Over time ukiyo-e developed into popular art form and the subjects of the prints broadened. The equivalent of today’s movie poster were Yakusha-e or woodblock prints of kabuki actors in popular roles and Bijin-ga illustrated beautiful women of Edo.

In the early days, wood block prints were one color with two and three color prints first created in the 1740′s followed by multi-color called nishiki-e (brocade picture) in the early Meiji period.  Hiroshige’s 100 Views of Edo created during the first half of the 1800′s combined images of daily life in Edo, now Tokyo, with iconic landscapes and places.

Ukiyo-e offers a glimpse into life in early japan through its stunning visiual representation of the clothing, events and customs of the time.

How Ukiyo-e Are Created

Making traditional ukiyo-e (woodblock) prints is a complex process that involves the work of at least three artisans:

1. The ukiyo-e artist sketches the design with sumisen (ink lines)
2. The horishi (carver) pastes the sketch on a block made of wild cherry wood and carves out the design. This block, called a sumiita (ink plate), is only for printing the black outline.
3. Other blocks are then carved out, one for each color; these are called iroita (color plates).
4. The surishi (printer) applies color on the blocks under the artist’s supervision. The light colors and largest areas are printed first followed by darker colors and small details.
5. Sheets of paper are then pressed on each woodblock to create the design.  Each block has a marking on the same spot relative to the finished picture to ensure that the image remains aligned throughout the process.

The artisans are so skilled that it is often hard to discern the steps or block used to create a high quality multi-color woodblock print.  It’s hard not to appreciate the beauty if the resulting prints once you are aware of the painstaking process required to create them.

Ukiyo-e in Museums

Visitors to most major museums in Japan will enjoy perusing a selection of famous ukiyo-e prints but one of the best collections of prints is not found in Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka but in a city in northern Japan better know for its ski slopes than its contribution to the art world.  The Japan Ukiyo-e Museum is located in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture and is home to the largest private collection of ukiyo-e (woodblock prints), paintings screens and old books in the world.  Over the course of five generations the Sakai family has amassed an amazing collection of over 100,000 pieces.

In Tokyo, visit the Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art or the The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints.

Ukiyo-e for Kids of All Ages

Kids-web Japan has a gallery of some famous woodblock prints and you can even create your own virtual Ukiyo-e to see if you have mastered the process.

Image Credit:  Wikimedia, Utamaro1, Red Fuji southern wind clear morning by Katsushika Hokusai & Dai-ichi no Gekijō Shintomi-za from Tōkyō Meisho by Hiroshige Utagawa III

You will walk away with a better understanding and appreciation for the art forms than you will get from any museum – and you’ll have a great souvenir from your trip too!

The Kyoto Handicraft Center offers a variety of hands on activities such as cloisonne making, dorei (Clay bell) doll or fan painting, Koma spinning top making, woodblock printing (ukiyoe), incense mixing (part of the art of koh-do), drawing with gold powder, damascene accessories (gold & silver inlay) and shichimi (Japanese spice) blending.

Each lesson is conducted by Japanese artisans and English translation is provided.  The cost ranges from Y1,890 to Y3,980 and each session takes about an hour.

The center also offers demonstrations by working crafts people and a shop where you can purchase local Kyoto handicrafts.

Located near the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art and the Heian Jingu Shrine, the Kyoto Handicraft Center is approximately half an hour by bus or fifteen minutes by taxi from Kyoto Station and is open daily from 10AM-5PM except for January 1st – 3rd. (Kyoto Handicraft Center Access Map)

Image Credit: Wikimedia, Fan, Japanese

My trusty folding fan is never far from reach these days and offers a bit of a respite from the pervasive heat and humidity that oppresses residents of, and visitors to, Japan this time of year.

I’m still getting out and about – in the last few weeks I’ve visited Kamakura, one of many great day trips from Tokyo, shopped my way through Nippori and strolled through the Yanaka cemetery searching for an elusive cool patch under the trees that are scattered amongst the grave stones. It’s just one of my new found favorite areas of Tokyo and one that is well worth adding to any Tokyo itinerary.  I’ve also watched a couple of baseball games and dreamed about visiting the cooler surrounds of Hokkaido in northern Japan.

As a result of natsubate The Nihon Sun will be going on a lighter summer posting schedule for the next few weeks – but don’t fear, we haven’t gone anywhere, we’re still out looking for great destinations and quality content that will inspire and inform those that wish to visit Japan, even if it’s only virtually!

While we are busy fanning ourselves and trying to find the nearest source or cool air we are also busy working on a comprehensive Japan Travel ebook that will be released in the fall.  It is the result of our continuing commitment to a Cut & Paste Japan Trip Planning philosophy and another resource that we hope will help you plan a highly personal and unique trip to Japan.

In the meantime, stay cool and take some time to peruse through some of the content that has been popular over the last few months:

• Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Pictures
• Cheap Eats in Japan
• The Unusual Superstitions of the Japanese
• Budgeting Your Time In Japan
• Purity & Prayer at Japanese Shrines
• The Three Most Scenic Spots in Japan
• Getting Around in Japan
• How to Take the Train in Japan
• My Favorite Place in Japan – Different Perspectives
• 25 Things to Do In Japan Before You Die

Image Credit:  Flickr, Ishiyamadera monks 04

Kamakura is home to a number of beautiful temples and shrines with histories that date back centuries as well as beautiful beaches and a giant Buddha Statue know as Daibutsu.

Yokohama is also located in Kanagawa Prefecture and is home to one of the world’s largest Chinatown’s and a thoroughly modern port area, Minato Mirai, where you can shop, eat and get a great view of Yokohama Bay from the Ferris wheel or the Landmark Tower.

Nikko is home to one of Japan’s UNESCO World heritage sites and is approximately a two hour train ride from Tokyo in Tochigi Prefecture.  See the elaborate carvings on the ancient shrines and escape the heat of a a Tokyo summer in the mountains of this stunning landlocked area.

Kawagoe is located in Saitama Prefecture and is nicknamed “Little Edo”.  This town is famous for it’s traditional Japanese warehouses and a quaint old fashioned atmosphere.  You will find over 500 statues of Buddha on the grounds of the Kitain Temple and a candy lane where you can peruse and sample all sorts of Japanese candy.

If you want to be further afield be sure to peruse our regional Japan travel series for inspiration.  From north to south, Hokkaido to Okinawa, you will find great sights to add to your itinerary and events to plan your trip around – if you sample the foods of each area as you travel about hungry our companion regional foods of Japan will help you do just that!

Image Credit:  Flickr, Japan0105.15, Nikko – Toshogu, Mt. Fuji from Yokohama & Kura in Kawagoe

No matter whether you itinerary takes your to Tokyo or Kyoto, Okinawa or Hokkaido, make an effort to look around you and notice the little things!

Look down to find a creative array of decorative manhole covers and sidewalk decorations…

Japan is the land of micro cars and precarious parking options that will make you smile and shake your head in wonder…

Narrow alleys and side streets are great to explore.  Small shops and quaint restaurants often sit side by side or under equally diminutive residences…

Tall skinny buildings that appear too small to house much of anything but reside alongside much larger neighbors or alone at an intersection…

The small portions of a traditional Japanese kaiseki meal and how they add up to a deliciously full stomach and satisfied palate…

Your Japan guidebook won’t teach you the art of being observant or how to take time to notice and appreciate the little things that are part of daily life in Japan and often overlooked by visitors in their haste to get to the next place on their itinerary.  Don’t be so intent on your destination that you miss the little things!

Try to capture your own unique view of Japan in pictures but also the little things that can’t be captured on film like some of my favorite things…the small gestures and unique mannerisms of store clerks, the crazed and hectic pace of a train station where you barely notice the person beside you as you intently plod toward the track or exit, the amazing feeling of peacefulness that can be found in a small pocket of greenery amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, taking my mamachari (shopping bike) our to run errands in the neighborhood…

What’s your favorite and often overlooked “little” thing about Japan?

Image Credit:  Flickr, Decorative Man Hole Covers, Tiny car, Japan – sidestreets and alleys, Very Thin Building & __japan kaiseki mmmm

Tokyo beers gardens can be found in parks and on building rooftops throughout the city  and there’s nothing better than enjoying a cold beer, or two, with friends on a warm summer evening in the city. Social and business networking on Tokyo has now been taken to a new level with the creation of the Tokyo Garden Party.

On a sweltering summer day in 2008, two of Tokyo’s up-and-coming creative agencies got together to discuss ways in which to work together. Instead of having the meeting at their office, they decided to rendezvous at the beer garden on the roof of Bunkamura in Shibuya.

“It was such a beautiful afternoon, it seemed crazy to stay inside”, says Wayne J. Moskwa, creative designer at fusionbureau. “For two agencies that specialized in breaking the rules it seemed like the natural place to get together”. Over several plates of edamame (boiled soy beans) and a few rounds of daijoki (big beers), bonds were formed which led to the fusionbureau team taking on the task of rebuilding the SET website and SET putting together an event for one of fusionbureau’s clients.

It worked out so well that they decided to start a networking event between the two firms. Johan Rooms from fusionbureau explained how the original idea was to bring along one or two clients each time and talk and drink together casually about possible collaborations. “We envisioned around 15-20 people getting together every once in a while in the hope of finding some synergy”.

Fast forward to 2009 and Tokyo Garden Party is the talk of the town…sort of. Now getting ready their 4th event, the jointly run networking event is garnering great reviews and a rapidly growing Facebook army. Greg McMaster from SET says they were amazed by the response. “We were aiming for 30 people for the first event, held at Shibuya Bunkamura in honor of the place where the idea first took shape, but we had over 60 despite the dodgy weather”.

The format is fairly loose and there are no guest speakers or presentations.  Rather it is simply an opportunity to get together in a casual open-air setting and talk. The Facebook page says that it is for marketing and advertising industry people but this was only because they didn’t have a wide enough category to cover what the organizers wanted. It is open to anyone either living in Tokyo or visiting from abroad. Basically if you enjoy drinking outdoors, it’s the event for you.

Greg Lane from fusionbureau says the idea was to create something that was pretty much without rules. “We have toyed with the idea of presenters and special guests but we might leave that until the hangover of year one has passed and we start planning for 2010″.

If you want to get more information check out the Tokyo Garden Party Facebook page, visit the Tokyo Garden Party website or follow @tokyobeergarden on Twitter.

Upcoming Tokyo Garden Parties

Thursday, August 13 at 7:00pm – Jingu-Gaien ‘Mori no Biagaaden’ (The Forest Beer Garden)

Join the party by leaving your RSVP on the Tokyo Garden Party Facebook page.

Image Credit: Facebook, Photos from Tokyo Garden Party #2 & Photos from Tokyo Garden Party #3

Japan Rail, better know as JR to locals, offers a selection of special tickets that will do just that!  Some promotions are seasonal but all will save you some dollars if you plan well.

Selected money saving train passes currently offered by JR East:

Yokohama-Minatomirai Pass – Explore Yokohama on the JR EAST Negishi Line and the Minatomirai Line for Y500 (adults) and Y250 (children).  Good for multiple trips and a coupon book as available at the time of purchase.

Kamakura/Enoshima Excursion Ticket – unlimited travel within the Kamakura/Enoshima area over two days for Y1,970 (adults) and Y1,000 (children).  Good for travel starting from any station on the Yamanote Line in central Tokyo.

Holiday Pass (Holidei Pass) – a great ticket for tourists that offers travel throughout greater Tokyo including Yokohama, Kamakura (Daibutsu – great Buddha of Kamamura pictured below), Saitama and Chiba. The cost of a one day pass is Y2,300 (adults) and Y1,150 (children) and is effective on Saturdays, Sundays, Public Holidays and during the Summer/Winter holiday season.

Seishun18 (Seishun ju – hachi kippu) – this ticket allows you to go almost anywhere in Japan, from Hokkaido (Lake Masyuko pictured below left) to Kyushu, on the JR rail system.  This five day pass can be used in a number of ways but has limitations that are more than offset by it’s low price of Y11,500 (no child fare).  Note that this ticket cannot be used on the shinkansen (bullet train) so it is not a quick way to get around the country.

Saturday / Sunday Ticket(Do-Nichi Kippu) – This ticket offers weekend travel from Tokyo to Sendai, Yamagata, Niigata and Nagano (Tsugaike Ski Resort picture above right) areas at a cost of Y18,000 (adults 19+), Y9,000 (ages 12-18) and Y3,000 (ages 6-11).

For those coming from outside Japan with plans to travel extensively about the country consider purchasing a Japan Rail Pass that range in price from Y37,800 for seven days to Y79,600 for twenty-one days for adults.

Make sure you do the math when purchasing these tickets – sometimes it is more cost effective to purchase individual tickets depending on your itinerary. Use Hyperdia or one of the other tools identified in How to Take the Train in Japan to estimate your train travel budget in Japan.  Also, take a moment to read Budgeting Your Time in Japan to get a grasp on how much time it takes to move about the country and even across Tokyo.

Details, travel restrictions and rules for the tickets identified above and others can be found on the JR-East Special Tickets page.

Image Credit:  Flickr, [Minato Mirai] The Failure In Blue, fujisan enoshima wind-surf, Daibutsu, 摩周湖 (摩周湖第一展望台) Masyuko lake (Hokkaido, Japan) & Tsugaike

Accompanied but the thundering sound of beating drums, the music of bamboo flutes and shouts of “rasseera” by Haneto dancers this is more than just a parade.  It is a dramatic six night festival that is considered one of the best in Japan as evidenced by the three million people that visit annually.  The Aomori Nebuta Festival culminates on the final evening when a large toro, lantern, is floated out to sea, symbolically taking evil spirits with it, as large and colorful display of fireworks light up the night sky.

Some historians believe that this event is a local variation of Tanabata celebrations, and others think it originated with a general who created large creatures to scare away rebels in the area sometime in the 800′s.

Japan in Motion offers a great video of the festival and says that “The Aomori Nebuta Festival is, unquestionably, one of the most visually dramatic, energetic, and well attended festivals in all Japan”.  More than thirty nebuta floats participate each year – each takes up to a year to construct and some tower five meters above the street and are spun about by their handlers as they move along the parade route.

Visitors are encourage to participate with area vendors renting Haneto costumes for around Y5,000 per person.

Hirosaki, also in Aomori prefecture, also hosts its won festival, the Neptuta Festival, where a much quieter, but no less impressive, version of the events in Aomori take place.

The Aomori Nebuta Festival takes place from August 2nd through the 7th and the Hirosaki Neputa Festival starts a day earlier, on the first, and also ends on the 7th.

Visit the Japan Nation Tourist Organization website for Nebuta Festival access information for both sites.

Image Credit:  Flickr, Aomori Nebuta festival, Japan [2008], 2006-0802 (191) & Hirosaki Neputa festival, Japan [2008]

The big blue tuna billboard (pictured on the right) is an iconic sign marking the entrance to the bustling narrow alleyways that crisscross an area that is approximately three square blocks.  It’s still a hectic place with many carts, forklift and people scurrying about so you need still need to keep your wits about you when you visit.

The Tsukiji morning market sells more than just fish – fresh fruit, vegetables, tsukemono (pickled vegetables), dried fish, knives, tea and a variety of cooking utensils and implements cab be found in the market area.   Below are soybeans (edamame) and wasabi root.

But the fish is and shell fish is definitely the star of the show at the market with a variety that is quite amazing.

Some ika (squid) and sea urchin (uni)…

Fish selling for Y100 per piece and some more shellfish…

The Tsukiji morning market is a feast for the eyes and your other senses.  If you are in the area and up early it is worth the effort to make the trip.

Many vendors offer samples of their product (some for free) so if you are up for bran pickled vegetables, a little unagi (freshwater eel), ramen, tempura or sushi for breakfast then you are in for a treat!

Keep in mind that much of the area is shuttered by lunch time.  Like the Tsukiji Wholesale Market itself if you have limited mobility (use a cane, wheelchair or walker) or are with small children you may find the experience frustrating and even a bit frightening due to the narrow passageways and hectic crowds.

Click on the images below to navigate a slide show of the images that I took during my early morning Tsukiji adventure.

 

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

Getting around in Japan provided an overview of the different transportation options that you have when you visit or live in Japan but for most people the predominant mode of transportation is the train system.  Whether you take the Narita Express (NEX) into the city from the airport, the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto or or the local metro system you will likely spend a lot of time on trains! (see budgeting your time in Japan for planning strategies & tips)

While this article is focused primarily on taking the subway in Tokyo you will find that much of the information is the same across the JR Trains and local metro systems in other cities.

Train Route Maps

Many guidebooks and the front desks of most hotels catering to tourists as well as tourist information desks usually offer free bilingual train route maps for you use.  Pick one up and stash it in your pocket – it will come in handy trust me!

If you are doing some advanced planning for your trip to Japan and will be spending some time in Tokyo take a moment to download and print a color copy of the Tokyo Metro English Route Map.

How much does it cost?

Train fares in Japan vary by the distance traveled and start around Y160 for adults in Tokyo.  Children are half price and those under six ride free.

There are two ways that you can determine the fare to your destination.

1. Look for fare charts in English near the ticket vending machines and find the name of you destination – the fare will be to the right of the station name.   This is the easiest and quickest way to determine your fare.  Locate the name of your destination and the number off to the right is the fare.
2. If you don’t see an English fare chart you will need to find your destination on the map above the ticket vending machines at each station.  This can be a challenge as not all maps are bilingual.  Newer maps assign each subway station a letter (usually the first letter of the line) and a number (the stop number) which make this a whole lot easier but as you can tell by the photo below all of the maps have not been updated yet.  The number below or off to the side is the fare to your destination.  At this point you should also make a note of the end station in the direction that you will be traveling.

If you have access to a computer you can do all of this online at Tokyo Transfer Guide, Hyperdia or Jorudan.  Follow the on screen directions and these sites will tell you the fare to your destination, transfer points along the way and the total travel time.

Prepaid Train Cards

Avoid the hassle of determining your train fare altogether by purchasing a Suica or Pasmo Card.  These cards allow you to bypass the ticket vending machine and head straight for the fare gates.  No more trying to decipher the fare maps!  Just swipe your card across the reader at the fair gates upon entry and exit and the correct fare will be deducted from the balance on the card.

You can purchase or add funds to your Suica or Pasmo Card at ticket vending machines bearing the correct logo.  Most of these machines provide guidance in English.  The minimum value that you can purchase is Y1,000 ($10 USD).  Both cards require a deposit of Y500 of which all but Y210 is returned to you when you turn the card back in.

The Suica and Pasmo cards can also be used on busses that display the cards logo and can even be used to purchase merchandise at participating vendors.  The advantage to the Suica card is that it can also be used on JR train lines and is not limited to central Tokyo and the subway.   However there are different Suica for different regions of Japan so a Suica card purchased in Tokyo may not work in Osaka and vice versa.

Tokyo Metro One-Day Open Ticket

If the purchase of a Suica or Pasmo Card is not warranted in your situation then you should consider the One-Day Open Ticket.  At a cost of Y710 (around $7 USD) this is an inexpensive option if you will be using the system a lot on any given day.  The tickets can be purchased in advance (at pass offices) or on the day of travel at the normal ticket vending machines.

Transfer Points

There is a good chance that you will have to change trains to get to your final destination.  If you used the tools identified above you already have that information but if you are looking at a paper map the easiest way to the to determine your route is to locate your staring and ending points on the route map and then follow the colored lines on the map until they intersect – these will be your transfer points.

Purchasing a Ticket the Old-Fashioned Way

Insert Yen into the ticket vending machine and select the amount of your fare from the lit buttons or the touch screen on newer machines.  If you are traveling with a group it is possible to purchase multiple tickets by first selecting the number above the fare amounts.

Correct change is not required and you may pay with bills or coin (credit cards are not accepted).

Proceed through the Fare Gate

If you purchased a paper ticket insert it into slot located above the green arrow on the fare gate. Don’t forget to retrieve your ticket as you pass through the gate as you will need to use it to exit at your destination.

If you purchased a Suica or Pasmo Card just pass it slowly over the readers as you enter.

When yo arrive at your destination you will the fare gates in the same manner as you entered them only this time the machine will keep your paper ticket if you purchased one.

Which Platform/Track?

In order to determine which platform you need to be on look for the overhead signs after you pass through the fare gate.  These signs will indicate where the train on each platform is headed  and may also list a other significant stops along the way as well as the end point of the line in both English & Kanji.  If the sign  is electronic and you only see Kanji wait a moment – it will switch to English at most stations.  If it does not, stop at the stationmasters office for the track number for your destination.

If by chance you head in the wrong direction simply get off at the next stop and switch platforms to head back the other direction.

Exit the Station

It may seem like a simple task but larger stations may have many exits located blocks apart!  Most guidebooks will mention an exit name or number where it is applicable.  The signage in most stations is very good and you will simply follow the arrows to the correct exit.

Tokyo Metro provides an online guide titled Using the Subway and also reminds users of train etiquette – these guidelines are mostly common sense and should be utilized on train lines throughout Japan.

Rush Hour & Trains

If you can avoid taking the train during rush hours it is a good idea unless you enjoy being crammed into a train car like a sardine!

Online Resources:

• Getting Around in Japan
• Budgeting your time in Japan
• Narita Express (NEX)
• Suica Card
• Pasmo Card

Japan Train Route Planners:

• Tokyo Transfer Guide
• Hyperdia
• Jorudan

Photo Credit:  Personal Collection