On a hot summer afternoon, as I sit in my living room reading, with the windows wide open, I hear two distinctly "summer" sounds. The first is the cicadas, a somewhat irritating sound that just reminds me of how hot it is. The second, a far more welcome sound, is the soft tinkle of my … Continue reading Enjoying the sounds of summer
It all started in the middle of the 9th century. Summer was always the season for increased disasters: illness, floods, and devastating fires. So the emperor ordered people to offer prayers for relief at Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto's Gion district. Before long, the prayers were being offered with such regularity that the people made an … Continue reading Gion Matsuri – centuries-old purification rites (and a great summertime party)
Japan has a long history of various kinds of metallurgy beginning with swordmaking, but certainly not ending there. I have learned that Japan has an appreciation for cast iron cookware similar to what my mother instilled in me, although, like many things with Japan, they've taken it to a different level. When I was a … Continue reading A different kind of “Iron Man”
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
This article is a review of Coconoma Season Dining, a restaurant in the heart of Tokyo that recently served me well for a business lunch. (Archived article - Originally published by Japan Today Insight)
Writer-philosopher Alain de Botton suggested in his book "The Art of Travel" that images of places can make us want to visit them. It is the sense of "I want to see that for myself". Iwakuni's Kintaikyo bridge is definitely such a place! Its five arched spans invoke a sense of mystery. When was it … Continue reading Iconic Iwakuni
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
I have always been fascinated by locks; the use of gravity to move water--and whatever is floating on top of it--up or down in a controlled fashion. Although Japan has lots of natural waterways--often with quite sharp descents to the sea--, I was pleasantly surprised to find a lock on a man-made canal in the … Continue reading Toyama’s Fugan Canal – retooling an industrial waterway
This article describes the historical places of interest in and around Usuki, a castle town in Oita on the island of Kyushu. (Archived article - Originally published by Japan Today)
Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan for over a thousand years (although there are locals who say Kyoto is still the capital and the emperor is just on a business trip to Tokyo). It is this long history, and in particular, the religious and cultural sophistication that developed over the centuries, that still attracts … Continue reading Murin-an: a glimpse of fin de siècle Kyoto
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
Jigsaw Japan 