This article describes a walk through Mariko-juku, formerly a Tokaido post town and now a Shizuoka suburb. Try out the walk to discover a bit of history! (Archived article originally published by Japan Today.)
Month: May 2019
Historical Fujisawa – the often overlooked Tokaido Post Town
Fujisawa, about an hour by train from central Tokyo, has a long history as a traveller's way station, including during the 250 years that the Tokaido was the major coastal road for travellers between Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo). Even before the Tokugawa shogunate, Fujisawa was popular with travelers bound for Enoshima and Oyama, popular … Continue reading Historical Fujisawa – the often overlooked Tokaido Post Town
Bamboo Shooting: the Spring hunting season
As the season of new beginnings, Spring is the season when bamboo shoots emerge from the earth to shoot their way skyward. But clever hunters know they can hunt out the little brown spears just as they are breaking the surface for an excellent seasonal treat. This year, late Spring found us visiting our friend … Continue reading Bamboo Shooting: the Spring hunting season
Kanda Matsuri: a major spectacle not to be missed
Every two years, in odd-numbered years, Tokyo sees one of the three largest festivals in Japan, the Kanda Matsuri of Kanda Myojin Shrine. This year, the biggest, most spectacular part of the festival is this week-end: May 11 and 12. Saturday, May 11 is the main procession, when Kanda Myojin's o-mikoshi, portable shrines, are paraded … Continue reading Kanda Matsuri: a major spectacle not to be missed
Commemorating Japan’s Post-war Constitution
Every year between April 29 and May 5 Japan celebrates "Golden Week", four public holidays over a period of seven days. This year, 2019, thanks to the abdication of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and the ascension to the throne of Emperor Naruhito, the government declared additional holidays, giving people in Japan a 10-day "Platinum Week": April … Continue reading Commemorating Japan’s Post-war Constitution
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