In these days of working from home and social distancing, when everyone is being discouraged from visiting crowded, poorly ventilated venues, it seems Tokyo's parks are getting even more of a work-out than usual. That's saying a lot, given the overall popularity of parks in Tokyo. Personally, I think a lot about where I can … Continue reading Todoroki Gorge: Tokyo’s deep, green respite
Sitting on a plateau above the Hitotsuse River valley in central Miyazaki Prefecture is a 58 hectare site covered in tumuli, the kofun burial mounds of the period from the second century to the seventh century AD, a period in Japanese history known as the "Kofun Period" because of this practice. There are at least … Continue reading Saitobaru: A Walk in Miyazaki’s “Valley of the Kings”
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
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
Jigsaw Japan 