Recently, I went on a one day trip with a friend to Omihachiman in Shiga prefecture. Near the station is very modern, but there is one section of town that is very traditional and has a magickal atmosphere.
There is an old canal, edged with stone walls and walkways. With the lush greenery it is stunningly beautiful.
In the local museum I found these magickal stones. In this part of Japan (maybe in other areas too) it was traditional to write the names of local deities on stones and put them in the foundations of new houses, to ask the gods for protection for the building.
At the same museum I found this old BSA bike, built in my hometown Birmingham, long before I was born. But we both made the long journey to the other side of the world.
We took the rope way up the mountain. There is a Buddhist temple on the top and in it's grounds there is a small Shinto shine. Usually Shinto shrine Tori gates and buildings are painted red/orange and black. But this one was golden. The Kami (Shinto gods) of this shine will help you with projects that need money.
Before we left Omihachiman we found a beautiful and traditionally Japanese looking cafe. I was so elegant, with a warm atmosphere. A magical day.
