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Benjamin

@benxytokyo

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Living in Japan since 2013, here to share travel memories.
日本に住んでるフランス人🇫🇷
🗼Tokyo based
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Tokushima - Iya Kazurabashi

During our trip to Tokushima, we visited Iya Kazurabashi (祖谷のかずら橋), one of Japan’s most unusual suspension bridges!

We stayed overnight at a small ryokan just a three-minute walk away, so we had plenty of time to have some “fun” crossing the bridge^^;

Stretching 45 meters across the Iya River, this traditional bridge is woven from thick mountain vines known as shirakuchikazura. According to local legend, its origins date back to the 12th century, when fleeing Heike warriors built vine bridges that could easily be cut down to prevent their enemies from following them. The bridge is rebuilt approximately every three years using traditional techniques, although it now has hidden steel cables for safety.

What surprised me most was how scary it actually felt! The wooden planks are spaced quite far apart, leaving you with a clear view of the river some 14 meters below.

We crossed it in the rain, which made the whole experience a little more adventurous. The wet wooden planks were pretty slippery.

A beautiful place, a little nerve-racking, and definitely one of the highlights of our Tokushima trip!

📍 Iya Kazurabashi (祖谷のかずら橋), Miyoshi, Tokushima

#tokushima #kazurabashi #iyavalley by @benxytokyo

Unpenji (雲辺寺)

I shared a Reel of this incredible place a few days ago, but I also wanted to share some of my favorite photographs from our visit.

Despite the pouring rain, the misty forest and the countless expressions of the 500 Rakan statues made for some truly atmospheric scenes. Definitely one of the highlights of our Tokushima trip!

📍 Unpenji Temple (雲辺寺), Tokushima, Japan

#tokushima #unpenji #temple by @benxytokyo

Tokushima - Our first destination during our trip to Tokushima was Unpenji (雲辺寺), hidden high in the mountains of Shikoku.

Founded in the early 9th century and traditionally attributed to the Buddhist monk Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi), Unpenji is the 66th temple of the famous Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. Standing at around 900 meters above sea level, it is the highest temple along the pilgrimage route.

But what fascinated us most were the hundreds of stone statues scattered throughout the temple grounds. Known as the 500 Rakan (五百羅漢), they represent enlightened disciples of Buddha, each with a different expression, posture, and personality. Some appear peaceful, others joyful, thoughtful, or even slightly unsettling. Walking among them feels almost like stepping into another world, where countless silent figures seem to watch over the forest.

It was pouring rain during our visit, and we honestly got soaked to the bone! But the rain and mist only added to the mysterious atmosphere.

Definitely worth the detour, and easily one of the most atmospheric places we’ve visited in Tokushima.

📍 Unpenji Temple (雲辺寺), Tokushima, Shikoku

#tokushima #unpenji by @benxytokyo

We spent three days exploring Tokushima in Shikoku.

The rain followed us through the first part of our journey, but somehow it became part of the experience, adding a mysterious atmosphere to places that already felt untouched by time.

Then the skies finally cleared, and we were rewarded with a beautiful, refreshing hike on Mount Tsurugi. A welcome change of pace after all that rain!

On our last day, we explored a few more places (not featured in this reel), some of which we honestly could have skipped.

We ended our trip at the Awa Odori Kaikan, where we enjoyed a performance of Tokushima’s legendary traditional dance. We even got to try a few steps ourselves, and somehow I ended up being selected as champion of the day! 😂

I’ll try to put together a video soon to share more about our experience, the places we loved, and those we wouldn’t necessarily recommend.

📍 Locations featured:
・Unpenji Temple (雲辺寺)
・Iya Kazurabashi (祖谷のかずら橋)
・Oboke Gorge (大歩危峡)
・Mt. Tsurugi (剣山)
・Ryozenji Temple (霊山寺)
・Awa Odori Kaikan (阿波おどり会館)

#tokushima #徳島 by @benxytokyo

A refreshing weekend in the mountains of Yamanashi, meeting with dear friends and enjoying a slower pace of life.

Surrounded by nature, breathing in the crisp mountain air, and starting the day with a peaceful morning hike… Sometimes, that’s all you need to feel reenergized.

Here are a few glimpses of the beautiful nature we encountered along the trails, along with some views of the surrounding mountains.

My only regret? Not bringing my macro lens!

#yamanashi by @benxytokyo

During my short escape to Yamanashi, I also did a little jinja meguri (shrine hopping) ⛩️🌿

Here are the three shrines we visited:

⛩️ Misogi Shrine (身曾岐神社) Pics 1–3

Nestled near the Yatsugatake Mountains, this peaceful shrine is dedicated to the Shinto tradition of purification. Its most striking feature is a beautiful traditional Noh theater that appears to float above a pond. Definitely one of the most unusual shrine settings I’ve come across!

⛩️ Kanazakura Shrine (金櫻神社) Pics 4–7

An ancient shrine hidden in the mountains near Shosenkyo Gorge, said to have a history stretching back nearly 2,000 years. Surrounded by towering cedar trees, some several centuries old, it has a wonderfully mystical atmosphere. The shrine is also known for its sacred cherry tree and its connection to crystals, for which Yamanashi is famous.

⛩️ Takeda Shrine (武田神社) Pics 8–10

Our last stop took us to Kofu and a completely different chapter of Japanese history. Built on the former residence of Takeda Shingen, one of Japan’s most powerful samurai warlords during the Sengoku period, this shrine still preserves traces of the old residence, including its moat and stone walls.

#yamanashi #misogijinja #kanazakurajinja #takedajinja by @benxytokyo

For our second night in Yamaguchi, we stayed in Kawatana Onsen (川棚温泉), and more specifically at ANYUI (めぐり宿庵結 -ANYUI-), a beautifully renovated former ryokan in this small onsen town.

Our room was really comfortable, and we especially loved the interior, where the traditional Japanese atmosphere has been carefully preserved while incorporating a more modern and minimalist design.

The stay also gives you access to a gensen kakenagashi onsen (源泉掛け流し) hot spring water flowing continuously from the source, which was incredibly relaxing after a long day enjoying the sea.

We paid ¥13,000 for the night for two people, without meals included, which we thought was very reasonable for such a comfortable stay with access to the onsen.

For dinner, we went out to try some of the local specialties, starting with Kawara Soba (瓦そば), Kawadana Onsen’s most famous dish. Green tea soba noodles are served sizzling on a heated roof tile, topped with beef, shredded egg and green onions, and eaten with a warm dipping sauce. Definitely one of the more unusual soba dishes we’ve tried so far.

And since we were near Shimonoseki, we obviously couldn’t leave without having some fuku sashimi (ふく刺し) 🐡

Another very relaxing night during our little trip around Yamaguchi.

📍 Kawadana Onsen (川棚温泉)
📍 ANYUI / めぐり宿庵結
📍 Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi

#yamaguchi #kawatana #山口 #川棚温泉 @anyui_kawatanaonsen by @benxytokyo

During our trip around Yamaguchi, we spent a night at Nagato Yumoto Onsen, and more specifically at Gyokusenkaku (玉仙閣) ♨️

One of the highlights of our stay was definitely the dinner. A beautiful kaiseki meal with lots of local and seasonal ingredients — and honestly, everything was delicious.

The dinner was incredibly generous, both in quantity and quality. Breakfast the next morning was also included and just as enjoyable.

And of course, we also made the most of the hot spring baths, which were super relaxing, although, for obvious reasons, no photos from there.

Overall, it was a great experience, especially considering the very reasonable price of our stay: ¥29,700 for two people, including both dinner and breakfast.

After dinner, we went for a quiet walk around Nagato Yumoto Onsen. The little onsen town was especially beautiful at night, making for a perfect end to the day.

📍 Gyokusenkaku (玉仙閣)
📍 Nagato Yumoto Onsen (長門湯本温泉)
💴 ¥29,700 for two dinner / breakfast included

#yamaguchi #ryokan #nagatoyumoto by @benxytokyo

Here are some of the nyanko-chan we met during our trip around Yamaguchi

Because no trip around Japan is complete without stopping to photograph the local… cats ❤️

📍 Hagi (萩)
📍 Kawadana Onsen (川棚温泉)

#yamaguchi #hagi #kawadana by @benxytokyo

A few moments from our summer trip around Yamaguchi

A prefecture that might not be on the list of many visitors to Japan, but is definitely worth exploring. Far from the crowds, we barely met any international tourists during our trip, yet Yamaguchi has so much to offer.

And in just three days, we only scratched the surface — especially since we spent quite a bit of time simply enjoying the sea (which was beautiful, by the way).

Definitely a place that deserves a little more attention

#yamaguchi #japantravel by @benxytokyo

Yamaguchi - We spent 3 days exploring Yamaguchi Prefecture.

One of the main reasons for this trip was to enjoy the sea, and Yamaguchi has some surprisingly beautiful beaches, which I’ll share in another post.

But we also spent some time exploring the prefecture and discovered just how much Yamaguchi has to offer.

With only three days, and the summer heat definitely slowing us down… we barely scratched the surface, but here are some of the places we managed to visit:

📍 Tsunoshima Ohashi (角島大橋)
📍 Kawadana Onsen (川棚温泉)
📍 Motonosumi Shrine (元乃隅神社)
📍 Akiyoshido Cave (秋芳洞)
📍 Beppu Benten Pond (別府弁天池)
📍 Hagi (萩)
📍 Tokoji Temple (東光寺)

Definitely a prefecture we’d like to explore more of someday!

#yamaguchi #tsunoshima #kawadana #motonosumiinarishrine #akiyoshido by @benxytokyo

We finally had two days off together, so we decided to escape Tokyo’s summer heat and head to Nishi-Izu (literally « West Izu »), more specifically Tagosehama Beach.

Unlike famous spots such as Hirizohama, which can get incredibly crowded, Tagosehama limits the number of visitors by requiring a parking reservation in advance. It makes the whole experience much more enjoyable.

The water was surprisingly clear, visibility was decent, and we spotted plenty of fish while snorkeling—from pufferfish (fugu) and sea bream (tai) to schools of tiny blue fish (if anyone knows their name, let me know).

One thing that made us a little sad, though, was seeing some parents letting their kids catch colorful fish to take home. I’m not even sure it’s allowed, but I would not recommend to do that.

After spending the afternoon by the sea, we watched a beautiful sunset at Matsuzaki Kaigan before driving back toward Tokyo. Then, completely by chance, we found ourselves right in front of a fireworks festival just as the show was beginning. We hadn’t planned it at all, and it turned out to be the perfect ending to an already great day.

If you’re looking for a summer getaway that’s a little quieter than the usual beaches around Tokyo, Tagosehama is definitely worth considering. Just keep in mind it’s about a 3 to 3.5-hour drive each way, and parking costs ¥2,500 per car.

#izu #tagosehama #hanabi #summerinjapan #nishiizu by @benxytokyo