“What a splendid land is this Yamato, our precious island of dragonflies” Dragonflies are a beloved symbol of summer in Japan and the words above are credited to Emperor Jomei who ruled the Yamato (a province in ancient Japan) imperial court from 629 -641 and are included in the Manyoshu, the “Collection of Ten Thousand […]
Japan has more earthquake activity than almost any place in the world. While we don’t have noticeable earthquakes everyday, they are a common occurrence – one that gets your attention but doesn’t hold it for long unless unless it is longer or stronger than “usual”. The 6.9 magnitude earthquake that was felt in Tokyo last […]
Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan by Robert Whiting was a great read – a historical page turner that takes a look at life in post World War II from the point of view of Nick Zapetti, a shady character and sometime con-man who finds himself “in […]
I’m off to Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture today – it’s just one of a few great day trips that can be made using Tokyo as a base. Many of these places can be explored in a day but if you have time you may want to consider staying the night at a hotel or ryokan […]
Bring a keen sense of observation with you when you visit Japan and you will leave with more than the usual photo album and stories of shrine visits, great food, and trains. The scenes of daily life in Japan are often fanciful, sometimes quite mundane and on other occasions very thought provoking and serene. No […]
For three days in early August the streets of Ningyocho in Tokyo are transformed into a haven for those who love Japanese dishes and decorative ceramics. Tented booths line the sidewalks on either side of Ningyocho-dori and area wholesalers sell their wares to the public at deeply discounted prices. I picked up two sets of […]
Taking pictures of Japan is a must for visitors and residents alike and there are so many great things to photograph that it can be overwhelming. As an amateur photography buff I have recently taken on the personal challenge of capturing images that are not what you might expect to see in a photo album […]
Somewhere in Asia there was a total, or nearly total, eclipse of the sun July 22, 2009. According to my newspaper that morning, Okinawa was going to have about an 80% eclipse and it would be the event of the century; not happen again for another 130 some years. I figured I’d have to live […]
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 […]
Nothing goes to waste in the Japanese kitchen says Elizabeth Andoh. It’s a statement that she goes on to prove as she conducts a recent workshop on how to make tsukemono, Japanese pickles. A nub of ginger that is too small to grate without risking harm to your knuckles, a small piece of carrot or […]
