Lots of news recently about the uprising Chinese military power. They’re landing robots on the moon, they’re shooting down satellites, they’ve completed their own aircraft carriers and in general we get to hear more and more about tensions in the
Detached Palace Garden and Old Tokaido & Checkpoint : Hakone
The Hakone area with Lake Ashi is absolutely gorgeous and filled with historic tourist attractions. Two of those on the southern side of Lake Ashi are the old Tokaido Hakone Checkpoint and the imperial detached palace and gardens.
OCT Loft Contemporary Art Terminal : Shenzhen
Shenzhen has a growing art scene and across the city the government is designating areas for galleries and artists. As an example, the Overseas Chinese Town has the Loft Art Terminal, a relatively new area that’s really taking off and
Great Buddha Kotokuin Temple : Kamakura Japan
Continuing the temple tour of the magical Kamakura area, a daytrip from Tokyo, is Japan’s second tallest Buddha statue at the Kotoku-in Temple. A somewhat humble temple compared to others in the area (e.g. Hasedera or Tsurugaoka Hachimangu), it still
Xishiku Church of the Saviour Cathedral : Beijing
To my surprise, Beijing has a bit of a religious diversity. I wasn’t expecting to find anything other than Daoist, Buddhist or Confucian temples, but it turns out the colonial powers have managed to infiltrate in and somehow survive communism.
Tsinghua University Campus : Beijing
A few months back I made a quick stop over in Beijing to visit one of the famous local universities – Tsinghua University. Luckily for me, one of my former classmates is now faculty at the business school and so
Chiwan Queen of Heaven Tianhou Temple : Shenzhen
Want more history in Shenzhen? You got it. Considered one of the biggest and nicest Tian Hou temples in China, Shenzhen has a large complex in the Nanshan area. It dates back to the 15th (!) century and has sixteen
Chiwan Left Fort : Shenzhen
Shenzhen is one of the fastest growing areas in the world. During the post-Mao era reforms (1980) Shenzhen was declared as a special economic zone where the awaking dragon was to test all economic reforms. From a rural town on
Hasedera Temple : Kamakura – Japan
Wrapping up my temple tour in Kamakura was a charming little temple with a lot of history, odd worshiping caves and some fantastic views of the Kamakura Hase beach-side. Actually, if you were to have to choose one temple in
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine : Kamakora Japan
Kamakora, a daytrip away from Tokyo, is a magical town filled with temples and shrines. Of all the shrines in the city the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is said to be the most important Shinto shrine, dating back to the 11th