I've been reading Lost Japan and really enjoying learning about the places the author (Alex Kerr) has lived and all the ways he's experienced his life in Japan.
I especially enjoyed reading about his home on the grounds of Tenmangu Shrine ... and it occurred to me that I could easily look up the town and the shrine, to see if there were any photos of the place, and the grounds, which sound enchanting.
To my delight, I found a page with lots of photos almost right away. It's 8 years old at this point, but it offers lovely views of the inside and outside of Kerr's Tenmangu home.
His description of the place is so lovely:
... my favorite season comes later, around the end of May or the beginning of June, when the rainy season starts. The frogs in the surrounding paddies start croaking, and my friends calling from Tokyo are amazed to find that they can hear them even over the phone line. Little emerald gems, the frogs hop about and ornament the leaves and stepping stones. Then lotuses burst into bloom, and the heavy rain drums pleasantly on the roof of my bedroom. Sleeping during the rainy season is always a joy.
I doubt I'll get to visit Japan anytime soon, but I'm so happy to get to see it in my head.
(Oh my goodness - Kerr has an extremely old-school website!)