On October 14, 1872, Japan's first passenger rail service opened, running between Yokohama (near modern-day Sakuragicho Station) and Tokyo (near modern-day Shimbashi Station). Such a milestone deserves celebration, especially one observing a service that has, in large degree, molded a nation. Certainly JR East agrees, so that Tokyo, at least, is widely decorated with posters … Continue reading Celebrating 150 years of railroads in Japan
This special promotional article for Japan Today surveys the highlights of the Dewa Sanzan area of Yamagata, which is featured on the Japan Heritage website. (Archived article in Japan Today.)
I don't usually write about an event just after it has occurred. It seems unfair to tell readers about something they've just missed. But I will break my own rule this once. Nearly all matsuri, traditional Japanese festivals usually associated with shrines, have been cancelled since the Corona virus pandemic began in 2020 so it … Continue reading Otsu Matsuri: the post-Covid return of a traditional matsuri
The Chiba Prefecture city of Sakura, about an hour east of Tokyo, got its start as a castle/garrison town guarding access to Edo (pre-modern day Tokyo). Although the castle itself was torn down in the 1870s (along with most of Japan's castles) by decree of the Meiji government, the town's roots as a castle town … Continue reading The Samurai Street of Sakura
For many in Japan, Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of compassion and mercy, has also come to be associated with prayers for peace and the repose of the souls of war dead. Predictably, this association arose in the years after Japan's defeat in World War II, but the association remains these many decades after the war … Continue reading Tokyo-wan Kannon: a surprising pantheon of peace
This article for Japan Today highlights the Tokyo Port Wild Bird Park, a haven for migratory and other birds, bird watchers, and other nature lovers; located not far from Tokyo's Haneda Airport. (Archived article in Japan Today.)
Sitting on the top floor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, the Kawasaki Reading Room is a culture and resource center dedicated to all things Japanese. A cultural connection between Japan and the American Great Plains feels unlikely, but in fact, the Kawasaki Reading Room is a busy little space that is … Continue reading Kawasaki Reading Room: A Japanese Culture Center for Nebraska
This travel article for Japan Today visits Suizenji Jojuen, a traditional samurai strolling garden of the feudal age and an absolute must-see for visitors to Kumamoto. (Archived article in Japan Today.)
Step through the wooden gate of Seattle's Japanese Garden and you may think you have been instantly transported to Japan. This garden, opened in 1960 but conceptualized five decades earlier, is well-established with trees and shrubs that thrive in both the climate of Japan and Seattle's climate. It symbolizes the close relationship between two nations … Continue reading Seattle Japanese Garden: a place where samurai could stroll
At first blush, one might think a Japanese garden in a little valley near the Missouri River in the middle of America to be incongruous. Yet, armed with knowledge of the sister city relationship between Omaha and Shizuoka and standing back to admire the physical situation of the garden, it all makes perfect sense. Omaha, … Continue reading A Garden of Japanese Icons in Nebraska
Craft beers have proliferated in Japan since the deregulation of beer production in the mid-1990s. One of the early leaders in micro-brewing is Kiuchi Brewery, an Ibaraki brewery that started making sake in 1823 and first produced beer in 1996. Kiuchi Brewery's beer is branded Hitachino Nest, with a cute little owl on the label. … Continue reading Hitachino Nest: The Happiness of Beer on a Hot Summer Day
My July 2022 article for Japan Today introduces a pretty mountainside temple in northern Ibaraki prefecture that has long historical connections to the imperial line.(Archived article in Japan Today)
Jigsaw Japan 