Near the grounds of Himeji Castle.

Taiyo Park, what to say? Created by one man as a part of an attached assisted living facility for intellectually disabled residents, Taiyo park provides both an opportunity to participate in work activities doing maintenance, and a chance to see the wonders of the world, for people who would otherwise be unable to travel, while also providing an interesting place for visiting family.

What’s most fascinating about it, is that everything is made of durable materials. It’s all carved stone, real terracotta, etc. It’s not theme-park stone-effect-paint fibreglass. Everything at this place was made to last a long time, being maintained by disabled caretakers. Teams of stonemasons were employed for years to build this place – it’s a level of craftsmanship usually reserved for a religious building, in a pre-modern timeframe.

It’s also a local tourism venue, popular with the cosplay crowd. It’s so local, I think we were the only westerners we saw on the day. One local mustered up the courage and curiosity to ask “HOW did you find out about this place?”

I had to answer honestly “this is the reason we’re in Himeji, in fact, it was the first priority when we planned our Japan trip”. They were astounded.

Cat-themed gift shop, after walking the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest.

Travelling along the Philosopher’s Path, with a stopover at Honen-en temple.

Evening in Kyoto.

Dotonburi Canal, and surrounds.

Dotonbori in the day, and Takarazuka Station.

As a change, photography with people. Osaka is a busy place.

Takayama is a wonderful little town. There’s several blocks of historically frozen preserved buildings which are the main tourist draw. The alleyways, and commercial streets are a wonderful alternation of light and dark.

Cherry-blossom cascade, and wood-grained concrete.