A visit to the Tsukiji Wholesale Fish Market in Tokyo is much lauded in the tourist guidebooks to the city but after five years on living in Japan I still hadn’t been. That all changed when an enthusiastic friend arrived and wanted to make the trip.  I had read about controversy surrounding visits to the [...]

Dining in a  lantern lit alleyway that lies humbly within walking distance of Tokyo’s glitzy Ginza stores and neon lights is sure to have you saying “Oishikatta!” – that was delicious! As you enter Yakitori Alley you will be met with a chorus of irishaimase (welcome) from the staff of the many closet sized restaurants [...]

Samurai on horseback, parading through town and competing in contests with a history that dates back more than 1000 years.  That’s what you will witness if you attend the three day Soma Noma-oi Festival in Fukushima prefecture later this month.  A Japan National Intangible Folk Cultural Asset, this event features a parade of 500 armored [...]

Taking the train in Japan is really quite easy but like doing anything for the first time it can be a bit intimidating at first. Which train line do I want?  Which track do I need to be on to go in the right direction?  These questions and more will be racing through your mind [...]

Amusement parks, theme parks will add a special something to your Japan trip, especially if you are traveling with kids, or the young at heart who would never dream of passing up an opportunity to act like kid. Game centers (video game arcades) can be found in almost every neighborhood and Ferris Wheels seem to [...]

Temaki at a sushi bar blocks from the Tsukiji Wholesale fish market in Tokyo.   The temaki (hand rolls) pictured below are natto (fermented soy beans) with shiso leaves, cod roe and kappa (cucumber) from left to right. The fish roe melts in your mouth, the nori is crisp and flavorful and sushi tastes great even [...]

All you can drink and a view of the sun setting over Tokyo for free! OK, this view is free but the drinks will cost you – Y2,900 for women and Y3,800 for men! The Fours Seasons Hotel in the heart of Tokyo’s bustling Marunouchi district is offering an “Ekki Summer Sunset” all-you-can-drink plan until [...]

Separated by the milky way, two star crossed lovers are only able to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month based on the lunisolar calendar.  The legend of Hikoboshi (the star known as Alter) and Orihime (the star known as Vega) has roots in China but has been associated with [...]

Giving thanks in Japan is an art form and one that can be hard to understand from a western perspective.  There are a number of times each year when the Japanese show their thanks by giving gifts.  They visit temples and shrines year round to say prayers and give thanks for their blessings and those [...]

Shrines in Japan offer up beautiful vignettes for visitors to enjoy at every turn.  The torii (entrance gate) can be impressive, large and wooden like that at Meiji Jingu, multiple smaller ones in a distinctive red, or a single simple torii that humbly announces the presence of the shrine. The path to the shrine itself [...]