The Compass Rose 5-Story Pagoda

The Compass Rose

---

April 19th 2007
Waking from a much needed 9-hour, Ambien-induced slumber on our second day in Kyoto, we ambitiously planned a daylong walking tour to take advantage of the elusive sun, which decided to grace us with its presence for the first time in Japan. Famed for its traditional architecture, which survived most of the Allied bombers during World War II, Kyoto is inundated with shrines, temples and other tou ... read more

Asia » Japan » Kyoto

---

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more