This article describes the geologically and historically fascinating destination of Shimonita, an easy overnight excursion from Tokyo. (Archived article originally published by Japan Today)
Month: July 2020
Castles, Cats and Sumo in Setagaya
Tokyo's Setagaya Ward is best known as Tokyo's bedroom, the most populous ward of the metropolis, principally a residential area. It also has a number of sights to enjoy and even history to experience. Here's an uncrowded suburban walk of around four kilometers, mostly through greenery, culminating in some of those sights and history. There's … Continue reading Castles, Cats and Sumo in Setagaya
Chasing an unusual seven lucky gods in Zoshigaya
A day walk in a pretty urban area is always fun. A walk with a mission, like collecting the stamps of seven lucky gods, is even more fun. I've written on several lucky gods walks to do at New Year's but here's one that can be done any time of year, takes about 3 hours, … Continue reading Chasing an unusual seven lucky gods in Zoshigaya
Takayama-sha: developing the art and science of sericulture
Gunma Prefecture, some 100 kilometers north of Tokyo, has centuries of history as a silk producing area in Japan. One particular sign that you're in an area where silkworms were once raised are the rooftops of old farm houses, that have one or more raised sections along the ridgepole of the roof, a structure that … Continue reading Takayama-sha: developing the art and science of sericulture
More Armchair Travel: Heading Toward Tohoku
With virus cases continuing to rise in both Japan and elsewhere, clearly it's still not a good idea to travel. So I've headed back to my collection of travelogues to see what I might find to fire my imagination and evoke my own memories. My eye fell upon Dorothy Britton's 1974 translation of "Narrow Road … Continue reading More Armchair Travel: Heading Toward Tohoku
Jigsaw Japan 