Follow along as I visit the spiritual sights of the world, soaking up devotion and prayers in places of worship, embarking on pilgrimages, and looking inwards as I take in the Mother Earth’s religious, cultural, and natural wonders.
Every year on the 15th day of the first lunar calendar month, the same day as the Lantern Festival, a sleepy town in Tainan City in southern Taiwan called Yanshui (鹽水) lights up from what has been called “the world’s most dangerous festival.” It is without a doubt the most exciting (or rather, terrifying) or …
Serbian Orthodox Ostrog Monastery is one of the most captivating sights in Montenegro and visually impressive monasteries in the world. The centuries-old complex is built into sheer cliffs, with stunning panoramic views of the surrounding plains. It is one of the most unique pilgrimage sites in the world and, without a doubt, one of the …
In this article, I’m going to describe a knife massage experience that I had several years ago in Taipei, Taiwan. The place where I had it done is now closed, but I’m leaving the article up for anyone who is interested to read about it. It’s still possible to receive a knife massage at this …
I’ve been living in Taiwan since 2008, and I’ve always loved exploring and photographing the incredible array breathtaking temples in Taipei and surrounding New Taipei City. In recent years, I’ve traveled to several neighboring countries to visit and write about their temples (for example, see my articles on the most beautiful temples in Southeast Asia, …
Tainan is the original capital city of Taiwan, before it was moved to Taipei. Today, it is known for its historical sights and night markets – it is even considered by many to be the country’s food capital. Tainan’s temples feature prominently on my list of things to do in Tainan. In fact, the city has …
This article was written by Monique Skidmore, award-winning anthropologist, writer at Tripanthropologist, and Myanmar expert. See her full bio at the end. There are so many beautiful and unusual temples or pagodas in Myanmar (Burma) that choosing which to visit can be quite the challenge. As one of the most devoutly Buddhist places on earth, …
Fo Guang Shan (佛光山 or Foguangshan) is one of the four large Buddhist organizations in Taiwan. The order’s headquarters, Fo Guang Shan Monastery in Kaohsiung, Southern Taiwan, is one of Taiwan’s top attractions and most popular places to visit in Kaohsiung. The enormous, sprawling Fo Guang Shan Temple complex more than doubled in size with …
So you’re heading on a Mt. Fuji day trip from Tokyo? With only one day, you may need a bit of luck to get a clear view of the elusive mountain. But not all hope is lost, as there are many other great things to do in Mt. Fuji area, whether you get clear views …
There are already as many “best views of Mount Fuji” LISTS as there are claimed best places to see Mt. Fuji. Personally, I don’t think any single one is best, but for this list, I have focused on the best places to see Mount Fuji if you want a good chance to ACTUALLY SEE Mt. …
This article was written by Sarah Hodge, prolific writer and lover of spiritual & cultural sights in Japan. A convenient one-hour trip from Central Tokyo via the JR line, Kamakura is a history and nature lover’s paradise. Doing a Kamakura day trip is not only easy but also a great way to immerse yourself in …
