Nihonbashi used to be a starting point of travel routes. During Edo period when Shogun ruled Japan, there were several routes which people used for traveling and transporting goods. And the origin of these routes was Nihonbashi. Tokaido Way is one of those traveling routes. It is the longest route ...
Category: Biking
Ukiyo-e Tour to Kameido Tenjin ShrineUkiyo-e Tour to Kameido Tenjin Shrine
Kameido Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo has beautiful wisteria racks. If you visit there in late April or early May, beautiful purple flowers cover the whole area inside the shrine. And they annually hold Wisteria Flower Festival. However this year 2020, due to the spread of COVID-19, the festival was unfortunately ...
Ohanami, the Flower Viewing in TokyoOhanami, the Flower Viewing in Tokyo
Ohanami or the flower viewing is the most popular spring activities in Japan. Unfortunately, this year 2020, due to the spread of the COVID-19, we are advised not to do flower viewing. But we can still enjoy flower viewing on the website. ...
Viewing Last Cherry Blossoms in TokyoViewing Last Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo
Cherry blossoms in Tokyo start blooming at the end of March. In Japan, each prefecture has its “sample tree” and when five flowers bloom, the Meteorological Agency officially announce the flowering of the cherry blossoms. This is because the timing of the flowering of cherry blossoms is very important for ...
Le Corbusier and the Age of PurismLe Corbusier and the Age of Purism
EOAs of 25 March, 2019, there are still 8 more weeks to go until the exhibition of Le Corbusier at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo will finish. This is the exhibition to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the museum which was designed by the world renown architect, ...
The Arrival of Plum Blossoms SeasonThe Arrival of Plum Blossoms Season
It’s the season of plum blossoms! This year, the Plum Blossoms Festival of Yeshima Tenjin Shrine started on 9 February. The festival lasts until early March so I though going there now would be a little too early to enjoy the flowers. But it was not. ...
Strolling Around Alleys in ShinjukuStrolling Around Alleys in Shinjuku
Narrow alleys, in my opinion, are typical Tokyo streetscape. They are sometimes straight, sometimes winding but always narrow. And they often have many small shops, restaurants and houses along the alleys. Shinjuku has several such alleys. The street scene often reminds Japanese people of good old days. ...
Garden in the SkyGarden in the Sky
These days, roof-top garden is not so surprising. But I happened to visit a “garden in the sky” which was quite unique. It is Meguro Sky Garden. This garden is over Ohashi Junction which connects Metropolitan Expressway and Central Circular Expressway (Chuo Kanjo-sen). Whaaaat? The garden over the expressways? What ...
Slipping into an Alley of Good Old DaysSlipping into an Alley of Good Old Days
The atmosphere of good old days in Japan is, in my opinion, best reflected in alleys. Even today, if you go into the narrow streets, you can find something inherited from good old days. Wondering around the alleys is one of the fun things to do for example in Yanesen ...
International Arts in Japan – What’s New?International Arts in Japan – What’s New?
In Tokyo, museums and galleries often hold exhibitions of international arts. For example, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno now exhibits paintings of Leonard Tsuguharu Foujita. He was a Japanese-French painter of École de Paris. The poster of this exhibition used one of his famous paintings, “Cafe” which now belongs ...