shukubo – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

CHAPTER 16: Daisen’s Giant Chipmunk

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Blog, CLIMB Photo Companion December 4, 2020December 14, 2020Climb, Daisenji, hiking, hyakumeizan, Japan, Mt. Daisen, photography, Sanraku-so, shukubo

Mt. Daisen: July 1, 2018 This photo supplement tracks the events in CLIMB: Leaving Safe and Finding Strength on 100 Summits in Japan. The captions offer “extra features” that didn’t make it into the book. At the time of its completion in 2011, the Tokyo Skytree was the largest tower, and the second-largest man-made structure in the world. As of 2020, it remains in the top five, and is easily visible from many of Tokyo’s 23 wards, as well as the neighboring mountains. At night, and on holidays, the tower lights up in a variety of colors. I loved being able to

Welcome Tea at Japanese Inns (Ryokan) and Temple Lodgings

Susan Spann Blog November 26, 2018November 21, 2018Japan, Japanese customs, ryokan, shukubo, tea, traditional inn, welcome tea

Japanese people have many customs that may seem strange or unusual to Western visitors, many of which are easy to admire and enjoy. One of my favorites is the custom of welcome tea, still practiced by most ryokan (traditional inns) and temple lodgings, as well as traditional shops and businesses.*

A Visit to Koyasan, part 1: Up the Mountain!

Susan Spann Blog April 11, 2018April 20, 2018Japan, Koya, Koyasan, Shingon, shukubo, visiting koya

Kōyasan, or Kōya, is a natural basin atop a mountain in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. The shallow basin (called a kōya in Japanese) sits 800 meters above sea level, and is home to one of Japan’s most sacred temple complexes (also known as Kōyasan), as well as Japan’s largest cemetery, Okunoin. In the weeks that come, I hope you’ll join me for a virtual tour of Kōya and its various sites of interest. Today, we’re taking the journey up the mountain by cable car.

Breakfast at a Japanese Buddhist Temple

Admin Blog February 23, 2017November 8, 2017Buddhism, Buddhist temples, Japan, photography, shukubo, temple lodgings, travel

Many Buddhist temples in Japan offer overnight lodging and meals for visitors. In most cases, these meals follow the standards of shōjin ryōri (literally “devotional cuisine”), a vegetarian style of cooking that involves no meat — and in some cases, no “vegetables that excite the senses” like spicy peppers and garlic. Some people think that meals without meat or heavy spice sound “boring” – but shōjin ryōri is one of my favorite styles of eating in Japan, and every temple meal I’ve eaten ranks among the most delicious food I’ve sampled in Japan. Here’s what travelers can expect from a typical shōjin ryōri breakfast in Japan: –