Semi-tropical Okinawa is famously the first place cherry blossoms are seen in Japan every year. And they’re blooming now! One of the most popular cherry blossom viewing spots on Okinawa’s main island is Nakijin Castle Ruins. The ruins are on the Motobu Peninsula in the northern part of the island. There has been a stone … Continue reading Nakijin Castle – blossoms among the ruins
This article gives three suggestions of winter activities in Nagano aside from skiing: the snow monkeys of Jigokudani, the art town of Obuse, and the hina doll display in Suzaka. All can be enjoyed economically by using a special 2-day rail pass, too. (Archived article – Originally published by Japan Today)
Nori, those paperlike sheets of dried seaweed, are popular in Japan as a tasty snack, as well as featuring in sushi and other famous Japanese dishes. But the stuff doesn't grow on trees! Or does it? Rows of dark rectangles in the water--telltale signs of seaweed farming are portrayed in Hiroshige woodblock prints of the … Continue reading Nori making: insights into a staple of Japanese cuisine
Tomioka Hachiman Shrine sits in the historic Fukagawa district of Tokyo, a neighborhood that developed and flourished during the Tokugawa shogunate (1602-1868) when Tokyo was known as Edo. Indeed, the history of the shrine, founded in 1627, is inextricably tied to that of Edo. Edo began its life as a fishing village wedged between rivers … Continue reading Tomioka Hachiman Shrine: conflicts, cartography, and other “stuff”
Ikegami, less than 20 minutes from Gotanda on the Tokyu Ikegami trainline, is a major Buddhist center, but also a bit of a hidden treasure. Not many foreign tourists manage to get here, but they should. As an interesting "local" neighborhood and a major collection of temples, it even beats Asakusa and its Sensoji temple … Continue reading Archaeology and other surprises in Ikegami
If you are strolling in the Ginza/Yurakucho area of Tokyo or even riding a JR train heading south from Tokyo station, chances are that you will notice the striking shape of the Glass Building of the Tokyo International Forum. Some seven stories tall, most of it a "sundrenched atrium", its super-structure resembles the ribs of … Continue reading Tokyo International Forum: a different kind of community center
New Year's Day 2019 in Tokyo dawned clear and relatively warm (high of 11C/52F), perfect weather for getting out for a little excursion in search of some luck for the new year. My favorite such activity is a seven lucky gods pilgrimage. It is said that the seven lucky gods sail into harbor on new … Continue reading The Tamagawa Seven Lucky Gods: a bit of local luck
Traditional New Year's festivities in Japan are special indeed. It's usually a family time, with visits to shrines (often in traditional garb), special symbolic foods and sake toasts, and various other seasonal activities. While we see less and less of the traditions these days, many of them can still be experienced and enjoyed, if you … Continue reading Midnight at Mishima Grand Shrine
This article describes a seven lucky gods pilgrimage, a short walk popular in the New Year's season as a means to secure good fortune for the new year. This walk is in Tsurumi, a northern coastal part of Yokohama city, and includes part of the old Tokaido Road. (Archived article – Originally published by Japan … Continue reading Seeking out seven lucky gods in Tsurumi
There are times when you feel like a bit of a walk, but you don't have much time. Or maybe the weather isn't cooperating--too cold or too hot for any kind of prolonged expedition. But still you want to get some fresh air and do something other than wander through shops. Tokyo offers lots of … Continue reading Omori to Oimachi: an historical suburban exploration
Japanese people love their noodles. Across the country, you can't visit any size community that doesn't have a ramen shop. But ramen is a Chinese import. There are lots of indigenous Japanese noodles, too. On a recent trip to Shikoku, I not only encountered plenty of these noodles, I got to have lessons in how … Continue reading Noodling on Shikoku: lessons in traditional noodle making
Japan has world heritage-listed cuisine; Japanese people, it seems, are always thinking about food. So perhaps it is little wonder that "food tours" have become popular with visitors to Japan. Even though I am not a "foodie", when a friend invited me to join the Arigato Japan Food Tours "Flavors of Japan" tour, I couldn't … Continue reading Food tour: a different way to explore Japan
