch modern facilities and well-insulated rooms. Come here for the atmosphere, for that incomparable feeling of a grand, century old house with squeaky floors, dimly lit corridors, majestic living room and a fireplace right out of a fairy tale.

I visited Lake Quinault Lodge in August 2020 as part of my Olympic loop drive.

Main lodge in summer.
Main lodge in fall.
The lobby.

The fireplace.
First floor room, very retro.
Retro-bathroom.

Now, there are other buildings on the property with other types of rooms, some of them might have a more contemporary feel to them, but I’ve always stayed in the main lodge, I just love it so much.

The main lodge is beautiful, but it’s only half of the attraction. There’s also the lake – Lake Quinault that it stands upon, literally steps away. Not the most dramatic landscape I’ve seen in my life, but there’s this sense of seclusion, of being in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nature so pristine, fresh and fragrant, that you just want to bask in it forever.

Front lawn and the lake on a sunny day in August.
On a foggy day in November.
Sunset at the lake.

Although Lake Quinault Lodge technically is not within the national park border, it’s very close. You can explore both the west coast beaches and Hoh Rainforest on the way to or from here. If spending the night is not an option, stopping by to see the lobby and the grounds is still very much worth it. There’s also a restaurant and a gift shop on site.

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