Not everything to see in Japan is temples and shrines. I focus on these two systems primarily because they are found everywhere from the biggest of cities to the smallest of towns, and often receive patronage from major historical figures. Because of this, it doesn't matter what city you're in, or even if I write about it in this blog, there will always be something beautiful and historical to see. These sorts of sites also hint at mindsets of the time in which they were built. Shrines are the homes of local deities, some ranging back hundreds or even thousands of years. They are central to the lives in smaller localities, and serve as reminders in the larger townships. Buddhism is how one cares for those who have moved on. Where there is life, there will be temples. Because of the regularity of these structure types, they're easy to find and are often without major crowds and tourist attractions. Even if one of these locations is famous, there is often a less popular yet equally beautiful location just down the road. For example, Kiyomizu-dera stands proudly on the eastern slopes of Kyoto and draws millions of visitors a year, but a short walk away Kenninji stands equally impressive and yet has smaller crowds. But I wanted to make this page about everything else: the castles, palaces, burial locations, etc. These are often more rare outside of major cities and are regularly regarded as tourist traps, so be advised that I heard about these places in many of the same ways that you the reader will probably have. That being said, I do encourage visiting these locations because they often reflect a change in times, moments of gravitas, and memories we need to remember.

I wanted to use the title of "Other" because I felt that giving it a name would restrict my posts about what could be included. Most of the things I will put in here will be more along the lines of castles and palaces, but monuments and memorials are equally important though they may represent an event in recent memory rather than lore. So this is my page where I will review everything else that I've come across and think you should know about. As per usual, I will give my rating out of 10, but I will only be grading it once, not twice.