Nori, those paperlike sheets of dried seaweed, are popular in Japan as a tasty snack, as well as featuring in sushi and other famous Japanese dishes. But the stuff doesn't grow on trees! Or does it? Rows of dark rectangles in the water--telltale signs of seaweed farming are portrayed in Hiroshige woodblock prints of the … Continue reading Nori making: insights into a staple of Japanese cuisine
Tomioka Hachiman Shrine sits in the historic Fukagawa district of Tokyo, a neighborhood that developed and flourished during the Tokugawa shogunate (1602-1868) when Tokyo was known as Edo. Indeed, the history of the shrine, founded in 1627, is inextricably tied to that of Edo. Edo began its life as a fishing village wedged between rivers … Continue reading Tomioka Hachiman Shrine: conflicts, cartography, and other “stuff”
Ikegami, less than 20 minutes from Gotanda on the Tokyu Ikegami trainline, is a major Buddhist center, but also a bit of a hidden treasure. Not many foreign tourists manage to get here, but they should. As an interesting "local" neighborhood and a major collection of temples, it even beats Asakusa and its Sensoji temple … Continue reading Archaeology and other surprises in Ikegami
If you are strolling in the Ginza/Yurakucho area of Tokyo or even riding a JR train heading south from Tokyo station, chances are that you will notice the striking shape of the Glass Building of the Tokyo International Forum. Some seven stories tall, most of it a "sundrenched atrium", its super-structure resembles the ribs of … Continue reading Tokyo International Forum: a different kind of community center
New Year's Day 2019 in Tokyo dawned clear and relatively warm (high of 11C/52F), perfect weather for getting out for a little excursion in search of some luck for the new year. My favorite such activity is a seven lucky gods pilgrimage. It is said that the seven lucky gods sail into harbor on new … Continue reading The Tamagawa Seven Lucky Gods: a bit of local luck
There are times when you feel like a bit of a walk, but you don't have much time. Or maybe the weather isn't cooperating--too cold or too hot for any kind of prolonged expedition. But still you want to get some fresh air and do something other than wander through shops. Tokyo offers lots of … Continue reading Omori to Oimachi: an historical suburban exploration
Japan has world heritage-listed cuisine; Japanese people, it seems, are always thinking about food. So perhaps it is little wonder that "food tours" have become popular with visitors to Japan. Even though I am not a "foodie", when a friend invited me to join the Arigato Japan Food Tours "Flavors of Japan" tour, I couldn't … Continue reading Food tour: a different way to explore Japan
What is it about Manneken Pis--the statue/fountain of a little boy peeing--that makes it so popular in Japan? While the original is in Brussels, Belgium, Japan hosts no fewer than seven replica statues and innumerable effigies. For many Tokyo commuters, they can catch sight of the little guy daily at the south end of JR … Continue reading Boys will be boys – the Japanese fascination with Manneken Pis
Who doesn't love mysteries, puzzles and a good scavenger hunt? Ever year, Tokyo Metro, the larger of Tokyo's two subway systems, hosts "The Underground Mysteries", a scavenger hunt featuring their subway stations and the neighborhoods surrounding them. This year, the game is now on, and continues through January 31, 2019. You've got to try it! … Continue reading Underground Mysteries: a Tokyo scavenger hunt
My friend invited me to dinner on Suship, telling me where to be and when, and reminding me not to be late! She didn’t want me to “miss the boat”. Yes, Suship is really a "ship"; a dinner boat that serves a delightful fixed menu meal of sushi and other traditional Japanese dishes. Fortunately, being … Continue reading Ahoy! Set sail for supper on Suship
There are so many wonderful museums across Tokyo and across Japan. Sometimes one finds the greatest treasures in the smallest of them. The current special exhibit at the Ota Folk Museum, "Ota-ku in art: scenes portrayed by writers and artists", is one such treasure. The exhibit, on the second floor of the museum, features woodblock … Continue reading Ota-ku in art: scenes portrayed by writers and artists
One could argue that Art Deco, which takes its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925, is a European--particularly French--style. But one of the distinctive features of Art Deco is the way in which it drew on influences from around the world, particularly Africa and the … Continue reading Art Deco’s Exoticism On Display
Jigsaw Japan 