Tokyo's Hibiya district sits at the intersection of the Kasumigaseki government area, the Ginza shopping area and the business districts of Shimbashi and Marunouchi. It stands to reason, then, that it would be popular as a cultural and entertainment center. Flanked by Hibiya Park and sitting atop the Hibiya subway station, the area is home … Continue reading Hibiya’s Hidden Stars
In early 1868, Japan was in turmoil. A few months earlier, the conflict over whether power should revert to the newly enthroned emperor Meiji or remain in the hands of the Tokugawa shogunate that had ruled Japan for the previous 250 years had ignited into war. Needless to say, the conflict ultimately centered on Edo, … Continue reading Shoto-en: a hidden historical garden
Jiyugaoka has a reputation for being a trendy area to shop, dine and relax with friends. Its narrow brick or stone-paved laneways lined with shops and eateries are inviting to pedestrians. One could spend hours meandering here. This week-end (September 1-2, 2018), however, suburban Jiyugaoka returns to its agrarian roots as its local shrine celebrates … Continue reading Jiyugaoka’s Kumano Shrine festival – celebrating the harvest
The moon is full, the night is balmy, and you just wanna kick up your heels and dance! Maybe that sentiment explains the origins of the Anamori Inari Lantern Festival taking place this weekend at Anamori Inari Shrine near Haneda Airport. There is still time to join the Saturday night portion of the festival, or … Continue reading Lanterns and dancing: the Anamori Inari Lantern Festival
by special guest blogger: Evan M. FitzGerald When the lights go down in the city, escaping the hustle and bustle to lantern-lit Enoshima is a welcome relief. Located about an hour south of Tokyo, this island situated between Kamakura and Fujisawa is a haven for surfers, lovers, and even families. Right now its beauty is … Continue reading Enoshima: Lanterns Light the Way
A water-filled volcanic crater is a thing to behold. One spectacular example in Japan is Lake Towada which sits on the border between Aomori and Akita Prefectures. Here one finds a crater within a crater and a volcano that vulcanologists regard as still active even though it hasn't erupted in a millenium. Sitting 690 meters … Continue reading Towada-ko: Exploring a northern crater lake
By special guest blogger: Oliver Trapnell In the West, many people associate stone-related art with great masculine sculptures such as Michelango’s 'David', the Renaissance, and other famous names such as da Vinci and Donatello. Whilst these sculptors focused on realism, Japan was focusing on creating abstract works using the same canvas (in fact, at the … Continue reading The Zenith of Stone
By special guest blogger: Oliver Trapnell Utilizing some of the latest technology, teamLab has created a truly unique experience in which one can interact and visualise art in new ways. The opening last month of ‘teamLab Borderless’ at the MORI Building Digital Art Museum (1-3 Aomi, Kōtō-ku, Tokyo-to) has been a rousing success attracting hundreds … Continue reading Borderless Art
Mt. Asama, on the border of Nagano and Gunma prefectures, is one of Japan's many active volcanoes and the most active one on Honshu island. Yet it is usually relatively approachable and some interesting sights nearby testify to its geological impact. Two of those are Shiraito Falls and Onioshidashi Park. Just a 25 minute bus … Continue reading Water, rocks and devils: the geological impact of an active volcano
The small city of Kamaishi, on the Sanriku coast of Iwate Prefecture, for more than a century a thriving center of Japan's steel production is, these days, supported by fisheries, shellfish farms, and eco-tourism. It was badly impacted by the 2011 Tohoku disaster, with the tsunami waters reaching 4.3 meters, easily breaching the Kamaishi Tsunami Protection … Continue reading Kamaishi Kannon: guardian goddess and witness to history
It isn't every day that you get to see the birth of a river. Yet that is exactly what visitors see in Kakita River Park in Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture. Every day a million tons of water burbles its way to the surface through the sandy soil in this park to form the Kakita River, already … Continue reading Kakita River Park – where a river is born
Japan's "Kofun Period", from the 2nd century to the 7th century, is named for the tumulus burial mounds that characterize it. Of the 30,000 tumuli extant in Japan, some 750 are believed to contain the remains of emperors or members of the imperial family. Most of the others were used for local chieftains or other … Continue reading Where the bodies are buried: Kofun burial mounds along the Tama River
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