News — Travel

During my most recent trip to Japan I has the good fortune to visit Isurugi, a Kanazawa bases company that specialises in traditional plastering using a natural material made from "keisodo", or diatomaceous earth. Keisodo is earth made from plankton millions of years ago. Its special feature is that it breathes and absorbs moisture making it an ideal material for use in construction. Keisodo has used in the construction of castles, tea houses and temples for more than a thousand years. Six years ago Isurugi teamed up with Tokyo based design company H-Concept and designed household products made from keisodo....

 March 15th it was snowing in downtown Osaka, a rare sight indeed. Asoko, that unpretencious noodle shop in the Kuromon market had the answer to my need for something to warm and fill me up. 

Tucked away in the back streets of Namba not far from Ebusubashi and Hozenji is Bokusui, a Japanese style restaurant that serves a broad selection of quality Japanese food at a reasonable price. Bokusui captures a bit of the old world in that its interior is made of dark timbers and decorated with interesting folk art. It has been one of my favourite places to eat for the better part of 30 years. Amongst the dishes I suggest for first timers is "goshiki" salad, "gyusuji doteyaki" made from the sinew of beef, boiled for hours and flavoured with miso, it...

The Horyuji Buddhist temple complex dates from the start of the 7th century. It is a sprawling complex located in Nara prefecture dotted with historic buildings. Imagine what it looked like in the 7th century, the pagoda would have been the equivilent of a 20th century skyscraper, towering over the local villages and farms. It is worth the trouble to visit as it is truely spectcular. 

The Shitennoji temple was founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku, making it one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan. In an industrial city it is an oasis of tranquility. Every month on the 21st there is a flea market that attracts all manner of vendors selling bric a brac, antiques, crafts, food and more. If you happen to be in Osaka when the market is on it is a great place to visit.