Manazuru is a small seaside community in Kanagawa Prefecture. Many travelers from Tokyo bound for Atami or the Izu Peninsula pass along its picturesque coastline, but neglect to stop. Until recently, I was guilty of the same neglect. But now I have had the chance to learn a bit more about the place. Like many … Continue reading Mining and ministrations in Manazuru
This article describes a couple of locations in and around Tokyo associated with Admiral Togo Heihachiro, a major figure of the Meiji Period and beyond. (Archived article – Originally published by Japan Today.)
While many people associate Yokohama with Japan's 19th century history of opening to the world, since it was one of Japan's treaty ports in those early days of modernization, this former fishing village and its surrounding hills have much more history to offer. About five kilometers up the Ooka River from its mouth, near Yokohama's … Continue reading Gumyoji: Yokohama’s oldest temple and its modern surroundings
Noh, often associated with the masks worn by actors playing certain roles, is widely regarded as Japan's oldest surviving performance art, with 650 years of history. (There are, of course, many older arts, such as Kagura ritual dancing, but those were developed for the entertainment of the gods, not for entertaining humans.) The stories portrayed … Continue reading Saying “yes” to Noh: Oyama’s Takigi Noh Fire Festival
In 1590 Japan was in turmoil. There had been civil wars raging intermittently for over a century as various warlords vied to take control and unify the country. Finally it had come down to three men: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. After Nobunaga's death in 1582, Hideyoshi was best positioned to prevail and … Continue reading Odawara Castle: guarding the southwest approach to old Edo
Kannon, sometimes referred to as the Buddhist goddess of mercy, was introduced to Japan in the late sixth century, and many temples dedicated to Kannon can trace their origins back to the seventh or eighth centuries. Shokokuji, in Kanagawa's Zama city, is one such temple. It dates its origins to the Tenpyo Era (729-749) and … Continue reading Shokokuji: The Mysteries of Zama’s Star Valley
August in Japan is always a time when television programming is replete with movies and documentaries about World War II. It was on August 15, 1945 (JST), that the Japanese officially surrendered to the Allies, thus ending the Pacific War. That fact, combined with the fact that August is traditionally a time when Japanese people … Continue reading One impact of war, the desire for peace
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
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
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
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.)
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