AkikoOct 30, 2019Emperor enthronement day Oct.22, 2019 turned out to be a special national holiday.October. 22nd has became a memorable day for me. I was in Kyoto, being an assistant guide at Tofukuji Temple with 13 American guests on...
AkikoSep 25, 2019A full day YAMATO tour with Caitilin.A full-day tour in YAMATO, Nara with Caitilin from Australia. 🌲 She finished her Yoga retreat in Hokkaido and came down all the way to ...
AkikoAug 31, 2019About my tours on a monthly magazine「 ならら(NARARA)」Monthly magazines, "Narara" issue August, 2019 Special feature: "Regeneration" -water of life- I wrote a short report about my Yamato Sp...
AkikoApr 30, 2019Heisei era last day!I just want to share some beautiful photos of the cherry blossoms I took this April. Today is the last day of "Heisei" (平成)era. The cer...
AkikoNov 24, 2018AirbnbI have started to be a host of tours (experiences) in Nara, YAMATO, through Airbnb. https://www.airbnb.jp/experiences/206999 I am an Air...
AkikoOct 25, 2018Kofukuji Temple's Central Golden Hall The Grand Consecration and DevotionKofukuji Temple was founded at the time of the relocation of the capital to Nara in 710, and marked the 1300 -year anniversary in the yea...
AkikoSep 23, 2018Todaiji Temple, a best stage for love and peace through art.One early autumn night of 8th of September, Todaiji Temple was re-opened at 6PM for the lucky 2,000 people chosen by a drawing for a spec...
AkikoAug 16, 2018TOKA-E 2018Kasugano enchi (春日野園地) Kofukuji-temple, Five-story Pagoda (興福寺・五重塔) Sarusawa pond (猿沢池) in front of the Nara prefectural government offi...
AkikoJun 16, 2018Zen --the life of Zen master Dogen"Zen (禅) - The Life Of Zen Master Dogen (道元" OMG, I found the full movie on Youtube...! (click the above title to see) I saw this movie w...
AkikoMay 29, 2018Recent ZEN 禅 boom is from abroad?!Last year and this year's April, I had an honor to tour guide about 30 people from Upaya Zen Center to Kasuga Grand Shrine in Nara. (Rosh...
AkikoMay 28, 2018ZEN gardens & temples in KYOTO, first comprehensive guide book!I was happy to be invited to a book launch of this new book, "Zen Gardens and Temples of Kyoto" written by John Dougill (TUTTLE) The boo...
AkikoMar 26, 2018"Shuni-e" ceremony brings spring to Nara(picture from Wikipedia "shun-e (修二会)") Nigatsudo Hall(二月堂) or the Second Month Temple stands on the hillside of the Todaiji Temple's Gre...
AkikoFeb 12, 2018Photos during the tours Here are some photos taken during the tours in Nara and Kyoto. Some photos are from 2016, as I made this website in April 2017. I usua...
AkikoFeb 3, 2018"空海ーKU-KAI ー": a new movie 2018On February 24, 2018, a new movie titled "空海ーKU-KAIー”will be released in Japan. KUKAI (618-907) is one of the popular and famous monk an...
AkikoJan 13, 2018"MISOGI", the first step to going back to your true SelfWaterfall of priest KUYA(空也の滝) Can you imagine yourself standing under this waterfall ----(in winter)? Such a training actually take plac...
AkikoOct 12, 2017Nara's products 1: Ink stick (sumi 墨)Ink stick (sumi) and brush manufacturing businesses is a time-honored industry in Nara since Nara period ( 8th century ). As an ancient c...
AkikoOct 4, 2017We should have broader perspectives.(image from internet) I have noticed, these days, there are people who grew up among the Christian families and environment, but currentl...
AkikoSep 22, 2017The Heart sutra (3) in EnglishI found a new English version of the Heart Sutra translated by Hideo Levy (リービ英雄) , an America-born author in Japanese. I first knew h...
AkikoSep 22, 2017The Heart Sutra (2) Sutra copyingToday, many temples offer experience of “Sutra copying” experience, and some old temples, such as Yakushi-ji Temple in Nara encourage peo...
AkikoSep 22, 2017The Heart Sutra (Hannya shingyo般若心経)The Heart Sutra is by far the most popular and well known Sutra in Japanese Buddhism regardless of the sects. Its Sanskrit title, Prajñā...