JAPAN - Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)

"Built in A.D. 794 on the model of the capitals of ancient China, Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan from its foundation until the middle of the 19th century. As the centre of Japanese culture for more than 1,000 years, Kyoto illustrates the development of Japanese wooden architecture, particularly religious architecture, and the art of Japanese gardens, which has influenced landscape gardening the world over." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1: Kiyomizu Temple

Postcard 2: Kinkaku-ji Temple

Postcard 3: Kinkaku-ji Temple

Thank you so much Rachel for this wonderful postcard!
Staring at this view makes me wish for a winter experience one day with my family!


Postcard 4: Kinkaku-ji Temple

Thank you so much, Arnold for sharing this postcard with me!

Postcard 5: Toji Temple

Thank you so much Aki, Haruka & Junko for the wonderful cards above...

Postcard 6: Byodoin

Thank you so much Ai for sharing this card with me...

Postcard 7: Nijo Castle Ninomaru Garden

Thank you so much again Ai for this wonderful postcard! =)

Postcard 8: Ryoan-ji

Postcard 9: Ryoan-ji

Thank you so much Yuka for this wonderful card showing

the Rock Garden of Ryoan-ji Temple...

Postcard 10: Daigo-ji

A serene view of Bentendo Hall of Daigoji.

"From ancient times, this temple is famous for a beauty spot

for cherry blossoms in the spring and for autumn leaves in the fall...", shares Ai.

Thank you so much Ai, for sharing with me this postcard!

And for always putting extra effort in making the message part look lovely! ^-^

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto:

Location: Kyoto:

1. Kamigamo Shrine

2. Shimogamo Shrine

3. To-ji

4. Kiyomizu-dera

5. Daigo-ji

6. Ninna-ji

7. Kozan-ji

8. Saiho-ji or Moss Temple

9. Tenryu-ji

10. Rokuon-ji or Kinkaku-ji Temple or Temple of the Golden Pavilion

11. Jisho-ji or Ginkaku-ji Temple or Temple of the Silver Pavilion

12. Ryoan-ji or The Temple of the Peaceful Dragon

13. Nishi Hongan-ji

14. Nijo Castle

Location: Otsu

15. Enryaku-ji

Location: Uji

16. Byodo-in

17. Ujigami Shrine

JAPAN - Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining

"The site encompasses a series of twenty three component parts, mainly located in the southwest of Japan. It bears testimony to the rapid industrialization of the country from the middle of the 19^th century to the early 20^th century, through the development of the iron and steel industry, shipbuilding and coal mining. The site illustrates the process by which feudal Japan sought technology transfer from Europe and America from the middle of the 19^th century and how this technology was adapted to the country’s needs and social traditions. The site testifies to what is considered to be the first successful transfer of Western industrialization to a non-Western nation." -https://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1: Hashima Island

Thank you so much for this postcard showing the Hashima Island, Akiko!
To know more about this UNESCO Site, you may read here ---> Hashima Island

JAPAN - Himeji-jo

"Himeji-jo is the finest surviving example of early 17th-century Japanese castle architecture, comprising 83 buildings with highly developed systems of defence and ingenious protection devices dating from the beginning of the Shogun period. It is a masterpiece of construction in wood, combining function with aesthetic appeal, both in its elegant appearance unified by the white plastered earthen walls and in the subtlety of the relationships between the building masses and the multiple roof layers." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1

Thank you so much Claus for this colorful postcard! =)

Postcard 2

This is a surprise postcard from Nina Suzette I got late last year...
My apologies for the late post, Nina...
My old laptop got broke late last year and I've been late in blogging since.
But I am trying to cope up now...
Thanks much Nina Suzette for this postcard!
I will send you a postcard back this week...
Best regards!

JAPAN - Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range

"Set in the dense forests of the Kii Mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean, three sacred sites – Yoshino and Omine, Kumano Sanzan, Koyasan – linked by pilgrimage routes to the ancient capital cities of Nara and Kyoto, reflect the fusion of Shinto, rooted in the ancient tradition of nature worship in Japan, and Buddhism, which was introduced from China and the Korean Peninsula. The sites (495.3 ha) and their surrounding forest landscape reflect a persistent and extraordinarily well-documented tradition of sacred mountains over 1,200 years. The area, with its abundance of streams, rivers and waterfalls, is still part of the living culture of Japan and is much visited for ritual purposes and hiking, with up to 15 million visitors annually. Each of the three sites contains shrines, some of which were founded as early as the 9th century." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1: Koyasan

Fudo Hall at Mt. Koya

Thank you so much Hisako for sending me a UNESCO card

as an official postcrossing card!

Postcard 2-A: Yoshino

Cherry Blossoms, Yoshinoyama, Nara

Thank you so much Sandy for this wonderful postcard of Cherry Blossoms!
We also have our local cherry blossoms here in Puerto Princesa City, Philippines called "Balayong" which are in full bloom from Mid February-May... =)

Postcard 2-B: Yoshino

 

Thank you so much, Akiko for sending me this postcard!

I hope to see this one day!

Postcard 3: Yoshino

"This card shows the inside of Yoshimizu Shrine.
I saw this 2 weeks ago. It's very gorgeous!", shares Keiko.
Thank you so much for sharing this great postcard with me, Keiko!


LIST OF SITES:

A. Yoshino and Omine

- Mount Yoshino, mountain
-  Yoshino Mikumari Shrine, Shinto Shrine
-  Kimpu Shrine, Shinto Shrine
-  Kimpusen-ji, Shugendō/Buddhist temple
-  Yoshimizu Shrine, Shinto Shrine 
-  Ōminesan-ji, Shugendō Temple

B.  Kumano Sanzan

- Kumano Hongū Taisha, Shinto Shrine
- Kumano Hayatama Taisha, Shinto Shrine
-  Kumano Nachi Taisha, Shinto Shrine
-  Seiganto-ji, Tendai Buddhist Temple
-  Nachi Falls, Waterfall
- Nachi Primeval Forest, Forest
- Fudarakusan-ji, Tendai Buddhist Temple

 C. Kōyasan

-  Niutsuhime Shrine, Shinto Shrine
-  Kongōbu-ji,  Shingon Buddhist Temple
-  Jison-in, Shingon Buddhist Temple
-  Niukanshōfu Shrine, Shinto Shrine

D. Pilgrimage Routes

 - Ōmine Okugakemichi, Trail
- Kumano Sankeimichi, Trail
- Kōyasan chōishi-michi, Trail 
 

JAPAN - Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara

"Nara was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784. During this period the framework of national government was consolidated and Nara enjoyed great prosperity, emerging as the fountainhead of Japanese culture. The city's historic monuments – Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and the excavated remains of the great Imperial Palace – provide a vivid picture of life in the Japanese capital in the 8th century, a period of profound political and cultural change." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1

Postcard 1.2: Todai-ji Temple

A great card of Todai-ji Temple shared by Noriko...

with matching stamp! I am sooo happy!
Arigato! =)

Postcard 1.3: Great Image of Buddha at Todai-ji Temple

 

Thank you so much Akiko for sharing this awesome postcard with me!

Great stamps too!

8 Places of Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
1. Tōdai-ji (Buddhist temple)
2. Kōfuku-ji  (Buddhist temple)
3. Kasuga Shrine (Shinto shrine)

4. Gangō-ji (Buddhist temple)

5. Yakushi-ji (Buddhist temple)

6. Tōshōdai-ji  (Buddhist temple)

7. Nara Palace Site (Palace)

8. Kasugayama Primeval Forest (Primeval forest)

ARGENTINA / BELGIUM / FRANCE / GERMANY / INDIA / JAPAN / SWITZERLAND - The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement

"Chosen from the work of Le Corbusier, the 17 sites comprising this transnational serial property are spread over seven countries and are a testimonial to the invention of a new architectural language that made a break with the past. They were built over a period of a half-century, in the course of what Le Corbusier described as “patient research”. The Complexe du Capitole in Chandigarh (India), the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo (Japan), the House of Dr Curutchet in La Plata (Argentina) and the Unité d’habitation in Marseille (France) reflect the solutions that the Modern Movement sought to apply during the 20th century to the challenges of inventing new architectural techniques to respond to the needs of society. These masterpieces of creative genius also attest to the internationalization of architectural practice across the planet." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1: Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France

"I visited the site and there are still nuns living there", shares Marie.
Thank you so much Marie for sharing with me this postcard!


Postcard 2: Maisons de la Weissenhof-Siedlung, Germany


I am very happy because this postcard completes
my UNESCO postcards collection from Germany!
On the bottom left shows the Maisons de la Weissenhof-Siedlung.
Thank you so much Svenja for sharing this with me!


Postcard 3: Chandigarh Capitol Complex, India

Thank you so much for this wonderful postcard (with great stamps as well), Pulkit!

Hats off to Le Corbusier!

Postcard 4: National Museum of Western Art, Japan

 
Thank you so much Bei Hao for sharing this wonderful postcard with me! ^-^

JAPAN - Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape

"The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine in the south-west of Honshu Island is a cluster of mountains, rising to 600 m and interspersed by deep river valleys featuring the archaeological remains of large-scale mines, smelting and refining sites and mining settlements worked between the 16th and 20th centuries. The site also features routes used to transport silver ore to the coast, and port towns from where it was shipped to Korea and China. The mines contributed substantially to the overall economic development of Japan and south-east Asia in the 16th and 17th centuries, prompting the mass production of silver and gold in Japan. The mining area is now heavily wooded. Included in the site are fortresses, shrines, parts of Kaidô transport routes to the coast, and three port towns, Tomogaura, Okidomari and Yunotsu, from where the ore was shipped." -http://whc.unesco.org/

"This postcard shows Shrine of Ido, where miners pray for good luck and health!",

shared Phoebe of Hong Kong who visited this UNESCO Site in Japan.

Thank you so much Phoebe for remembering me during your trip!

I am sure you enjoyed your stay in Japan!

JAPAN - Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration

"The beauty of the solitary, often snow-capped, stratovolcano, known around the world as Mount Fuji, rising above villages and tree-fringed sea and lakes has long inspired artists and poets and been the object of pilgrimages. Its representation in Japanese art goes back to the 11th century but 19th century wood block prints have made Fujisan become an internationally recognized icon of Japan and have had a deep impact on the development of Western art. The inscribed property consists of 25 sites which reflect the essence of Fujisan’s sacred landscape. In the 12th century, Fujisan became the centre of training for ascetic Buddhism, which included Shinto elements. On the upper 1,500-metre tier of the 3,776m mountain, pilgrim routes and crater shrines have been inscribed alongside sites around the base of the mountain including Sengen-jinja shrines, Oshi lodging houses, and natural volcanic features such as lava tree moulds, lakes, springs and waterfalls, which are revered as sacred." -http://whc.unesco.org

A wonderful THANK YOU card with an amazing view of Mount Fuji...

Thank you so much Naomi!