Jan. 1, 2010: Kokedera, Golden- & Silver- Pavilion

Making us stand face to face with our next world, which leads us to a higher contemplation about the view of life and death.

Dec.27, 2009: Visiting shrines during the year change period

Enjoy shrines in Nara during the year-end through New Year holidays by such events as traditional Sinto ritual for purification, and experience Shinto ritual to get an insight into Japanese people's roots.

Dec.25, 2009: Visit temples during the year change term

Enjoy temples in Nara during the year-end through New Year holidays by such events as the bells on New Year's Eve. Lots of temples provide visitors with free sake.

Dec.23, 2009: Year-crossing events in Nara

You can participate in year-crossing events at various sites of Nara. And you're able to choose lively events with many people or serene atmosphere by yourself.

Dec.9, 2009: hightouch guesthouse NARAMACHI

Shunju just lauched a crusade for encouraging heart-to-heart understanding between local people and tourists from home & abroad, in the southern tip of Naramachi, Nara. It has been a long-lasting dream for him to devote himself to Nara, and to the people linked to Nara by fate.

Nov. 22, 2009: Buddhism transition

Speaking as a Japanese, Buddhism has varied across the ages: from the original Buddhism, through Mahayana Buddhism, and Japanese Buddhism.

Nov. 13, 2009: Japanese aesthetics

Japan's substratum culture that people see gods behind beautiful nature has created another aesthetic feeling, which has been piled up on it.

Nov.6, 2009: Momijigari or Autumn Leaves Viewing

Enjoy Autumn Leaves Viewing in and around Nara while giving a thought to its 1300-year-history.

Nov.4, 2009: Japanese see gods behind nature

It's my opinion that ancient Japanese people felt kami or a divine spirit when seeing beautiful natural things. I also feel that such a feeling has been programmed into our own DNA, and has made Japan's substratum culture.

Oct. 30, 2009: What one's final journey means to Japanese ?

The journey can be regarded as a pseudo-funeral, for one can purify oneself and resurrect oneself through the pseudo-funeral. In this respect, it can be regarded as the rite of passage signifying death and rebirth. Such a pseudo-rite of death and rebirth has become a firmly rooted part of Japanese life.

Oct. 18, 2009: Reasonable price lunch at a hotel

In and around Nara, it's a good idea to take lunch at reasonable prices in good comfortable hotels.

Oct. 15, 2009: What lies beyond death ?

We know that each belief has an ideal image of death, which may be rooted in commoners' fear of death, I think. For this reason, let's take a look at what the founder actually said to get insight into beliefs.

Oct. 11, 2009: Sculptors' feeling

Genius sculptors feel every piece of wood or block of stone has a sculpture within it, though most Japanese geniuses think even in scrap pieces of wood the spirit of Buddha resides, and some Western geniuses see nature as an enemy to be overcome .

Oct. 7, 2009: Fruit picking & vegetable digging in and around Nara

Enjoy fruit picking and vegetable digging in and around Nara this Autumn.

Oct. 3, 2009: Japanese people's feeling for death

Why did Japanese people accept Buddhism despite the existence of Shinto? They didn't accept religious aspect of Confucianism or Taoism. It's very interesting to get insight into Japanese people's feeling for beliefs. This will probably help us understand who Japanese are.

Sep. 20, 2009: Each religion's view of death in Japan

The ancient Japanese religious view will probably give us a glimpse into some clues about Japanese peoples' roots.
And, when talking about a religion or belief, its view of death is a fundamental tradition by which people could accept his/her death, or not.
A religion is made up of only two aspects: the view of death and ethics, I think.

Sep. 4, 2009: roots-our ancestors' discerning eyes

Since the Asuka-era(592-694), Japan had eagerly started to catch up with China and to model its state's and cultural form on those of China. It goes on and on: the building of the state's capital modeled on Changan(長安), introduction of the code(律令格式), Kanji(Chinese character), and Buddhism ・・・, which seem to cover almost all aspects of the state's foundations. However, particular attention should be paid to the fact that our ancestors didn't introduce eunuch, Imperial Exam, and religious aspect of Confucianism.

Aug. 31, 2009: Japanese culture's roots

Much of Japanese culture have their roots in China. Well, let's enjoy the similarity and difference between Japan and China through the observation of rice, alcohol, noodles, kanji, and bamboo.

Aug. 4, 2009: T0-In-Teien, Heijo\Palace, Nara

You can see the very origin of the Japanese landscape garden here, not in Kyoto.

July 29, 2009: Chinese tourists to Japan

Chinese tourists are now whipping the Japanese tourism circle into a frenzy of anticipation.

July 23, 2009: The survey on Japanese guides' business activities

Japanese licensed tour-guide-interpreters are making substantial efforts to get the job.

July 16, 2009: Is Japan a country of collectivism?

It's now accepted that Japanese people put more emphasis on human interdependence and
the importance of a collective, rather than the importance of separate individuals.
Is it true?

June 23, 2009: a small cozy bar Yanagino, in Kyoto

Along the Sanjo-street in the Sanjo-Shinmachi district, Kyoto, you can find a small, cozy bar Yanagino. Why don't you enjoy its mature and sober atmosphere?

June 11, 2009: The ancient mysteries around Mt.Mikasa, Nara

In 1977, the two enormous constructions were discovered in and around Mt.Mikasa: the stone-flagged remains paved on the slope of the mountain, and wall remains surrounding the mountain. And mysteriously, nobody knows who created such enormous construction and why.

June 2, 2009: pub Mahi-Mahi with Tasmanian beer

Recently, at long last I ended up finding a pub which offers that Tasmanian beer! It takes only 30 seconds on foot from the subway Tanikyu station, Osaka. The pub's name is Mahi-mahi that provides us more than 50 kinds of beer.

May 30, 2009: a dreamboat Buddhist monk Myoe

A naive and unsophisticated Buddhist monk who held "love" in esteem highly.

May 16: tempura restaurant ASUKA, Nara

In the north-east side of Naramachi, Nara, you can find a tempura restaurant ASUKA, which has an English menu and a parking lot. ASUKA has a wide variety of dishes with reasonable prices. And, in this neck of the woods, you can also enjoy Geish-town.
Hit: http://www.tourguidejd.com/tourguidejd/deploy/infopacks/docs/jd_infoPack_288.pdf

May 13: Amazing prayer "Entering nirvana with insects"

Inside the standing statue Shakanyorai, Toshodaiji-temple, Nara, there exists an impressive prayer documents in the 13th century, which signifies the ultimate equality.

May 7, 2009: Enjoy Nishi-no-Kyo, Nara

You can enjoy Japanese ancient times in the pastoral land.

Akishinodera-, Saidaiji-, Yakushiji-, Toshodaiji-temple, and the Burial Mound.

May 6: revised version of Accommodations in Nara

The new 2 guest houses are added.
http://www.tourguidejd.com/tourguidejd/deploy/infopacks/docs/jd_infoPack_281.pdf

April 21, 2009: Experience of culture in Nara

When reflecting on traditional events and culture in Nara such as Omizutori, Onmatsuri, gagaku,noh, kyogen, and the like, which have been lasted for more than several hundred years,wonders will never cease that Nara has really unique genes which have been continuously handed down traditional culture to younger generation one after another. What's the
mechanism? Let's give a thought to this, and then let's see some ordinary experience activity examples in Nara.

April 14, 2009: 7 items of job offer in April, 2009

Here, you can see 7 items of job offer in April, 2009 with the monthly salary: 200,0000-540,000.

April 13, 2009: Taimatsu-ko, Shunnichi-ko, and so on

Nara has lots of long-lasting events and arts such as Omizutori, and On-matsuri. Everybody can easily imagine that those couldn't be conducted by temple/shrine only without the help of masses. Well, what is mass contribution? Once we give a thought to this point, enjoying traditional culture would be more fruitful.

April 10, 2009: Photovoltaic Power Generation

They say the Japanese solar battery's generation efficiency will reach 20% in 2010, which will offer us 24/kWh Yen electricity,

as same price as the one made from oil. Epoch-making! Let's give a thought to its future evolution.

April 6, 2009: Ritsu and Shingon-Ritsu sect doctrine

When visiting Toshodaiji-temple, Saidaiji-temple and so on, the knowledge of the doctrine of Ritsu sect and Shingon-ritsu sect will help you enjoy them more and more fruitfully.

April 4, 2009: Hosso school doctrine

When visiting Kofukuji, Yakushiji, Horyuji, Kiyomizudera-temple and so on, the knowledge of the doctrine of Hosso school will help you enjoy them more and more fruitfully.

April 2, 2009: Kegon school doctrine

When visiting Todaiji-temple to see the Great Buddha, the knowledge of the Kegon school doctrine will help you enjoy it more and more fruitfully.

March 30: The Great Buddha in Nara

The symbol of the ultimate equality spirit and participation by all members, achieved in Japan more than 1,200 years ago, which is confirmed by Kakocho.

March 20, 2009: 5 items of job offer in March, 2009

Here, you can see 5 items of job offer in Kansai with the monthly salary 200,000-400,000 Yen.

March 13, 2009: What's shyomyo?

Shomyo is said to be the world oldest form of religious music, and you would be surprised at its similarity with Gregorian hymn. You would really be astonished at its enthusiasm as well, once listening to.

March 8: Historical background of Omizutori, Nara

It's amazing to enjoy Omizutori both visually and aurally, however, it's more exciting to give a thought to its historical background. Here, we can see a vivid image over the Genesis of syncretism between Buddhism and Shinto.

Feb.24, 2009: Shunko-in, Myoshinji, Kyoto

Get an insight into what Japanese religious mind is, and what Zen is.

Feb.21, 2009: Imanisi-Ke Shoin in Nara

In the south east side of Naramachi, Nara, you can find Imanisi-Ke Shoin, which is well-known for its "shoinzukuri" architecture, and as an important cultural asset.