The Backpack Adventures

Wakkanai Park  ( 稚内公園 ) is a hilltop park with an amazing panoramic view. It is l ocated at１丁目 Chūō, Wakkanai City in Hokkaido Prefecture,   Japan .  Wakkanai Park Wakkanai Park details ( WINTER ) Wakkanai Park , locally called Wakkanai Koen ( 稚内公園 ) is established in 1961. It has a total land area of 45.2 hectares. The park was also listed as one of Japan's Night View Heritage in 2018.  Wakkanai Park - Wakkanai City, Hokkaido Prefecture Aside from the amazing night view,  Wakkanai Park is also a popular place for locals to head to when they want to jog, rest, and have some picnics. Aside from this, the park is also known for the different memorials found in its vicinity. The most popular of these is the Gate of Ice and Snow which is a memorial to those who died in Karafuto (South Sakhalin).  Other memorials are the Nine Maidens of Maoka , the Cenotaph for Sakhalin Huskies , and the Memorial Monument of the visit by Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun ....

Hokumon Shrine ( 北門神社 )   is the northernmost manned shrine in  Japan . It is l ocated at 1 Chome 1-21 Central, Wakkanai City in Hokkaido Prefecture,   Japan . Hokumon Shrine Hokumon Shrine details ( WINTER ) Hokumon Shrine was established in 1785 (Tenmei 5) by Denbei Murayama who was a contractor of the Matsumae domain that was stationed in Soya.  He built a small shrine and enshrined the deity Amaterasu Omikam i there as the guardian deity of the north gate and named this shrine Soya Ojingu .  Hokumon Shrine - Wakkanai City, Hokkaido Prefecture In 1897, the shrine was relocated to its current location. The deities Takemikazuchi and Kotoshironushi were also enshrined there.  The path going up to Hokumon Shrine The second torii of Hokumon Shrine . The first one is located along Soya Sunset Road Hokumon Shrine un-gyō komainu Hokumon Shrine a-gyō komainu One of the mini-shrines inside the Hokumon Shrine grounds Google translates this to Loyalty Soul Mon...

Shingonji ( 真言寺 ) is temple #27 on the Hokkaido 33 Kannon Pilgrimage , located at 5-11-21 Central, Wakkanai City, Hokkaido Prefecture. Shingonji  ( 真言寺 ) Shingonji details ( WINTER ) Shingonji was established in Taisho 7 (1918). It was formerly the Wakkanai branch of the Daishikyo Church under Toyama Kaisou Ito Satoshi . Shingonji - Wakkanai City, Hokkaido Prefecture It was bought by Eio Koni in 1954 and was renamed Shingonji , making it the northernmost Daishi Shingonji. It is also said that this temple was where the name Wakkanai was born. Presently, Nyoirin Kanzeon Bosatsu is enshrined in the temple.  Welcome to Shingonji Shingonji is temple #27 of the Hokkaido 33 Kannon Pilgrimage I got to visit Shingonji for the first time last March 21, 2022 . It was my 140th day in Japan as an ALT under the JET Programme . It was winter season when I visited so naturally the hill behind the temple was covered with snow. This made the vermilion color of the temple stand out a...