Japan has several centuries of history in the use of decorative glassware, with a particular flowering of the craft in the 18th and 19th century. Among the glass arts practiced in Japan that tourists can also try their hands at are glass blowing, cut glass (known as "Edo Kiriko"), and sand blasting. The Tokyo Glass … Continue reading Glass art in Ota-ku
For some in Japan, the spectre of leprosy seems to spark fear, even in the 21st century, more than eight decades after a cure for the disease was developed. The National Hansen’s Disease Museum in Tokyo’s Higashi Murayama City was founded to promote public understanding and de-stigmatize the disease. The museum's location is adjacent to … Continue reading The Legacy of Leprosy in Japan
Japan is full of onsen (hot springs) towns at which, needless to say, the primary enjoyment for visitors is a nice hot soak. But tourists these days often want more to do than just bathe, even when visiting an onsen town. In the little onsen town of Yugawara, just over an hour from Tokyo between … Continue reading Alternative onsen enjoyment – tour a cookie factory
For centuries, Japanese gardens have been places to stroll, enjoying greenery and seasonal changes set off by a central pond. We often think of such gardens as dating to the age of sophisticated samurai, who wrote poetry under a full moon or performed tea ceremony in little huts. Yet many fine classic gardens were actually … Continue reading Sankeien – a classic garden and classic architecture
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.)
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
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
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
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
In the late 19th century, Japan, which had isolated itself from the outside world for two and a half centuries, was confronted with the need to rapidly modernize, and even Westernize, to ensure its survival. As it did so, it was awakened to the value of increased trade with its neighbors and territorial expansion to … Continue reading Putting a different face on Japan’s historical forays into colonialism
This article describes day tripping from Tokyo to Oiso, a seaside resort with a famous, historical hill as its hinterland. This hill is easily hike-able, and the article introduces a great lunch spot at the top. (Archived article originally published by Japan Today.)
Tokyo has a close relationship to water. From its earliest days as a city, its many rivers large and small have been well utilized and often diverted to form various canals and other waterways as well. Early Western visitors even went so far as to refer to Tokyo as the Venice of the East. While … Continue reading A Chance to Explore Some Tokyo Waterways
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