The bright lights of the big city that is Tokyo so dominate that it is easy to forget that Tokyo also has a number of fascinating suburban neighborhoods worthy of exploration. In search of the last of the hydrangeas that are so prolific this time of year, I thought I'd take a half-day walk through … Continue reading A Walk in the Rain: Exploring the Ota-ku suburbs
It is often said that Japan has a way of borrowing from other cultures and adapting that which is borrowed to make it both distinctly Japanese and better than it was originally. In the case of quilting, I can attest to the former, but am not prepared to make any judgment with respect to the … Continue reading Quilting Japanese style
A couple of weeks after a trip to Tottori earlier this year, I was delighted to take delivery of a small package from Tottori, but a bit puzzled and surprised by how light it was. While I was in Tottori, I had the pleasure of visiting Hoshoji-yaki Kaikegama, a pottery studio/kiln in Yonago, where I … Continue reading Experiencing Japanese ceramics firsthand
Saitama is often considered just a "bedroom" of Tokyo, but it has much to recommend it to tourists and day trippers, especially in its western reaches. This is an especially good time of year to explore one little corner of the Sayama area of Tokorozawa--the area around Seibukyujo-mae station. Throughout the summer, this is a … Continue reading Early summer exploration in Saitama
Ibaraki, though not far from Tokyo, is not widely regarded as a destination for international tourists. Yet it can be quite rewarding to get off the beaten track to explore "real" Japan. Moriya, just 30-some minutes from Akihabara on the Tsukuba Express, is a great example. Here, in a day trip from Tokyo, the intrepid … Continue reading Moriya: History, Countryside, Beer and Bath
By special guest blogger: Oliver Trapnell Despite being a bit of a taboo subject in some countries, LGBTQ groups have become increasingly visible all over the world. Japan is no exception. In Japan, as more people come to understand and accept diversity in society, there has been a gradual growth in both support for and … Continue reading The Pride of Tokyo
We couldn't have picked a better day the visit the Ghibli Museum. It was raining lightly when we arrived, so the colors of the vine-covered building were especially intense; truly another world. By the time we finished, feeling sunny from the wonderful experience we'd just had, the sun had come out. We didn't deliberately choose … Continue reading Ghibli Museum: The Whimsical World of Miyazaki
I was recently talking to a friend about Japanese baseball teams and, as Americans, we were both puzzled by Hiroshima's mascot of carp. It seemed to us a bit...well, floppy. Neither of us could fathom why a baseball team would choose a slippery, silvery, floppy fish as its symbol. Then we put on our cultural … Continue reading Koinobori: symbols of strength, courage, and perseverance
Kamakura, less than an hour by train from Tokyo, is a popular day tripper destination because of its abundance of things to see and do. A city built in finger valleys radiating from a small bay, one of its many fascinating features is the hiking trails that connect the different valleys. Recently a few friends … Continue reading Hiking the Hills of Kamakura: a spring day’s walk from Kita-Kamakura to Hase
Little remains of Japan's famous cherry blossoms except a few pale pink petals caught by the wind and swirling in the gutter. But as I watch these petals dance, in the corner of my eye I catch sight of a burst of color--a vivid shade of magenta smiling at me from the hedge that divides … Continue reading Amazing Azaleas
Japan has many traditional performing arts, each with its own origin and style. Noh, which dates back to the 14th century, combines music, dance and drama, as well as the distinctive feature of performers who are often masked. The plays are often historic legends and the language used is often so old that even native … Continue reading Which part of “Noh” don’t you understand?
In the opening scene of the 1968 movie, "Admiral Yamamoto", starring the great Mifune Toshiro, Yamamoto is being ferried across a river in his hometown and is challenged by the boatman to make the crossing standing on his head, thereby demonstrating his superior balance and seamanship. Perhaps because I know there was a time in … Continue reading A traditional river crossing…and meandering old neighborhoods
Jigsaw Japan 