Tokyo is hot and sticky in summer and you just want to escape. Sure, you can hang out in the air conditioning, but then you're missing the sense of the season. Instead, escape from the heat with a pleasant evening on the water--a cruise in Tokyo Bay. There are lots of ways to get on … Continue reading Get on the water to forget the summer heat
Writer-philosopher Alain de Botton suggested in his book "The Art of Travel" that images of places can make us want to visit them. It is the sense of "I want to see that for myself". Iwakuni's Kintaikyo bridge is definitely such a place! Its five arched spans invoke a sense of mystery. When was it … Continue reading Iconic Iwakuni
Join me on a historical walk through part of the grounds of old Edo Castle and up to the castle’s outer moat. This walk will take 3 to 4 hours, and I know a great place for a late lunch at the end, so grab a good breakfast and start in mid-morning. We’ll start at … Continue reading Tokyo’s historical center of power: Edo Castle and its northern precincts
This article describes the historical places of interest in and around Usuki, a castle town in Oita on the island of Kyushu. (Archived article - Originally published by Japan Today)
Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan for over a thousand years (although there are locals who say Kyoto is still the capital and the emperor is just on a business trip to Tokyo). It is this long history, and in particular, the religious and cultural sophistication that developed over the centuries, that still attracts … Continue reading Murin-an: a glimpse of fin de siècle Kyoto
Nihonbashi has always been a business and commercial hub in Tokyo, with Mitsukoshi--Tokyo's premier department store-- and the Tokyo Stock Exchange located nearby. But with recent developments of other multi-use buildings hosting shops, office facilities and hotels, the area is enjoying a new vibrancy. The name "Nihonbashi" means "Japan Bridge". It is the name given … Continue reading Nihonbashi: where modern Tokyo and historical Edo meet
My friend, Tajima-san, is a big sumo fan. So much so that he is an active supporter of the Arashio sumo-beya (a/k/a stable). And he kindly offered to take us along to a "keiko" (training session) at the stable. Sumo is Japan's indigenous national sport, with references to it found in Japan's earliest written histories. … Continue reading Sunday brunch at a Sumo stable
Growing up in the American Midwest, my only exposure to wisteria was a mention in the pages of a Nancy Drew mystery. It sounded like an intriguing, if not beguiling, flower. Fast forward to my life in Japan, where wisteria is native, and this dangling bundle of aromatic blooms is now a feature of my … Continue reading What’s with wisteria?
This article describes thirteen festivals or other special events taking place in Tokyo during Golden Week 2017. (Archived article - Originally published by Japan Today)
The Japanese artist known to the world as Hokusai Katsushika (1760-1849) was born Nakajima Tokitaro in what is now Tokyo's Sumida ward. In a career that spanned seven decades, he moved more than 90 times and used at least 30 different names. His best known genre was the ukiyo-e print, but in fact he explored--and … Continue reading Influential art: exploring the world of Hokusai Katsushika
Salt is an essential nutritional element for humans. It is also a widely used preservative and, in some cultures--like Japan--, it's regarded as a purification element for religious purposes. Over millenia we've learned many ways to extract this mineral from the world around us. In the Japanese archipelago, where one is never more than 90 … Continue reading Getting salt from the sea the old-fashioned way
Otemachi, the district that sits between Tokyo Station and the Otemon gate of the Imperial Palace has long been one of Tokyo's main business centers. Over the last 20 years it has seen incredible architectural changes bringing a new vibrancy to the area as old buildings are pulled down to make way for new office … Continue reading A lesson in the importance of not disturbing spirits
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