Cliff(y) Goes Travelling

[Geku] 279 Toyokawacho, Ise, Mie, Japan Daily: 5.00am - 7.00pm Regarded as the most sacred Shinto shrine in the Land of the Rising Sun, Ise Shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu and Toyouke-hime, the goddess of the sun and agriculture respectively. Said to have been established in 4 BC, it comprises two main sections: Geku (lit. Outer Shrine) and Naiku (lit. Inner Shrine).

Nara, Japan A public park located at the foot of Mount Wakakusa, Nara Park is a captivating blend of natural beauty, cultural richness and enchanting wildlife. Established in 1880, the expansive park that sprawls over 500 hectares is renowned for its friendly inhabitants: over 1,200 free-roaming sika deer that's native to much of East Asia.

Katsushika, Tokyo, Japan We all know that Tokyo isn't the place to seek the old charm of yesteryear, but have you been to Shibamata? The old-fashioned neighbourhood that's situated near Edo River, the natural border between the metropolis and Chiba Prefecture, has stood the test of time, offering a respite from the fast-paced city life.

2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo, Japan [Temple Grounds] Daily: 24 hours [Main Hall] Daily: 6.00am - 5.00pm Senso-ji, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple, is Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple. The construction of the temple was completed in 645. It's dedicated to Kannon Bosatsu, the Bodhisattva of compassion. Formely associated with Tendai Buddhism, it became independent after World War II.

1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Daily: 5.00am - 6.00pm Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spritis of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. Completed in 1921, it was built to commemorate the pivotal role of the emperor in the 1868 Meiji Restoration that saw Japan rapidly industrialising and adopting Western ideas and production methods to progress further.

Jalan Balik Pulau, Penang, Malaysia Daily: 8.30am - 5.30pm The largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia is located in Penang, in the suburb of Air Itam (lit. Black Water) that's located approximately 6 km from the city centre of George Town. An important pilgrimage centre for Buddhists from Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, Kek Lok Si roughly means 'Temple of Supreme Happiness'.

Yufuincho Kawakami, Yufuin, Oita, Japan Literally meaning 'golden fish scale', Kinrin Lake in Yufuin is famous for the mist created on its surface as a result of the mixing of hot spring water and cold spring water. The lake is named such as it's inhabited by yellow fish whose scales appear like golden sparkles to the eyes when the sun sets.

[Tocho-ji] 2-4 Gokushomachi, Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan Daily: 9.00am - 5.00pm Tocho-ji and Shofuku-ji are two Buddhist temples of different sects, which are located not far from  Kushida Shrine . My BFFs and I dropped by Tocho-ji first, which was founded in 806, making it the oldest Shingon Buddhist temple in the entire Kyushu region. The cover photo below was taken at Shofuku-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple.

1-41 Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan Daily: 4.00am - 10.00pm Kushida Shrine is a tutelary Shinto shrine in Fukuoka, Japan that was founded in 757. It's dedicated to Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun and the universe, and Susanoo, the god of the sea and storms. A local summer festival called Hakata Gion Yamakasa is centred on this particular shrine.

Baha'i Road, Kampala, Uganda Daily: 9.00am - 5.00pm Prior to doing research for the trip, I'd never heard of Baha'i, a faith that teaches the essential worth of all religions, as well as the unity and equality of all individuals. At the point of writing, the one and only Baha'i temple in Africa is in the capital city of Uganda, which was completed in 1961.

Taroko National Park, Hualien, Taiwan Daily: 6.00am - 9.00pm Despite the disappointment over the fact that Eternal Spring Shrine was under renovation, my BFF and I pressed on to trek to Changuang Temple that's also known as Zen Monastery. 

Taroko National Park, Hualien, Taiwan A popular picturesque spot within the national park, Eternal Spring Shrine was erected to honour those who were involved in the labour-intensive job of building the Cross-Island Highway. The construction took close to four years, claiming more than 200 lives in work-related incidents.

Taroko National Park, Hualien, Taiwan Daily: 6.00am - 5.00pm Built on the mountainside near Tianxiang is an ornate Buddhist temple named Xiangde Temple, which was completed in 1968. It's known for having the world's highest elevated statue of Ksitigarbha, a bodhisattva who's primarily revered by East Asians and usually depicted as a monk.

[Ngoc Son Temple] Dinh Tien Hoang, Hanoi, Vietnam Daily: 8.00am - 5.00pm Hoan Kiem Lake (lit. Lake of the Returned Sword) is arguably the most scenic spot in the old quarter of the capital city of Vietnam. Situated somewhere towards the middle of it is Thap Rua (lit. Turtle Tower), which is shown in the picture below. Read further to learn about the legend of the turtle.

58 Quoc Tu Giam, Hanoi, Vietnam Mon, Fri: 8.00am - 12 noon Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun: 8.00am - 12 noon, 2.00pm - 4.30pm Located to the south of Ba Dinh Square where the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum stands is the Temple of Literature, which is a Confucian temple built in 1070. It covers an area of over 54,000 square metres and hosts the Imperial Academy, Vietnam's first national university.

National Highway 6, Siem Reap, Cambodia Situated at the heart of the serene Royal Gardens  is a shrine dedicated to the two guardian spirits of Siem Reap: Preah Ang Chek and Preah Ang Chorm. The former is the taller figure. Despite the fact that there were many locals flocking into the shrine that afternoon, I found the atmosphere to be calming still.

Street 9, Siem Reap, Cambodia Daily: 6.00am - 7.00pm Not far from the bustling  Pub Street is a temple called Wat Preah Prom Rath. The modern feel that it imparts, from the ornate colours to the glistening tiles, certainly conceals its age of more than 500 years.

Angkor Archaelogical Park, Siem Reap, Cambodia Daily: 5.00am - 6.00pm The Bayon, known for the multitude of smiling and serene stone faces adorning its structure, was built in the late 12th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII. With beads of perspiration trickling down my forehead, thanks to the weather, I was ready to explore the last temple ruins for the day.

Angkor Archaelogical Park, Siem Reap, Cambodia Daily: 5.00am - 6.00pm Ta Keo is a mountain temple that's one of the tallest monuments in the Angkor Archaeological Park. It's unfortunate that the massive temple dedicated to Shiva was left unfinished. No one can confirm exactly the reason for the abandonment.

Angkor Archaelogical Park, Siem Reap, Cambodia Daily: 5.00am - 6.00pm Originally called Rajavihara, Ta Prohm is slowly being reclaimed by nature with trees growing out of the ruins. It has become more well-known to the world ever since it was used a shooting location in the making of the Tomb Raider movie, where Angelina Jolie played Lara Croft.