Easy hikes and walks in Japan

The historic 19th-century station building was faithfully restored in 2005 and moved to its current location directly next to the new JR main station. It is beautiful inside and impresses with its traditional Japanese wooden architecture. It houses the tourist information and a Starbucks.

Imperial Palace Tokyo 皇居 The Imperial Palace Tokyo 皇居, Kōkyo, "Imperial Residence" is the residence of the Tennō, the Japanese Emperor. The imperial residence is located on the former grounds of Edo Castle in the present-day Chiyoda district of the district of the same name in the center of Tokyo. After the Meiji Restoration and the overthrow of the shogun, the imperial court was moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tōkyō, and at that time also Tōkei ("eastern capital"). The city's castle, until then the seat of the Tokugawa shoguns, was visited by the emperor on November 26, 1868, and renamed Tōkei-jō (東京城, Ger. "Castle of the Eastern Capital"). On May 9, 1869, he made the residence used by the last shogun in the western district (Nishi-no-maru) his permanent seat and renamed it Kōjō (皇城, Ger. "Imperial Castle").[1] On May 5, 1873, this residence burned down. Until the completion of the new residence in the same location in a Japanese-Western mixed style in 1888, called Kyūjō (宮城, Ger. "Palace Castle"), the imperial family used the Akasaka Imperial Residence for 15 years. In World War II, the buildings were destroyed by bombs. The palace got its current name in 1948. Until 1968, the complex was rebuilt in a modern style. The architect was Yoshimura Junzō. Text / Source : wikipedia.org https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiserpalast_Tokio

Imperial Palace 皇居エリア Garden strolls, art treasures, and grounds tours of an imperial castle The Imperial Palace is the home of the Emperor of Japan, built on the former site of Edo Castle, where the shogun lived before 1868. Protected by wide moats and thick walls, and surrounded by carefully tended gardens, the grounds offer a peaceful, green contrast to the steel and glass of Tokyo's modern downtown office buildings. Runners, cyclists, and strollers, couples, and families visit the outer palace grounds. There are also guided tours of the grounds, and you can view the Imperial Collection of Art for free. Text / Source: Japan.travel/en https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/2121/

Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Kyoto 伏見稲荷大社 The Fushimi Inari-Taisha 伏見稲荷大社, also known as Oinari-san, is a Shinto shrine in the Fushimi ward of Kyoto. It is dedicated to the kami Inari and is the head shrine of about one-third of all Inari shrines in Japan. It is one of the oldest and most famous Shinto shrines in Kyoto. Furthermore, it also counts the most visitors of all Shinto shrines in Japan, especially during New Year (cf. Hatsumōde) and on uma no hi in February, the Japanese Day of the Horse, when the shrine has hosted the Hatsu-uma-matsuri since 708 – celebrated by all Inari shrines. However, at Fushimi Inari-Taisha it is called Hatsu-uma-tai-sha and lasts a full 21 days. The avenues of thousands of orange torii on the grounds of Fushimi Inari-Taisha are particularly famous, all of which are donations from individuals, families, or companies. They lead up a hill, at the top of which, unusually for a Shinto shrine, the holiest sanctuary (in this case a mirror) is publicly visible. Fushimi Inari-Taisha is one of the few shrines (called tanritsu-jinja) that did not join the newly founded umbrella organization Jinja Honchō ("Association of Shinto Shrines") after the end of the war. Characteristic of all Inari shrines are the fox statues (messengers of the deity Inari), which usually have red bibs around their necks and the so-called Dharma key or a wish jewel in their mouths. These objects symbolize the magical-religious power of the foxes. Text / Source : wikipedia.org https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fushimi_Inari-Taisha

Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto 伏見稲荷大社 The Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社, Fushimi Inari Taisha) is a significant Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that wind up a network of trails behind the main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded slopes of the sacred Mount Inari, which is 233 meters high and part of the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousand shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are considered messengers of Inari, leading to many fox statues on the shrine grounds. The Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794. Text / Source : japan-guide.com https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3915.html

Burg Himeji 姫路城 Himeji-jō Himeji Castle (Japanese 姫路城, Himeji-jō) is located in the city of Himeji in the Japanese prefecture of Hyōgo. It is one of the oldest surviving structures from 17th-century Japan. The castle complex, consisting of 83 individual buildings, is considered the most beautiful example of Japanese castle architecture and is nicknamed Shirasagijō (白鷺城, Ger. "White Heron Castle"), a reference to its white exterior walls and roofs. Despite its architectural beauty, such as its spiral floor plan, its defensive structures (nawabari) are highly developed, so the castle was considered practically impregnable. Himeji Castle is one of Japan's national cultural treasures, was declared a Special Historic Site (tokubetsu shiseki) in 1956, and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The first buildings of the castle were constructed at the beginning of the Muromachi period in 1346. The architect is considered to be Akamatsu Sadanori, who had previously built the Shomyoji Temple at the foot of Mount Himeji, on whose site the castle complex now arose. Text / Source : wikipedia.org https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_Himeji

Himeji Castle 姫路城 Himeji-jō Himeji Castle (Japanese 姫路城, Himeji-jō) is located in the city of Himeji in the Japanese prefecture of Hyōgo. It is one of the oldest surviving structures from 17th-century Japan. The castle complex, consisting of 83 individual buildings, is considered the most beautiful example of Japanese castle architecture and has the nickname Shirasagijō (白鷺城, meaning "White Heron Castle"), an allusion to its white outer walls and roofs. Despite its architectural beauty, such as its spiral floor plan, its defensive structures (nawabari) are highly developed, making the castle practically impregnable. Himeji Castle is one of Japan's national cultural treasures, was declared a Special Historic Site (tokubetsu shiseki) in 1956, and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The first buildings of the castle were constructed at the beginning of the Muromachi period in 1346. The architect is considered to be Akamatsu Sadanori, who had previously built the Shomyoji Temple at the foot of Mount Himeji, on whose site the castle complex now stands. Text / Source: wikipedia.org https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_Himeji

Himeji Castle 姫路城 Himeji-jō Himeji Castle (Japanese: 姫路城, Himeji-jō) is located in the city of Himeji in the Japanese prefecture of Hyōgo. It is one of the oldest surviving structures from 17th-century Japan. The castle complex, consisting of 83 individual buildings, is considered the most beautiful example of Japanese castle architecture and has the nickname Shirasagijō (白鷺城, lit. "White Heron Castle"), an allusion to its white exterior walls and roofs. Despite its architectural beauty, such as its spiral floor plan, its defensive structures (nawabari) are highly developed, so the castle was considered practically impregnable. Himeji Castle is one of Japan's national cultural treasures, was declared a Special Historic Site (tokubetsu shiseki) in 1956, and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The first buildings of the castle were constructed at the beginning of the Muromachi period in 1346. The architect is considered to be Akamatsu Sadanori, who had previously built the Shomyoji Temple at the foot of Mount Himeji, on whose site the castle complex now stands. Text / Source: wikipedia.org https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_Himeji