Celebrating Spring at Lake Suwa

This article introduces leisure and sightseeing at Lake Suwa, Nagano's largest lake. It also describes the Suwa Grand Shrines, their history and their major festival, the Onbashira Festival, which takes place in April and May every six years (including in 2022). (Archived article – Originally published by Japan Today.)

Looking for Seven Lucky Gods at One of the Fuji Five Lakes

There are five lakes skirting the northern base of Mt. Fuji, Japan's iconic highest mountain. These lakes are the result of rivers dammed by lava flowing from the Fuji volcano in eruptions of centuries past. Today they are all popular recreation areas. Lake Kawaguchi (a/k/a Kawaguchi-ko) is the northernmost of these lakes, and the second … Continue reading Looking for Seven Lucky Gods at One of the Fuji Five Lakes

Tokamachi City Museum – great on a rainy day, or when the sun shines

A few months ago I visited the Niigata town of Tokamachi with the intention of attending a local festival.  Alas, the festival was rained out and it seemed there wasn't much to do after checking out the intriguing sculptures on the high street. Fortunately, I found that Tokamachi has a wonderful city museum that proved … Continue reading Tokamachi City Museum – great on a rainy day, or when the sun shines

Obsidian arrowheads and other Jomon archaeology

Jomon is the name given to Japan's prehistoric "stone age" period, thought to be from 30,000 to 2,500 years ago.  The name means "rope marks" and derives from the markings on the pottery of the period.  During this period the people of the archipelago went from simple hunter-gatherers to being users of tools, the beginnings … Continue reading Obsidian arrowheads and other Jomon archaeology

Nagoya’s Osu – a fascinating temple and market district

Thanks to its position as the leading city of central Honshu island, Nagoya has a long and fascinating history.   One place where some of that history can be discovered is the neighborhood of the Osu Kannon. Osu Kannon Temple (official name Kitano-san Shinpuku-ji Hosho-in) was originally founded in 1324 to house a wooden statue of Kannon, … Continue reading Nagoya’s Osu – a fascinating temple and market district