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
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