The Attic

© Apollo

Hanging cherry (Kakunodate)

Weeping cherry trees, many up to 200 years old, line the streets of the samurai area of the town of Kakunodate.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

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An Apollo puzzle: 1053 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: P47603 (47-603 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Apollo

Kenrokuen

This very famous garden dates back to the 17th century; beyond the foreground of irises we see the distinctive arch-based stone lantern that is its symbol.

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An Apollo puzzle: 1053 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
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Retail price ¥1800

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© Apollo

Kenroku-en in snow

The famous garden, dating back to the 16th century, in winter garb. In the foreground is the stone lantern, perhaps the best known of its type. The tree "umbrellas" are ropes supporting the branches of ancient pines, under the weight of snow.

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Retail price ¥1800

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© Epoch

Itsukushima cherry blossom

The great torii, or Shinto ceremonial gateway of Itsukushima shrine seen from an unusual perspective, looking out from Miyajima to the mainland. Completed in 1875, this torii is somewhat unusually sited in the tidal part of the bay, and is famous as one of the traditional "Three sights of Japan."

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Retail price ¥1800

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© Takako Chiba

Yellow for everyday happiness!

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© Apollo

Azumino

An idyllic rural scene high in the Northern Alps. But this particular view is very well known, because the water mill was featured in Yume (Dream), the film by Kurosawa Akira.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

This puzzle has the same image printed on both sides.

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© Apollo

Hokkaido lavender fields

Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan, has a gentler topography, and is famous for fields of flowers, and lavender in particular.

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© Apollo

Fuji from Oshino

Mt. Fuji from the east, this time from a beautifully kept Japanese garden in Oshino.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

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© Apollo

Rainbow bridge, Tokyo

One of the best-known landmarks of modern Tokyo, Rainbow Bridge connects one of the growing number of islands created in Tokyo Bay to the original shoreline.

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© Apollo

Gokayama irises

Irises line the paddy fields in this preserved village of the traditional mountain houses, high above Toyama.

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© Apollo

Itsukushima Shrine

A dramatic view of the great Torii of Itsukushima at sunset. This puzzle has interesting contrasts between the sea, the sky, and the stone lanterns.

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Retail price ¥2300

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© Epoch

Miyajima fireworks

The great torii, or Shinto ceremonial gateway of Itsukushima shrine stands vividly silhouetted against a firework display. Completed in 1875, this torii is somewhat unusually sited in the tidal part of the bay, and is famous as one of the traditional "Three sights of Japan."

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

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Code: E56503 (56-503 on package)
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© Epoch

Matsushima fireworks

A spectacular firework display reflected in the bay at Matsushima. This coincides with the summer O-bon festival, when lanterns representing the souls of the departed are floated out into the water.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

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Code: E56504 (56-504 on package)
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© Epoch

Himeji Castle with azaleas

Famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, the historical origins of Himeji castle are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333. From a supposed resemblance to the outstretched wings of a bird, it is also known as "White Heron Castle." Birdlike or not, here it is nicely offset by the banks of azaleas in the foreground.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

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© AFLO

Mt. Fuji fireworks - across Lake Kawaguchi

Water is the best foreground for fireworks, and here there is the added attraction of Mount Fuji sitting serenely in the background, as though an old man who has seen fireworks before...

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

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© Appleone

Mashûko

Mashûko - or Lake Mashu if you prefer - is a deep (140 m) caldera lake, with some of the clearest water in the world. What most of the guide books fail to mention is that this beautiful view is rather rare; when I went there, we saw nothing but thick cloud, above, below, and all around.

The wild orange lilies in the foreground are a common feature of the Japanese summer landscape.

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Code: A10297 (1000-297 on package)
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© Mizuno Katsuhiko

Hônen-in (Mizuno)

This temple was built in the Edo period (roughly 1600-1850) to honour Hônen, who was a much earlier Buddhist teacher. This is the central court, the "yard" of the temple head (not quite literally a yard, but hôjô, a square of side ten Japanese feet); the bridge over the pond symbolises the interval between "this world" and "the other world". The rooms we see feature some spectacular screen paintings, and are sometimes used as a venue for concerts.

What does the name mean?

law

thus

temple

Sorry: the gloss is rather mysterious, but after all, it is a personal name.

Born in Kyoto in 1941, Mizuno Katsuhiko earned a degree in literature from Doshisha University in 1964. Since 1969 he has worked as a freelance photographer, in a lifelong quest to capture the essence of Japanese tradition in his native city, and resulting in publication of some one hundred books of his photographs.

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Discontinued February 2018
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10315 (1000-315 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Mizuno Katsuhiko

Kôdai-ji (Mizuno)

An unimaginable amount of effort goes into making the rocks in this garden look as though they got where they are naturally!

What does the name mean?

high

stand

temple

Born in Kyoto in 1941, Mizuno Katsuhiko earned a degree in literature from Doshisha University in 1964. Since 1969 he has worked as a freelance photographer, in a lifelong quest to capture the essence of Japanese tradition in his native city, and resulting in publication of some one hundred books of his photographs.

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Discontinued November 2017
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10318 (1000-318 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Mizuno Katsuhiko

Ginkaku-ji (Mizuno)

Built in 1482 by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, this was intended to be the silver counterpart to the even more famous Kinkaku-ji ("Gold pavilion"), but somehow they never got round to putting the silver foil on, so it's just wood. The "Silver pavilion" is really a nickname, and officially the temple is called Tôzan-jishô-ji.

What does the name mean?

silver

pavilion

temple

Born in Kyoto in 1941, Mizuno Katsuhiko earned a degree in literature from Doshisha University in 1964. Since 1969 he has worked as a freelance photographer, in a lifelong quest to capture the essence of Japanese tradition in his native city, and resulting in publication of some one hundred books of his photographs.

This temple is very famous: just do a Google search for 'ginkakuji' to find out lots more about it.

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An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10334 (1000-334 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Mizuno Katsuhiko

Myôman-ji (Mizuno)

An elegant bridge in the approach to the main gate crosses an azalea-fringed pond. Although founded in the ancient Muromachi period (roughly 1400s), this temple moved to its current site as recently as 1966. Whereas in Europe much fuss is made over castles and similar monuments being the original pile of stones, the famous wooden buildings of Japan have normally been rebuilt at regular intervals.

What does the name mean?

mystery

full

temple

Born in Kyoto in 1941, Mizuno Katsuhiko earned a degree in literature from Doshisha University in 1964. Since 1969 he has worked as a freelance photographer, in a lifelong quest to capture the essence of Japanese tradition in his native city, and resulting in publication of some one hundred books of his photographs.

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10335 (1000-335 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Mizuno Katsuhiko

Yoshimine-dera (Mizuno)

Originally built in 1029, this temple stands on a steep mountainside to the west of the city of Kyoto. These globular trimmed azaleas are a common feature of Japanese gardens - and this is a splendid example of a Japanese wall, too. (Read my page on walls.)

What does the name mean?

good

peak

temple

Born in Kyoto in 1941, Mizuno Katsuhiko earned a degree in literature from Doshisha University in 1964. Since 1969 he has worked as a freelance photographer, in a lifelong quest to capture the essence of Japanese tradition in his native city, and resulting in publication of some one hundred books of his photographs.

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10336 (1000-336 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Mizuno Katsuhiko

Shinsen-en (Mizuno)

This garden was originally constructed at the same time as the fortifications of the old capital (Heian period: around 800 AD), taking its name from a spring on the site. The graceful simplicity of the arch is a timeless reminder of past glory.

What does the name mean?

god

spring

garden

Born in Kyoto in 1941, Mizuno Katsuhiko earned a degree in literature from Doshisha University in 1964. Since 1969 he has worked as a freelance photographer, in a lifelong quest to capture the essence of Japanese tradition in his native city, and resulting in publication of some one hundred books of his photographs.

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10337 (1000-337 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Mizuno Katsuhiko

Konpuku-ji (Mizuno)

This ancient temple fell into disrepair, but was restored in 1684-88. We see here not the main temple, but Bashô-an, a simple building for contemplation or whatever, which is just one of the many places visited by the famous travelling poet Basho (1644-1694). His peregrinations around Japan and poems in praise of the wonders of nature make him a sort of Japanese predecessor to Wordsworth.

What does the name mean?

gold

fortune

temple

Ba-

sho's

retreat

Born in Kyoto in 1941, Mizuno Katsuhiko earned a degree in literature from Doshisha University in 1964. Since 1969 he has worked as a freelance photographer, in a lifelong quest to capture the essence of Japanese tradition in his native city, and resulting in publication of some one hundred books of his photographs.

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10348 (1000-348 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Mizuno Katsuhiko

Ryôan-ji (Mizuno)

Autumn leaves form a canopy over the paved approach to Ryôanji, the temple founded in 1450 which is the home of the famous raked pebble garden.

What does the name mean?

dragon

repose

temple

Born in Kyoto in 1941, Mizuno Katsuhiko earned a degree in literature from Doshisha University in 1964. Since 1969 he has worked as a freelance photographer, in a lifelong quest to capture the essence of Japanese tradition in his native city, and resulting in publication of some one hundred books of his photographs.

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10349 (1000-349 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Appleone

Mt. Fuji pink dawn

Mist rises from the surface of the lake as if to meet the pink glow of dawn. (Another puzzle it would be fun to do upside down!)

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

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Code: A10397 (1000-397 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© JTB Photo

Fuji from Lake Ashi

A majestic view of Fuji see from Lake Ashi, 30 km to the South-East. In the foreground, almost hidden by the forest, is the Shinto Shrine of Hakone, with a splendid torii rising from the water.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

More about Mt. Fuji and more puzzles

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Code: A10482 (1000-482 on package)
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© Beverly Enterprises

Hokkaido poppies

Hokkaidô is the northernmost large island of Japan, with very different topography. Rolling hills and pastures give it a much more "European" feel than the islands further south. Here brilliant red poppies lie next to a swathe of purple lavender; we are not given the exact location.

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Code: B100110 (100-110 on package)
Retail price ¥1980

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© Beverly Enterprises

Hokkaido lavender fields

A little cooler than most of Japan, the northern island of Hokkaido is ideal for flower growing. Here lavender stretches as far as the eye can see, even lending a purple haze to the distance.

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Code: B100120 (100-120 on package)
Retail price ¥1980

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© Beverly Enterprises

Hokkaido sunflowers

Hokkaidô, the northernmost large island of Japan, is typified by gentle landscapes that give it a much more "European" feel than the other islands. Vincent van Gogh would surely have felt at home in this field of sunflowers, outside the town of Biei.

The official Biei town website (in Japanese)

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Code: B100121 (100-121 on package)
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Picture © Beverly Enterprises

Tsumago - old post town

Amazingly well-preserved buildings line this street in Tsumago, a staging point where the old Nakasendo road begins to climb over the Japan Alps. Morning glory features in the foreground, while on the mountain side disappearing into mist, sugi (cryptomeria) trees tower over typically frothy bamboos.

On the right is the famous Matsushiroya inn - here's how to read the signs in the picture. The juku means "a place to stay", referring to the town's status as a staging point.

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Code: B100124 (100-124 on package)
Retail price ¥1980

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Fuji - cool breeze

Daisies sway in the breeze, in this view from the north, across Kawaguchi lake.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

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Code: B100125 (100-125 on package)
Retail price ¥1980

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© Beverly Enterprises

Karasawa falls

One of Japan's many medium-sized waterfalls, with a drop of about 15 metres. Actually not the only one called Karasawa-no-taki, either - I found two in Nagano prefecture alone, but it's fairly clear that ours is the one at Sugadaira. The splash of golden yellow in the foreground is the very common yamabuki, well-known to Western gardeners as the shrub Kerria.

Japanese sites with photographs of Karasawa-no-taki: The one in the puzzle - Another one (further south: Kiso-Fukushima)

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Code: B100126 (100-126 on package)
Retail price ¥1980

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© Beverly Enterprises

Takayama

A splendid display of wisteria in the old part of Takayama, in the northern Alps. This is a preserved part of the town, but the businesses are real: the wisteria graces the front of the Hisadaya restaurant, which displays the day's fare on individual wood shingles on a row of little hooks. The next building is the Takashima crafts (kôgei) gift shop. (The enlargements on the right will help you to read the signs.)

Randy Johnson's travel notes on Takayama

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Code: B100132 (100-132 on package)
Retail price ¥1980

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Shirakawa-go

Snow-encrusted persimmons hang over a view of winter in this historical mountain village in the northern Alps. These traditional buildings housed extended families of up to forty people.

Randy Johnson's travel notes on Shirakawa-go

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Code: B100134 (100-134 on package)
Retail price ¥1980

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© Beverly Enterprises

Ama-no-hashidate

This is one of the traditional "Three sights of Japan" (along with Matsushima and Miyajima, all coastal sites). A ribbon of old pine trees covers a natural sand spit formation that almost closes the mouth of the bay - the traditional belief is that it is best viewed upside down, with your head between your legs. Of course, you can do the puzzle whichever way up you prefer. This winter scene is not all grey: in the foreground bright pink ume (plum) blossoms poke out from under their covering of snow.

Randy Johnson's travel notes on Ama-no-hashidate
See also : Itsukushima shrine, one of the other "Three sights" - The classic view (2016 small pieces) and Cherry blossom time (1000 pieces)

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Code: B100135 (100-135 on package)
Retail price ¥1980

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© Beverly Enterprises

Fuji rosy dawn

Yet another view from Oshino. There are touches of pink on the mountain, but reflected in the icy pond we see the whole face of Fuji as a rosy glow.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

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Code: B100169 (100-169 on package)
Retail price ¥1980

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© Beverly

Itsukushima shrine

The classic view of the Itsukushima shrine, looking out into the bay at the great torii. This Shinto ceremonial gateway was completed in 1875, and is unusual in being sited in the tidal part of the bay.

This is famous as one of the traditional "Three sights of Japan" - and since 1996 has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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Discontinued December 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B51203 (51-203 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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© Beverly

Himeji Castle

One of the best-restored castles in Japan, Himeji Castle is also known as "White Heron Castle." Here a boatload of tourists make their way along the moat.

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Discontinued December 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B51213 (51-213 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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© Beverly

Sagano bamboo grove (Kyoto)

A puzzler's puzzle! A path between neatly trimmed brushwood fences wends through this bamboo grove in Sagano, Kyoto. The puzzle is full of variations in tone, but still the mass of densely crowded bamboo trunks will take a lot of patience.

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Discontinued March 2022
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B51229 (51-229 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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© Beverly

Kyoto temple view

A spectacular mass of autumn foliage seen from within Rurikō-in, one of the many temples of Kyoto.

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Code: B51246 (51-246 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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© Beverly Enterprises

Mt. Fuji swans

Swans feed on Tanuki-ko, a small lake to the west, as the sun rises over Mt. Fuji.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

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A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71238 (71-238 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Mt. Fuji peach blossom

Fuji as seen from a peach orchard to the west.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

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Code: B71248 (71-248 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Thailand - Phi Phi Islands

A scene made famous by the film "The beach"...

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Code: B71276 (71-276 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Hida-no-sato

Nestling among a riot of autumn tints, these gasshô-zukuri houses form an outdoor museum - Hida-no-sato ("the village of Hida"), on the outskirts of Takayama, preserving a rural scene once common in this region. The name gasshô-zukuri refers to the Buddhist prayer pose, with the fingertips together; basically it means a large-scale roof with timbers forming an inverted V.

Randy Johnson's travel notes on Hida
Note the susuki grass fringing the pond in the foreground: Plant-Watcher's page

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Code: B71287 (71-287 on package)
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© Beverly Enterprises

Mt. Fuji sweetcorn

Sweetcorn cobs drying in the cold but bright winter sun. This is the view from Oshino, a village to the north-east of Fuji.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71289 (71-289 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Yamadera

These temple buildings clinging amazingly to the side of a rocky mountain inspired the poet Basho ("the Wordsworth of Japan"; 1644-1694) to another famous haiku - "The silence of the rock and the singing of the cicada". This site in Yamagata Prefecture, in the north of Japan, is best known as Yamadera, though the title on the box gives the temple its official name: "Risshaku-ji."

What does the name mean?

mountain

temple

standing

stone

temple

Interesting page on Yamadera

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Code: B71290 (71-290 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Night blossom (Takato Castle)

A striking night view of the cherry blossom inside the ruins of Takatô castle, in Nagano Prefecture. The season here, in the mountains, is from mid to late April, and although spring brings warmer weather, the nights are still long, and many sites are lit up for evening "flower-viewing" parties.

There is enough pink that this puzzle will not be the easiest (though not too much of the jet-black sky), but the result is a very striking picture.

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Code: B71294 (71-294 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Kanshûji and waterlilies

This lotus pond lies in the grounds of Kanshûji, one of the temples of Kyoto founded more than 1000 years ago. The small pagoda, dedicated to Kannon, may be a minor building, but together with the fringing irises sets off the pond in a perfect picture.

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Code: B71312 (71-312 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Kumano old road

The old tea-house in this beautiful photograph would have been a welcome sight greeting a traveller reaching the southern end of this historic road: an old pilgrimage route through the mountains, now preserved as a World Heritage site.

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Code: B71313 (71-313 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Fuji cherry blossom

The ultimate symbols of Japan - Mt Fuji and the cherry blossom, in this view from the north, across Kawaguchi lake.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71336 (71-336 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Tokyo twilight

One of the best-known landmarks of modern Tokyo, Rainbow Bridge connects one of the growing number of islands created in Tokyo Bay to the original shoreline.

This is a glow-in-the-dark puzzle.

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Code: B71362 (71-362 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly

Fuji with flowers

The lake across which we see Mount Fuji is fringed with a wide expanse of the low-growing shibazakura, or moss phlox, a common garden plant in Japan.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71370 (71-370 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly

Fuji in spring

Cherry blossoms line this brook, with Mount Fuji towering in the background, still in its winter coat.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71375 (71-375 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Masato Tsubaki

Aizu-wakamatsu Castle

Although this castle boasts a history stretching back more than 600 years, it was damaged in the Battle of Aizu — hostilities during the switch from the rule of the Shoguns to the Meiji restoration — and the main tower was destroyed by 1874. It was rebuilt (in reinforced concrete) in 1965, and finally in 2011 the black roof tiles were returned to the authentic red tiles from the time of its destruction. The castle grounds contain around a thousand cherry trees, one of which frames the view here.

The castle is in the modern city of Aizu-wakamatsu, after which it is usually named in English, but it is also known as Tsurugajô, or "Crane Castle".

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Discontinued May 2018
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71397 (71-397 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Beverly

Fuji from the lavender fields

Mount Fuji seen from a lavender field, across Lake Kawaguchi, to the north of the mountain.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71399 (71-399 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

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© Atelier Q

Healing blue

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued March 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM61702 (M61-702 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly Enterprises

Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower, 333 m tall, has been the most famous Tokyo landmark since 1958. The panoramic background is also dominated by the Mori Tower building, part of the new Roppongi Hills development.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 260 x 380 mm (10" x 15")
Code: BM71831 (M71-831 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly Enterprises

Tulips in the waterwheel park, Toyama

A dazzling display of tulips in this park in Tonami (Toyama Prefecture) — and more interest is provided by the five huge waterwheels, the largest 5.5 m in diameter.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued July 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM71833 (M71-833 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly Enterprises

Azumino

An idyllic rural scene high in the Northern Alps. But this particular view is very well known, because the water mill was featured in Yume (Dream), the film by Kurosawa Akira.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued June 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM71834 (M71-834 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly

Fuji from the lavender fields

Mount Fuji seen from a lavender field, across Lake Kawaguchi, to the north of the mountain.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued June 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM71839 (M71-839 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly

Rainbow bridge

One of the best-known landmarks of modern Tokyo, Rainbow Bridge connects one of the growing number of islands created in Tokyo Bay to the original shoreline.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued February 2019
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM71853 (M71-853 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly

Gokayama

Irises line the paddy fields in this preserved village of the traditional mountain houses, high above Toyama.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued June 2018
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM71855 (M71-855 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly

Fuji reflected

An enhanced photographic representation of the revered "Red Fuji."

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

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Discontinued December 2018
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM71856 (M71-856 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly

Kenroku-en

This very famous garden dates back to the 17th century... in the foreground we see the famous arch-based stone lantern that is its symbol, and a mass of trimmed azaleas and irises.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued August 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM71857 (M71-857 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly

Fuji with flowers

The lake across which we see Mount Fuji is fringed with a wide expanse of the low-growing shibazakura, or moss phlox, a common garden plant in Japan.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2018
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM71863 (M71-863 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly

Fuji from Oshino

Mt. Fuji from the east, this time from a beautifully kept Japanese garden in Oshino.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM71865 (M71-865 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly

Himeji Castle mosaic

Over 3000 scenic photos of Japan make up this version of Himeji Castle, famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, whose historical origins are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

This puzzle is supplied with a magnifying glass.

This puzzle picture is made from more than a thousand tiny images.

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A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM81521 (M81-521 on package)
Retail price ¥2200

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© Beverly

Cherry blossom in Kyoto

Kimono-clad maiko, young traditional entertainers, cross the bridge in Gion, the preserved area of old Kyoto.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM81565 (M81-565 on package)
Retail price ¥2200

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© 3kids CG Nagao Michiko

Edo castle

Modern-day Tokyo was once a fishing village called Edo, and it was here that this castle was built in 1457, later becoming the residence of the Tokugawa Shoguns. The keep was destroyed by fire in 1657, but the site remained, eventually becoming the present Imperial Palace. This digital reconstruction shows the castle as it may have looked four hundred years ago.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

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A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM81815 (M81-815 on package)
Retail price ¥2000

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© 3kids CG Nagao Michiko

Azuchi castle

The castle of Oda Nobunaga, built on the shores of Lake Biwa from 1576 to 1579, but was mostly destroyed by fire within ten years. It was not just a military castle, but also a rather luxurious residence intended to impress guests.

Now only the site remains, but this digital reconstruction gives us a bird's-eye view of the castle as it may have looked.

Wikipedia article: Azuchi Castle

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM81816 (M81-816 on package)
Retail price ¥2000

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© Beverly

Angkor Wat

This is the largest in the complex of temples at Angkor in Cambodia. From here a powerful family of kings ruled much of south-east Asia, from around the year 900 to 1432. The city was then abandoned, and more or less lost to the jungle, until rediscovered by a French explorer, Henri Mouhot, in 1860.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM81831 (M81-831 on package)
Retail price ¥2000

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© Beverly Enterprises

Himeji Castle

Famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, the historical origins of Himeji castle are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333. From a supposed resemblance to the outstretched wings of a bird, it is also known as "White Heron Castle."

Himeji Castle website (includes English version)

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued September 2018
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM81832 (M81-832 on package)
Retail price ¥2000

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© Beverly Enterprises

Fuji from Oshino

Fuji towers above the village of Oshino, with its preserved old cottages and placid millpond.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below the mountain, the best views are from the north and east sides.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued January 2018
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BS71803 (S71-803 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Taj Mahal

Perhaps the most beautiful building in the world, caught at one of the best moments, a clear dawn.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Not available
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BS71806 (S71-806 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Great Wall of China

The Chinese name (also used in Japanese, of course) is "10,000-li fortification": it actually extends for a total of 12,700 li, or around 6,350 km.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BS71807 (S71-807 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Himeji Castle

Famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, the historical origins of Himeji castle are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333. From a supposed resemblance to the outstretched wings of a bird, it is also known as "White Heron Castle."

Himeji Castle website (includes English version)

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued January 2017
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BS71809 (S71-809 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

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Picture © Beverly Enterprises

Tsumago - old post town

Amazingly well-preserved buildings line this street in Tsumago, a staging point where the old Nakasendo road begins to climb over the Japan Alps.

On the right, a red traditional umbrella provides a splash of colour outside the famous Matsushiroya inn. Here's how to read the signs in the picture; the juku means "a place to stay", referring to the town's status as a staging point.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued November 2017
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BS71810 (S71-810 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Mt. Fuji aerial view

Seen from the east, with the Japan Alps in the distance.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

More about Mt. Fuji and more puzzles

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BS71811 (S71-811 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Gansenji in autumn

This brilliantly painted pagoda is outdone (just!) by the dazzling red and yellow foliage of its surroundings.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 260 x 380 mm (10" x 15")
Code: BS71813 (S71-813 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

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© Beverly Enterprises

Kaminarimon gate in Asakusa

This huge gateway stands in Asakusa, at the heart of old Tokyo. Although usually known as Kaminarimon, or "Lightning gate" as written on the giant lantern (about 4 m tall, sponsored by Matsushita Electric), it is officially called Furaijin-mon, after the gods of wind (fu) and thunder (rai), who sit on either side. Like all other buildings in the area, this was reconstructed after being completely destroyed in the Second World War.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BS71818 (S71-818 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

More puzzles like this one

© Beverly Enterprises

Rainbow bridge

One of the best-known landmarks of modern Tokyo, Rainbow Bridge connects one of the growing number of islands created in Tokyo Bay to the original shoreline.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BS71819 (S71-819 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

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© Epoch

Ozegahara

Ozenuma, or "Oze swamp," is another name for this wetland area, right on the junction of Tochigi, Niigata, and Gunma prefectures. It's also an easy train ride from Tokyo, and a popular destination for hikers, hence requiring a twin boardwalk. This is early summer, when the wetland is covered with yellow lilies.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10120 (10-120S on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Tashiroike

High in the Japan Alps, the highest chain of mountains running north-south across the main island, the banks of this winding lake are fringed with wild azaleas.

More about wild azaleas in Sano Gallery

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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10121 (10-121S on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Shirakawa - late autumn

Late autumn, and ripening persimmons: another of the gasshôzukuri houses, named after a supposed resemblance between the roof and hands at prayer. These were built to house extended families of up to forty people.

Randy Johnson's travel notes on Shirakawa-go

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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10500 (10-500S on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Byōdōin, Kyoto

A head-on view of one of the most famous temples in Kyoto: the reflection makes for an interesting puzzle. The building, which appears in the design on a 10-yen coin in this view, is the Amida Hall, or more familiarly the Phoenix Hall, after the birds perched on top of the central roof.

Mark Schumacher has an interesting page on the phoenix, including closeups of the birds on roof of this temple.

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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10535 (10-535 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Seiganto-ji and Nachi falls

Near the southern tip of the Kii peninsula below Kyoto, this pagoda, just part of the temple complex, enjoys a commanding view of the impressive Nachi falls. Although the falls are actually across a valley, a suitable viewpoint brings them into the same picture.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10552 (10-552S on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Massed azaleas (Osaka)

Azaleas bloom in profusion in this park in Misaki, just south of Osaka. Puzzles like this are never too easy, but there is plenty of variation in colour: white, variegated pink, and deeper shades of red.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10585 (10-585 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Okayama castle gardens

These gardens around Okayama castle (which we see in the background) were built in the Edo period, taking just 13 years and completed in 1700. Of classical layout, with a different vista at every turn, the gardens are formally known as Kôrakuen, and are regarded as one of the trio of most famous gardens in Japan.

More castle puzzles

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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10591 (10-591 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Enryakuji - Shiga

Although strictly in Shiga prefecture, this temple is part of the sacred mountain site of Hiei-san, on the Eastern outskirts of Kyoto. In this simple but peaceful scene, the temple building, with its bronze and stone lanterns, stands among the giant cryptomeria trees.

Background history: Wikipedia article

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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10600 (10-600 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Thai stupa

This stupa (the inverted 'bell' building) is in Sukhothai, capital of the ancient kingdom of northern Thailand. Appropriately for a sacred Buddhist edifice, lotus blossoms crowd the foreground.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10625 (10-625 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Weeping cherry - Niigata

Weeping cherry in full bloom, pink petals dotting the surface of the stream that wends its way under the ornamental bridge. The setting is a park in Yuzawa, high in the mountains north of Tokyo - this town is famous as the location of Kawabata's novel The Snow Country. "The train came out of the long tunnel into the snow country..." (Seidensticker's translation)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10631 (10-631S on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Fuji sunflowers

From the foreground of sunflowers, Mt Fuji is seen across Kawaguchi lake, in this view from the north.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10635 (10-635 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

The silence of dawn - Mt. Fuji

A dramatic dawn view. This will not be an easy puzzle, yet the subtle gradations in the photograph mean that there are no completely blank areas.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10636 (10-636 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Jissou-in pebble garden

One of the temples of Kyoto, Jissô-in was founded in 1299. Though less well known than the famous pebble garden at Ryôan-ji, its "dry" garden is perhaps easier to understand - the central stone is a carving of Buddha, and the surrounding eight rocks represent the eight disciples listening to their leader's teachings. All this set off by the gorgeous red maples.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10643 (10-643S on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Cherry blossom time - Itsukushima

The great torii, or Shinto ceremonial gateway of Itsukushima shrine seen from an unusual perspective, looking out from Miyajima to the mainland. Completed in 1875, this torii is somewhat unusually sited in the tidal part of the bay, and is famous as one of the traditional "Three sights of Japan."

See also: Itsukushima - the classic view (1000 pieces) and Ama-no-hashidate (1000 pieces), one of the other "Three sights"

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10649 (10-649S on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Kurashiki

These distinctive town houses are a reminder of the burgeoning of a new merchant class in the late Edo era (late 18th and 19th centuries). This area of the city of Kurashiki has been designated an architectural preservation area since 1979.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10660 (10-660 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch / Aflo

Genkyuen gardens

These gardens were created in 1677, at the base of the hill on which stands Hikone Castle, built earlier in the 17th century. The central lake includes four islands and nine bridges.

Here we see the castle towering above, and the lakeside pavilions, reflected in the tranquil water...

Wikipedia article: Hikone Castle

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10708 (10-708 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Vacation spot

An idyllic place for a hammock — in the Maldive islands...

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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10711 (10-711 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Sagano bamboo grove

A puzzler's puzzle! A path between neatly trimmed brushwood fences wends through this bamboo grove in Sagano, Kyoto. The puzzle is full of variations in tone, but still the mass of densely crowded bamboo trunks will take a lot of patience.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10713 (10-713 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch / Aflo

Kintai bridge

This bridge is a landmark of western Japan, with both red maples and cherry trees planted alongside, for gorgeous pictures in all seasons. We are told that the name Kintaikyô - or "Brocade sash bridge" - is derived from a resemblance to a kimono sash. This is pretty unconvincing, until you realise that the river under the bridge is Nishikigawa: this Nishiki is the Japanese reading for "brocade", written with the same Chinese character as the Kin in Kintai.

The bridge consists of five wooden arches: at the time it was originally built (1673), wheeled transport was almost unknown in Japan, so presumably it was not worthwhile going to the extra effort of providing a level roadway. It seems unlikely that this design would have been used in Europe at that time.

Matsumoto-san's excellent photographs of the bridge (in Japanese)
Hokusai's painting (Interesting to see his perception of the stone pillars: compare my essay on walls. And for more than you ever needed to know about bridges, read J. E. Gordon.)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10714 (10-714 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Arashiyama

"Moon-crossing-bridge" is the literal name of this famous bridge (Togetsukyō) across the Ōi River on the western outskirts of Kyoto. Arashiyama is the name of the area, and of the tree-clad mountain beyond the river.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10715 (10-715 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Kochi Castle

A striking view of the front gate (outemon) of Kochi Castle - seen in the background. This makes a splendid photograph for a puzzle, with the range of widely varying textures.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10717 (10-717 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

The former Glover residence, Nagasaki

The oldest Western style house surviving in Japan and Nagasaki's foremost tourist attraction, this house was built in 1863 for Thomas Glover, from Scotland, and stands in the park that bears his name.

More information in the Wikipedia article

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10718 (10-718 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Kintai bridge

An image of surreal colours — the pink cherry blossom blending with the pink-purple of dusk as the floodlights being to light the pillars. This bridge is a landmark of western Japan, with both red maples and cherry trees planted alongside, for gorgeous pictures in all seasons. We are told that the name Kintaikyô - or "Brocade sash bridge" - is derived from a resemblance to a kimono sash. This is pretty unconvincing, until you realise that the river under the bridge is Nishikigawa: this Nishiki is the Japanese reading for "brocade", written with the same Chinese character as the Kin in Kintai.

The bridge consists of five wooden arches: at the time it was originally built (1673), wheeled transport was almost unknown in Japan, so presumably it was not worthwhile going to the extra effort of providing a level roadway. It seems unlikely that this design would have been used in Europe at that time.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10721 (10-721 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© JTB photo

Kiyomizudera at cherry blossom time

This very famous Kyoto temple is trestled out from the side of the hill overlooking Kyoto. The original temple is said to have been founded more than 1200 years ago, but most of the present structure dates from the 1600s.

What does the name mean?

pure

water

temple

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10722 (10-722 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Manshu-in

Founded in the 8th century, this Kyoto temple is particularly well-known for its splendid garden.

This will be an interesting puzzle, with plenty of colour and texture variation...

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10724 (10-724 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Kirishima shrine

Restrained, yet shapely, this large Shinto shrine complex nestles in graceful woods. Its full title is Kirishima-jingû, indicating a more important location than the usual -jinja, and indeed this site holds a number of national treasures.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued August 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10725 (10-725 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© JTB Photo

Sagano teahouse

This traditional teahouse is in Sagano, an old suburb of Kyoto.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10726 (10-726 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Korakuen iris garden

A splendid bed of irises in the famouse Korakuen gardens in Okayama. For this challenging puzzle, you will need to rely on subtle changes of colour and perspective from foreground to background.

Photo: Kurota Sekio

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued June 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10728 (10-728 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Morita Toshitaka

Kyoto cherry blossom (Morita)

A quiet corner of the Gion area of Kyoto provides a splendid display of cherry blossoms, and plenty of contrasting textures in the details of the historic buildings.

Born 1946 in Osaka, Morita set out as a freelance scenic photographer in 1975. He has had numerous collections of his work published in book form, as well as calendars and other media, and continues a punishing schedule, spending 200 days a year tramping the Japanese archipelago for material. (Morita is his family name.)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10729 (10-729 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Michio Yamauchi

Ginkgo avenue in Tokyo

Brilliant gold! The ginkgo is a popular tree for city planting, and is seen to advantage here in Tokyo. Another puzzle for those who like a challenge.

See my "Plant Watcher's" page on the ginkgo.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10734 (10-734 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Kouichi Sudou

Bishamon-dô

Steps strewn with brilliant fallen maple leaves form the approach to the Hall of Bishamon, part of the Jingo-ji complex in Kyoto. Although almost all of the picture is foliage, this framework will make the puzzle a pleasure to do.

Wikipedia articles on the Jingo-ji temple site; and Vaiśravaṇa, the original Bishamon

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10735 (10-735 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Red Fuji reflections

Mount Fuji appears in its red robes in this view from the east at dawn, across Lake Yamanaka.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued June 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10738 (10-738 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Ginkaku-ji

Built in 1482 by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, this was intended to be the silver counterpart to the even more famous Kinkaku-ji ("Gold pavilion"), but somehow they never got round to putting the silver foil on, so it's just wood. The "Silver pavilion" is really a nickname, and officially the temple is called Tōzan-jishō-ji.

This tasteful photograph will be a nice challenge, yet not tedious because of the variations in tint and texture of the green pieces.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10739 (10-739 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Tagami Akira

Fuji in spring

Mount Fuji in its spring coat through a mass of cherry blossom makes for a challenging puzzle!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued October 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10741 (10-741 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Takeda castle remains

Although only ruins remain, Takeda Castle is impressive at any time — and the sea of clouds lend it a surreal quality.

It will be an interestingly different puzzle, with a lot of cloud at the bottom.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10744 (10-744 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Yahiko Park maples

Maples in the foreground leave tantalising glimpses of the traditional bridge, a feature of this park near Niigata.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued September 2018
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10748 (10-748 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Dōgo Onsen

Boasting a history going back more than a thousand years into the time of legend, this hot spring resort is now surrounded by a 21st-century city. But the main building is still an impressive sight, attracting tourists as well as those seeking relaxation. It is said to be the model for the bath-house in the Ghibli classic Spirited Away.

Wikipedia article

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued June 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10750 (10-750 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Angel falls, Venezuela

The highest waterfall in the world, at 979 metres (3,212 ft)...

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued April 2024
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10757 (10-757 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yoshio Tomii

Great Blue Hole, Belize

A spectacular natural feature in the western Caribbean, this natural sinkhole is a popular tourist attraction, and makes a challenging image for a puzzle.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10758 (10-758 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Stepped paddies

A dramatic view of paddy terraces high in the mountains. Views like this are actually rare in Japan, because the fertile coastal plains have always provided the bulk of the rice crop.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued February 2019
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10760 (10-760 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Goryōkaku star fort at cherry blossom time

Said to be the earliest example of a western style fortress in Japan, this castle was built in 1855 to a French design by the Tokugawa Shogunate. A park since 1914,this is a favourite location for cherry blossom viewing.

The name (五稜郭 in Japanese) means "five-pointed"; the detached triangular part in the foreground gives the impression of six points, but this is due to the extreme wide-angle perspective of the photograph.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued May 2018
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10772 (10-772 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Amanaimages

Himeji castle

Famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, the historical origins of Himeji castle are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333. From a supposed resemblance to the outstretched wings of a bird, it is also known as "White Heron Castle."

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10796 (10-796 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Great Wall of China

The Chinese name (also used in Japanese, of course) is "10,000-li fortification": it actually extends for a total of 12,700 li, or around 6,350 km.

(From the Epoch "World Heritage" series)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11078 (11-078 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Angkor Wat

This is the largest in the complex of temples at Angkor in Cambodia. From here a powerful family of kings ruled much of south-east Asia, from around the year 900 to 1432. The city was then abandoned, and more or less lost to the jungle, until rediscovered by a French explorer, Henri Mouhot, in 1860.

(From the Epoch "World Heritage" series)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11103 (11-103 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Itsukushima Jinja

The classic view of the Itsukushima shrine, looking out into the bay at the great torii. This Shinto ceremonial gateway was completed in 1875, and is unusual in being sited in the tidal part of the bay.

This is famous as one of the traditional "Three sights of Japan" - and since 1996 has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

See also: Cherry blossom time (1000 pieces) and Ama-no-hashidate (1000 pieces), one of the other "Three sights"

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11115 (11-115 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Tōshōgu, Nikko

This spectacular entrance, Yômeimon, is the central feature of this World Heritage site in Nikkô (Tochigi). The whole site is a Shinto shrine (Tôshôgu) built in the early 1600s to honour Tokugawa Ieyasu, the very first Shogun of the Tokugawa era. Since he was the most powerful man in Japan at the time, perhaps it is not so surprising that for a Shinto building this is unusually ornate.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11119 (11-119 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Hong Kong at night

The famous view from Victoria Peak on Hong Kong island, looking across the water to Kowloon.

This is a glow-in-the-dark puzzle.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11158 (11-158 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Tajima Tsuneo

Memories of steam

A historical shot of the C62 class locomotive number 47 pulling the Yuzuru express on the Joban line on 2nd August, 1966. This is the east coast main line north from Tokyo, in the brief interval when only the section north of Iwaki had not yet been electrified.

This is a lightly colorised version of a photograph taken by Tajima when still a schooboy.

Original photograph on photographer's website

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11188 (11-188 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© AFLO

Venice - Ponte Rialto fireworks

A dazzling firework display over the Grand Canal lights up the Rialto, the bridge at the heart of Venice.

This puzzle is cut to make pieces harder to find.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11305 (11-305 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Kyoto moss garden

Though officially known as Saihôji, this temple is better known as Kokedera, the "Moss Temple", because of its expansive gardens entirely carpeted in moss (120 species, we're told). The temple was originally founded in the eighth century, and the garden restored in 1339.

This puzzle is cut to make pieces harder to find.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11306 (11-306 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Shinkansen below Mount Fuji

The iconic shot of modern Japan: the "bullet train" passing below Mount Fuji. This is the N700, the version introduced in 2007, cutting the journey time between Tokyo and Osaka to under two-and-a-half hours.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11336 (11-336 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Norokko sightseeing train

This tourist train ambles through the lavender fields of Hokkaido, its speed kept deliberately low. The name is a meld of noro-noro ("dawdling") and torokko, meaning a simple open-top wagon; the nameplate is written in deliberately imitative characters, so it looks rather like "Joyo" — but this probably doesn't mean anything!

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11337 (11-337 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Masaaki Horimachi

Sunflowers on the Furano line

This scenic line, right in the middle of Hokkaido, extends from Asahikawa through Biei to Furano, and the area is famous for its varied colourful fields of flowers. Here a diesel multiple unit passes a sea of golden sunflowers...

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued February 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11344 (11-344 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© RGG

Mount Fuji with the "blue train"

Below Mount Fuji we see the "Blue train", the long-distance sleeper service connecting Tokyo to Kyushu, with a history stretching back to 1929. The service was finally withdrawn in 2009, with emotional farewells from crowds of fans.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued April 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11349 (11-349 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Lake Mashuko

Mashûko - or Lake Mashu if you prefer - is a deep (140 m) caldera lake, with some of the clearest water in the world. What most of the guide books fail to mention is that this beautiful view is rather rare; when I went there, we saw nothing but thick cloud, above, below, and all around.

The wild orange lilies in the foreground are a common feature of the Japanese summer landscape.

(From the Epoch "Power Spot" collection)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11364 (11-364 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Shirakawa-go in winter

Winter in this historical mountain village in the northern Alps, with its traditional buildings housing extended families of up to forty people. The floodlighting brings a warmth to the image, and provides an interesting range of colours for the puzzle.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11365 (11-365 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Sapporo glistening

Famous for its ice festival, Sapporo is one of the few cities in Japan with the space to present large-scale views. This is Odori Park, originally designed as a fire-break in the 19th century, and running right across the city. The winter illuminations bring a sense of warmth, despite the freezing temperatures.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued September 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11366 (11-366 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Takeda Kazutaka

Steam and snow

This steam locomotive, C11 171, was built in 1940, and retired in 1975. After 24 years sleeping in a park in Shibecha, in the wild east part of Hokkaido, it was restored and in 2000 began to provide a winter service on the line through the Kushiro wetlands to Shibecha. It now pulls passengers through this winter wonderland, while the carriages are equipped with old-fashioned stoves to provide both warmth and a nostalgic touch.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11383 (11-383 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Motohashi Komei

Chusonji

This temple in the north of Japan was originally founded by the monk Ennin, who hailed from Tochigi (home of the Imaginatorium) in around 794 AD. But this building, Konjikidō (lit. "gold-coloured hall", being decorated with gold leaf), was originally built in the 12th century and is now protected by a modern outer shell building which we see here, in its beautiful mountain setting.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11385 (11-385 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Ginzan spa resort

This spa is well-known in Japan since featuring in the TV drama Oshin, but probably more famous worldwide as the inspiration for the bath-house location in Miyazaki's anime feature "Spirited away".

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11387 (11-387 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Masanori Yamanashi

Itsukushima shrine

A very dramatic evening view of the great Torii of Itsukushima. At high tide it is completely surrounded by the sea.

Wikipedia article

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11396 (11-396 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Sagano grove in winter

This view of the famous bamboo grove outside Kyoto always makes a challenging puzzle, and it is not obvious whether the winter snow version will be slightly easier or slightly harder!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2018
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11419 (11-419 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Tōshōgu, Nikko

A view of the steps leading to the entrance, known as Yōmeimon, to the Shinto shrine of Tōshōgu. This very ornate Shinto shrine was built in the early 1600s to honour Tokugawa Ieyasu, the very first Shogun of the Tokugawa era, and the most powerful man in Japan at the time.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued October 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11442 (11-442 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© AFLO

Tokyo tower

Still the biggest landmark, at 333 m tall, Tokyo Tower celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2008. But the panoramic background is also dominated by the Mori Tower building, part of the new Roppongi Hills development.

This is a glow-in-the-dark puzzle.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 500 x 750 mm (20" x 30")
Code: E12016 (12-016 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

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© Epoch

Tokyo Rainbow Bridge

One of the best-known landmarks of modern Tokyo, Rainbow Bridge connects one of the growing number of artificial islands created in Tokyo Bay to the original shoreline. Using solar power generated during the day, at night it is lit up just as its name suggests.

This is a glow-in-the-dark puzzle.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2019
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E12502 (12-502 on package)
Retail price ¥3200

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© Epoch

Azumino

An idyllic rural scene high in the Northern Alps. But this particular view is very well known, because the water mill was featured in Yume (Dream), the film by Kurosawa Akira.

The picture on the box has a number of "mistakes", slight differences from the puzzle.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E59502 (59-502 on package)
Retail price ¥3500

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© Epoch

Sanzen-in, Kyoto

Like many other of the famous temples of Kyoto, Sanzen-in is not an extrovery showpiece, rather a contemplative haven in beautiful natural surroundings. Here the view out onto the garden is from a room which provides an elegant frame.

The picture on the box has a number of "mistakes", slight differences from the puzzle.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E59509 (59-509 on package)
Retail price ¥3500

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© Epoch

SL Kifujin

This C57-180 steam locomotive, built in August 1946, was restored, and in 1999 started a regular tourist run on the Ban'etsu-nishi line from Niigata on the west coast to Aizu-wakamatsu; by 2002 it had carried a quarter of a million passengers. It has been given a new name - Kifujin - or "Lady", preceded by the universal Japanese abbreviation "SL" for Steam Locomotive

View the Timetable (in Japanese)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E83182 (1000SN-182 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Epoch

Hida paddy fields

The famous preserved village of Shirakawagô has its extended-family houses surrounded by paddy fields, showing that rice can be grown even in the high valleys of the Japan Alps. The Hida name is the ancient kuni name of this area; it's now part of Gifu.

Photo note: I hesitated about this puzzle. It's a good close up view of paddy fields, but even given today's fashion for highly saturated photographs, I find the colours exaggerated. It is a fun puzzle to do, though, because of the reflection symmetry.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E83188 (1000SN-188 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Morita Toshitaka

Yonezawa Road - beech woods (Morita)

A remnant of the historical Yonezawa Road, over the mountains of northern Honshu. First opened around 1520, for nearly four centuries this way a major means of communication, until supplanted by the line of the modern road in the Meiji era. Never designed for wheeled traffic, these once-busy stones are now covered with moss, dappled with sunlight filtering through the beech leaves.

Born 1946 in Osaka, Morita set out as a freelance scenic photographer in 1975. He has had numerous collections of his work published in book form, as well as calendars and other media, and continues a punishing schedule, spending 200 days a year tramping the Japanese archipelago for material. (Morita is his family name.)

Permanently unavailable
An Apollo puzzle: 1000 pieces; 500 x 750 mm (20" x 30")
Code: P10481 (10-481 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Morita Toshitaka

Kumano Old Road (Morita)

A well-preserved old tea-house on this historic road - an old pilgrimage route through the mountains, which is now a World Heritage site. The open room on the right displays a tasteful foliage arrangement, and a couple of shapely gourds.

Born 1946 in Osaka, Morita set out as a freelance scenic photographer in 1975. He has had numerous collections of his work published in book form, as well as calendars and other media, and continues a punishing schedule, spending 200 days a year tramping the Japanese archipelago for material. (Morita is his family name.)

Permanently unavailable
An Apollo puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: P10482 (10-482 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Morita Toshitaka

Kinkakuji (Morita)

Perhaps the most famous of Kyoto's temples, this is the "Gold pavilion." It was originally built in the 1300s, and given to the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397, but was destroyed in an arson attack in 1950. Rebuilt in 1955, the gold leaf covering was only completely restored in 1987. Like the "Silver pavilion," this is only a nickname, and the formal temple name is Rokuonji.

What does the name mean?

gold

pavilion

temple

Born 1946 in Osaka, Morita set out as a freelance scenic photographer in 1975. He has had numerous collections of his work published in book form, as well as calendars and other media, and continues a punishing schedule, spending 200 days a year tramping the Japanese archipelago for material. (Morita is his family name.)

Permanently unavailable
An Apollo puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: P10492 (10-492 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Morita Toshitaka

Kochi Castle (Morita)

A nicely angled view of the front gate (outemon) of Kochi Castle - seen in the background. This makes a splendid photograph for a puzzle, with the range of widely varying textures.

Wikipedia article on Kochi Castle

Born 1946 in Osaka, Morita set out as a freelance scenic photographer in 1975. He has had numerous collections of his work published in book form, as well as calendars and other media, and continues a punishing schedule, spending 200 days a year tramping the Japanese archipelago for material. (Morita is his family name.)

Permanently unavailable
An Apollo puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: P10495 (10-495 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Keyphotos

Paradise

No map showing paradise is available, but it looks like somewhere in the pacific!

Permanently unavailable
A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS13118 (RS-13-118 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Road

Kinkakuji

Perhaps the most famous of Kyoto's temples, this is the "Gold pavilion." It was originally built in the 1300s, and given to the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397, but was destroyed in an arson attack in 1950. Rebuilt in 1955, the gold leaf covering was only completely restored in 1987. Like the "Silver pavilion," this is only a nickname, and the formal temple name is Rokuonji.

What does the name mean?

gold

pavilion

temple

Photo note: This photograph is not up to Road's usual (extremely) high standards. It looks around twenty years old, at least, but this may be because the building had become rather shabby before getting a new coat of gold leaf at the beginning of 2003, in which case perhaps this is a photo from its previous restoration. At least the building itself is in an excellent state here.

Permanently unavailable
A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS13177 (RS-13-177 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Orion Press

Kenrokuen

This very famous garden dates back to the 17th century; beyond the bridge we see the distinctive arch-based stone lantern that is its symbol. The neatly trimmed azaleas are a characteristic of this garden style.

This puzzle also available in 300 pieces

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2017
A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS13178 (RS-13-178 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Road

Fuji from Oshino

A crisp winter view, Fuji towering serenely above these traditional cottages in Oshino.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued November 2016
A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS13217 (RS-13-217 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Road

Kyoto cherry blossom

A beautiful photograph of a beautiful hanging cherry, in the Gion-Shirakawa area of Kyoto. This puzzle will not be particularly easy (there is a lot of pink!) but the teahouses in the background provide a wonderful variety of textures. Hanging in front of the windows are sudare, the traditional reed blinds that in summer help to keep the interior from the searing Kyoto heat.

Permanently unavailable
A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS13248 (RS-13-248 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Fumihiko Murakami/amana images

Kômyôji, Kyoto

The main entrance to this temple is a famous spot for autumn colours. ("Fall colors" if you like: Japan is blessed with many of the red maples that remind me more of scenes of New England than of the older England I come from.) The first temple on this site is said to have been founded in 1198, but the current building dates from around 1750.

What does the name mean?

light

bright

temple

Permanently unavailable
A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS13256 (RS-13-256 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Road

Fuji cherry blossom

The ultimate symbols of Japan - Mt Fuji and the cherry blossom. This view is from the south (Shizuoka side).

Permanently unavailable
A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS13273 (RS-13-273 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Orion Press

White beach

Somewhere under the tropical sky...

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A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS1393 (RS-13-93 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Shogo Kariyazaki, Masayuki Hayashi

Waraku (Kariyazaki)

A modern ikebana master presents a profusion of autumnal flowers and fruits - chrysanthemums and daisies cluster under red maple leaves, while persimmons hang low. And all this to a backdrop of ornate gold-leaf decorated fusuma, the sliding dividing screens.

The title, Waraku, might be loosely translated "Peaceful pleasure".

Kariyazaki's website

Born in Tokyo in 1958, Kariyazaki (his family name) studied in the Sogetsu school of ikebana, or traditional flower arranging, then developed his own style of "space arrangement". He has been responsible for interior decoration at many VIP events, notably the tenth anniversary celebrations of the current Emperor's enthronement, and President Clinton's visit to Tokyo. While running his own studio, he still finds time for frequent TV appearances.

Permanently unavailable
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101004 (10-1004 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Yanoman

Ginkgo avenue

Brilliant gold! The ginkgo is a popular tree for city planting, and is seen to advantage here in Tokyo. Another puzzle for those who like a challenge.

See my "Plant Watcher's" page on the ginkgo.

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Code: Y101011 (10-1011 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Morita Toshitaka

Fuji floating (Morita)

Cherry blossom and a (distant) view of Mt Fuji. This is taken from Izu Peninsula to the south, looking across the bay of Numazu. Just the snowcap floats mysteriously above the spring haze.

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Code: Y101015 (10-1015 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Cherry avenue

This avenue runs along the bank of the Gongendô river, in the middle of the Kanto Plain, and is a famous location for cherry-blossom viewing.

This puzzle is not for beginners: the mass of pink blooms occupies about 75% of the area of the picture.

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Code: Y101016 (10-1016 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Kumano old road

This is an old pilgrimage route through the mountains. Looking at the paving snaking its way upwards, we can almost feel the cool greenness of the forest. A sombre picture, this will not be a very easy puzzle, but it is full of textural variation.

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Code: Y101069 (10-1069 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Kintaikyo - a summer's day

This bridge is a landmark of western Japan, with both red maples and cherry trees planted alongside, for gorgeous pictures in all seasons. We are told that the name Kintaikyô - or "Brocade sash bridge" - is derived from a resemblance to a kimono sash. This is pretty unconvincing, until you realise that the river under the bridge is Nishikigawa: this Nishiki is the Japanese reading for "brocade", written with the same Chinese character as the Kin in Kintai.

The bridge consists of five wooden arches: at the time it was originally built (1673), wheeled transport was almost unknown in Japan, so presumably it was not worthwhile going to the extra effort of providing a level roadway. It seems unlikely that this design would have been used in Europe at that time.

Matsumoto-san's excellent photographs of the bridge (in Japanese)
Hokusai's painting (Interesting to see his perception of the stone pillars: compare my essay on walls. And for more than you ever needed to know about bridges, read J. E. Gordon.)

Also 300 pieces: Kintaikyô cherry blossom

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A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101072 (10-1072 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Fuji from Kiyosato

A distant view of Mt. Fuji, from the mountains to the north. Much of Japan is still unspoilt wilderness, and this puzzle includes a huge swathe of mixed forest, in gorgeous autumn hues. A classic Yanoman scenic puzzle, this should be challenging yet not tedious.

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Code: Y101083 (10-1083 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Hokkaido sunset

A dramatic sky, and a powerful impression of cold wilderness, yet amazingly this location (Hitsuji-ga-oka, lit. "Sheep-hill") is right on the outskirts of Sapporo.

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Code: Y101085 (10-1085 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Cherry blossom tunnel

Steam trains still run on the Oigawa line, a private railway running from the Pacific coast mainline up into the foothills of the Southern Alps. This one is called Sakura ('Cherry'), appropriately enough, since the line is famous for the cherry trees planted on either side to form a "tunnel".

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Code: Y101129 (10-1129 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Kitakawa Shigetaka

Yokohama nightscape

The gradual spread of the Tokyo-Yokohama conurbation out into Tokyo Bay has created some dramatic modern cityscapes. This is the Minato Mirai 21 development area of Yokohama, here seen to glamorous effect.

This is a glow-in-the-dark puzzle.

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Code: Y101132 (10-1132 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Kitakawa Shigetaka

Mt. Fuji and Shinjuku skyscrapers

A distant view of Mt. Fuji through the skyscrapers of the Shinjuku district of Tokyo.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

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Code: Y101133 (10-1133 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Studio Sato

Fuji aerial view

The classic cone of Mount Fuji, in an aerial view from the north.

Economy packaging (glue not included)

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Discontinued November 2017
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Code: Y101248 (10-1248 on package)
Retail price ¥2000

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© Tokiko Takeuchi

Fuji reflected

In this view from the north, the graceful beauty of Fuji's cone is reflected in Lake Yamanaka.

Economy packaging (glue not included)

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Discontinued November 2017
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101267 (10-1267 on package)
Retail price ¥2000

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© Yanoman

Himeji Castle

Famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, the historical origins of Himeji castle are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333. From a supposed resemblance to the outstretched wings of a bird, it is also known as "White Heron Castle."

Himeji Castle website (includes English version)
More castle puzzles

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Code: Y10702 (10-702 on package)
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© Yanoman

Kurashiki

These distinctive town houses are a reminder of the burgeoning of a new merchant class in the late Edo era (late 18th and 19th centuries). This area of the city of Kurashiki has been designated an architectural preservation area since 1979. If you've read my photo essay on walls, you might be interested to note the unusual arrangement of the embankment here, with courses of horizontally laid stones.

"Walls" in Sano Gallery
An English teacher's tourist photos of Kurashiki

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Code: Y10858 (10-858 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Tenryûji garden

In the famous garden of this Kyoto temple, which was originally established in 1339, splashes of red and yellow foliage contrast with the vivid green moss that carpets the ground and encrusts the rocks.

What does the name mean?

heaven

dragon

temple

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Code: Y10861 (10-861 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Autumn pond, Karuizawa

Vivid autumn tints are reflected in this little pond. Getting to Karuizawa means a very steep climb of almost 1000 metres just off the edge of the Kanto Plain, but this has made it a highly popular traditional resort for escaping the heat of Tokyo summer.

English guide to Karuizawa

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Code: Y10862 (10-862 on package)
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© Yanoman

Okumino

This is the sort of puzzle I like best - all those different textures - and it's also an excellent portrayal of the essence of traditional building construction. But it's clear that this is some kind of conservation area, since there are no wires to be seen in the sky.

Gifu is the prefecture to the west of the Japan Alps, and this area, Okumino, lies in the foothills. The photograph is of a view in the town of Hachiman.

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Code: Y10891 (10-891 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Kintaikyo bridge (maples)

This bridge is a landmark of western Japan, with both red maples and cherry trees planted alongside, for gorgeous pictures in all seasons. We are told that the name Kintaikyo - or "Brocade sash bridge" - is derived from a resemblance to a kimono sash (see the Japan Information Network link below). This is pretty unconvincing, until you realise that the river under the bridge is Nishikigawa: this Nishiki is the Japanese reading for "brocade", written with the same Chinese character as the Kin in Kintai.

The bridge consists of five wooden arches: at the time it was originally built (1673), wheeled transport was almost unknown in Japan, so presumably it was not worthwhile going to the extra effort of providing a level roadway. It seems unlikely that this design would have been used in Europe at that time.

Matsumoto-san's excellent photographs of the bridge
Hokusai's painting (Interesting to see his perception of the stone pillars: compare my essay on walls. And for more than you ever needed to know about bridges, read J. E. Gordon.)

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A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y10916 (10-916 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Jôjakkô-ji

This view features both the spectacular autumn colours for which Japan is justly famed, and the Buddhist temples and their gardens for which Kyoto (the imperial capital until 1868) is known. The name of this temple refers to Buddhist "paradise"; it was originally established in 1596.

What does the name mean?

ever- lasting

sweet- ness

light

temple

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A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y10925 (10-925 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Mt. Fuji - Dawn

This view is from Oshino, with the early morning sun striking the mountain.

There is a lot of purple in this puzzle, which is going to make it something of a challenge!

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

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A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y10934 (10-934 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Kintaikyo cherry blossom

This bridge is a landmark of western Japan, with both red maples and cherry trees planted alongside, for gorgeous pictures in all seasons. We are told that the name Kintaikyô - or "Brocade sash bridge" - is derived from a resemblance to a kimono sash (see the Japan Information Network link below). This is pretty unconvincing, until you realise that the river under the bridge is Nishikigawa: this Nishiki is the Japanese reading for "brocade", written with the same Chinese character as the Kin in Kintai.

The bridge consists of five wooden arches: at the time it was originally built (1673), wheeled transport was almost unknown in Japan, so presumably it was not worthwhile going to the extra effort of providing a level roadway. It seems unlikely that this design would have been used in Europe at that time.

Matsumoto-san's excellent photographs of the bridge
Japan Information Network - some details of the bridge
Hokusai's painting (Interesting to see his perception of the stone pillars: compare my essay on walls. And for more than you ever needed to know about bridges, read J. E. Gordon.)

Also 1000 pieces: Kintaikyô in autumn

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Code: Y10937 (10-937 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Takeuchi Toshinobu

Weeping cherry (Takeuchi)

In the grounds of Kôrinji, a Buddhist temple in Nagano Prefecture, this pendulous cherry stands against a perfect backdrop of mature bamboos. Though obviously of considerable age, the tree does not fail in its annual display.

This is a beautiful photograph - the colours, while subdued, are rich, and the detail is breathtaking. Takeuchi comments that (rather than knowing about lenses and things) the key to taking photographs like this is knowing in advance where the best trees are.

The photographer, Takeuchi Toshinobu, born in 1943, is well-known as a nature photographer, and teacher. (Takeuchi is his family name.)

Technical details: Zenza Bronica GS-1 Zenzanon PG 250 mm, 1/4sec f/22, Fujichrome Velvia; polarising filter and tripod

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A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y10975 (10-975 on package)
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© Yanoman

Palm beach

... in the Maldive Islands

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Code: Y10986 (10-986 on package)
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© Takeuchi Toshinobu

After the rain (Takeuchi)

The mist rises over the surface of Tadamigawa, the long river that flows through Fukushima in northern Japan. The rain has passed, leaving the vegetation of this mixed forest looking lusher than ever.

The photographer, Takeuchi Toshinobu, born in 1943, is well-known as a nature photographer, and teacher. (Takeuchi is his family name.)

Technical details: Pentax 67II 200mm F4 lens, 1/10sec f/16; Fujichrome Velvia; tripod

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Code: Y10988 (10-988 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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© Takeuchi Toshinobu

Rainbow falls (Takeuchi)

This is Shiraito-no-taki, or "White-thread falls", just west of Mt. Fuji. At the right time of the morning on a sunny day, it displays the beautiful arch of a rainbow. With a drop of 25 m, and a total width of 200 m, this is only the most famous of many waterfalls of this name.

The photographer, Takeuchi Toshinobu, born in 1943, is well-known as a nature photographer, and teacher. (Takeuchi is his family name.)

Technical details: Zenza Bronica GS-1 Zenzanon PG 250 mm, 1/2sec f/32; Fujichrome Velvia; tripod

Here's a site (in Japanese) dedicated to waterfalls of this name: Map of Shira(ito) falls across Japan (blue/cyan blobs: Shiraito-no-taki, red/pink blobs: Shirataki)

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Code: Y10989 (10-989 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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© Takeuchi Toshinobu

Dazzling maples (Takeuchi)

Fukushima in northern Japan again (but we're not given a precise location, so the map is a guess). The tints of autumn foliage are truly stunning, thanks to the abundance of mixed forest.

The photographer, Takeuchi Toshinobu, born in 1943, is well-known as a nature photographer, and teacher. (Takeuchi is his family name.)

Technical details: Pentax 645N2, 80-160mm zoom, f/16 AE; Fujichrome Velvia; polarising filter; tripod

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Code: Y10997 (10-997 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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© Takeuchi Toshinobu

Frozen dawn (Takeuchi)

Deepest winter on the Tokachi plain in Hokkaido (no precise location), in the total stillness after dawn - the temperature -20 degrees. Against the dark forest background, steam rising from hot springs forms an ethereal floating cloud.

The photographer, Takeuchi Toshinobu, born in 1943, is well-known as a nature photographer, and teacher. (Takeuchi is his family name.)

Technical details: Pentax 645N2, 600mm telephoto, f/16 AE +2/3 exposure adjustment; polarising filter; tripod

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A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y10998 (10-998 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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© Yanoman

Seiganto-ji and Nachi falls

Near the southern tip of the Kii peninsula below Kyoto, this pagoda, just part of the temple complex, enjoys a commanding view of the impressive Nachi falls. Although the falls are actually across a valley, a suitable viewpoint brings them into the same picture.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

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Code: Y1204 (12-04 on package)
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© Epoch

Byōdōin, Kyoto

A strikingly different wide-angle view of one of the most famous temples in Kyoto. Compared with the usual "full-frontal" view, as in the design on a 10-yen coin, here we get a good sense of the setting and surrounding garden. This building is the Amida Hall, or more familiarly the Phoenix Hall, after the birds perched on top of the central roof.

Mark Schumacher has an interesting page on the phoenix, including closeups of the birds on roof of this temple.

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Code: E09502 (09-502 on package)
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© Yanoman

Philosopher's walk in spring

This famous path in Kyoto is named after the philosopher Kitaro Nishida who would meditate while strolling along it. The cherry trees lining the waterway provide a display surely enough to raise the springtime spirits of any philosopher...

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Code: Y0928 (09-28 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

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© Yanoman

Cherry pink

Hirosaki Castle, in northern Japan, is famous for its cherry trees, the first of which are said to have been brought from Kyoto in 1715. These trees overhang the moat like pink clouds over a pink sea - making what is surely the puzzle for lovers of cherry blossom.

Economy packaging (glue not included)

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A Yanoman puzzle: 954 pieces; 1020 x 340 mm (40" x 13")
Code: Y0930 (09-30 on package)
Retail price ¥2200

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© Apollo-sha

Kobe port at night

The lights of Kobe port, now happily recovered from the 1995 earthquake. A natural harbour and important port from ancient times, when Japan opened its doors to the world in 1868, Kobe became one of the principal points of foreign influence, together with Yokohama and Nagasaki, and it retains this cosmopolitan feel to this day.

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An Apollo puzzle: 950 pieces; 1020 x 340 mm (40" x 13")
Code: P0903 (9-03 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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© JAL Photo Service

Tashiroike in winter

High in the Japan Alps, the highest chain of mountains running north-south across the main island, this winding lake is a well-known summer beauty spot. In winter it takes on a very different character: severe, but no less picturesque.

There is a lot of interesting detail in this puzzle, but it will not be easy!

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Code: P0904 (9-04 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

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