The Chiba Prefecture city of Sakura, about an hour east of Tokyo, got its start as a castle/garrison town guarding access to Edo (pre-modern day Tokyo). Although the castle itself was torn down in the 1870s (along with most of Japan's castles) by decree of the Meiji government, the town's roots as a castle town … Continue reading The Samurai Street of Sakura
For many in Japan, Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of compassion and mercy, has also come to be associated with prayers for peace and the repose of the souls of war dead. Predictably, this association arose in the years after Japan's defeat in World War II, but the association remains these many decades after the war … Continue reading Tokyo-wan Kannon: a surprising pantheon of peace
This article for Japan Today highlights the Tokyo Port Wild Bird Park, a haven for migratory and other birds, bird watchers, and other nature lovers; located not far from Tokyo's Haneda Airport. (Archived article in Japan Today.)
Craft beers have proliferated in Japan since the deregulation of beer production in the mid-1990s. One of the early leaders in micro-brewing is Kiuchi Brewery, an Ibaraki brewery that started making sake in 1823 and first produced beer in 1996. Kiuchi Brewery's beer is branded Hitachino Nest, with a cute little owl on the label. … Continue reading Hitachino Nest: The Happiness of Beer on a Hot Summer Day
My July 2022 article for Japan Today introduces a pretty mountainside temple in northern Ibaraki prefecture that has long historical connections to the imperial line.(Archived article in Japan Today)
During the late nineteenth century, when Japan was modernizing/Westernizing, many European and American were invited to Japan to advise the government and business. One such individual was Dr. Erwin von Baelz (1849-1913), a German physician who came to Japan in 1876 to teach medicine at the Imperial University (now known as the University of Tokyo). … Continue reading A German Advisor and Japan’s Hot Spring Connection to Europe
This article explores some fascinating and surprising aspects of a stroll in the Akatsuka neighborhood of Tokyo's Itabashi-ku. (Archived article – Originally published by Japan Today)
I recently had the chance to learn about Nishinouchi Washi, which is a particularly durable form of handmade washi paper. I also learned about some of its particular uses, included turning into cloth for garments and making chochin paper lanterns. Read about it in this article in All About Japan.
Waterfalls are well known to release negative ions that boost the spirits of mere mortals who visit them. Japan is blessed with many waterfalls and so lots of negative ion opportunities. One unusually shaped waterfall worth seeking out is Fukiware Falls in northern Gunma Prefecture (almost halfway between Minakami and Nikko). The falls is in … Continue reading Fukiware Falls: unusual water bears the gift of negative ions
Tokyo's well maintained public parks/gardens are enjoyable year-round, yet spring and early summer finds them at their most colorful. It is currently the height of the rose season. A few years ago I wrote about a number of great places in Tokyo to enjoy early summer roses, but have recently learned of a new one … Continue reading Rambling for Roses: an early summer celebration
Looking at a map of Japan, there is a spot due east of Tokyo that juts out into the Pacific Ocean. This is the mouth of the Tone River, which, at this point, forms the boundary between Ibaraki and Chiba Prefecture's. It is, in a sense, the end of the earth. Yet it is a … Continue reading Finding Mercy at the End of the Earth: Enpukuji’s Iinuma Kannon
Springtime in Tokyo is time of brilliant color everywhere you look. Once the cherry blossoms have faded, azaleas are the next most prominent, but the dangling bundles of wisteria are perhaps the most evocative. Kameido Tenjin Shrine, in the northeastern corner of Tokyo's Koto-ku, has become my favorite place to enjoy wisteria. As I noted … Continue reading Wisteria and wandering a corner of Koto-ku
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