Japanese love their noodles! From steaming bowls of ramen or udon, to mounds of yakisoba fresh off the griddle and dripping with tangy sauce, to bamboo trays of buckwheat soba noodles for dipping into a salty soy sauce-based soup, noodles are a dietary staple here. Not as common or well-known is somen--long, thin, wheat-based noodles, … Continue reading Somen: Slippery summer noodles worthy of slurping
This article introduces the many fun summer outdoor activities available at Gunma's Minakami Onsen, a delightful place to spend a weekend, or even longer! (Archived article - Originally published by Japan Today)
I first read about Tanabata back in the 1970s in James Michener's 1954 novel "Sayonara" and it's fascinated me ever since. Celebrated by the Japanese on the seventh day of the seventh month and also sometimes called "The Star Festival", the novel referred to it as "the most romantic night of the year". That is … Continue reading Tanabata – the most romantic night of the year
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
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
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
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
Japan is host to a variety of annual festivals, often seasonally driven, and often associated with Shinto shrines. These festivals usually involve music, dancing, fair food and portable shrines that are paraded through the local neighborhood. One of the more unusual of these annual festivals takes place on the first Sunday of April (in 2017: … Continue reading Kanamara Matsuri: A unique celebration of the pink of spring
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