Beauty of Himeji Castle

I took this photo when I visited Himeji Castle in Japan last November. It's amazing to see how a largest wooden-built castle in Japan has been preserved well over more than 700 years. Although I was not able to visit the main structure because of its undergoing restoration, having a walk in the garden and appreciating the beauty of the castle from outside was a very enjoyable visit.

竹蓮寺-Hsinchu Zhu Lian Temple

Zhu Lian Temple is one of the famous historical temples in Hsinchu. Many locals as well as my family go there to worship the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin, regularly. My mother does it twice a month as her important ritual. I often accompany her to visit it no matter I am a believer or not. This place has been a piece of my memory since my childhood.

鶯歌-Yingge

Yingge is a small town near Taipei. It's famous for producing porcelain and ceramics. Since my last visit 15 years ago, this place has changed quite a lot and has become a popular tourist spot. In the winter, it's nice to walk on its streets through the warm sunlight and enjoy the beauty of ceramic art.

Osaka-大阪

Osaka is the second biggest city in Japan and has been famous for its prosperity of economic activities. It's a great place to do shopping, in addition to a lot of yummy food.  During the two days of visit to this city, I only went to few places due to one day which had been raining almost a whole day long. I am looking forward to another visit, maybe next year, to explore more there.

Nara-奈良 (二)

 

Nara attracts a lot of local and foreign visitors to go there to see deers following people around in the park for the cookies and visit its historical temples. Next to the park there is a nice museum. When I came to this city, the museum had a special exhibit which was open free to the public. After viewing the show, some visitors sat down at the garden to have a tea break.

Nara-奈良 (一)

 

 

Nara is a city located in the Kansai region of Japan. It's famous for having numerous deers roaming freely in the park. Visitors can pat them and buy deer cookies to feed them. The are some famous temples next to Nara Park, such as Kasuga Grand Shrine, Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji. It's a nice place to spend a day here.

Maples in Kyoto

 

 

Having been learning Japanese for less than one year, I have had the thought of visiting Japan, especially its old city, Kyoto. I made it this fall and joined numerous foreigners and the Japanese as well to see the beauty of colorful maple trees in those historical temples.