Located in the tallest building in the city, The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo offers guests an understated and luxurious environment high above the hustle and bustle of Roppongi’s trendy Tokyo Midtown complex. I recently had the pleasure of a relaxing one night retreat from my daily life and thanks to the generosity of The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo you […]
When one thinks of items representative of Japan the list inevitably includes kimono, sushi and bullet trains but one shouldn’t overlook the beauty of Japanese woodblock prints or ukiyo-e. The word ukiyo refers to the world of common people and e means picture. This art form originated in the late sixteenth century in the ancient […]
The full scale replica of Gundam is quite a sight and one that can only be seen in person until the end of this month in Tokyo’s modern Odaiba area. Gundam is quite an impressive sight towering over surrounding trees and appearing to be larger than the buildings on the horizon. At intervals he turns […]
Take a gamble on the strength of your faith the next time you visit Kamakura and you may leave richer in both spiritual and monetary terms. The Zeniarai Bentzaiten Ugafuku Jinja (shrine) is dedicated to Benzai, one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, who is revered as the Goddess of knowledge, art and beauty, […]
It’s art in the park, Japanese style…one of Japan’s oldest traditional performing arts will be enacted in the shadows of historic Osaka Castle in the Kansai region of Japan this month but you can also witness it outdoors on Sado Island and in Tokyo or Okinawa in a more traditional setting at various times throughout […]
Summer heat and fatigue, natsubate, has struck The Nihon Sun! That, a few earthquakes, and visitors with crazy schedules has made me a sweat drenched and sunburned resident with lots of inspiration but an inability to peck out a cohesive string of words down on my keyboard… My trusty folding fan is never far from […]
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 […]
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 […]
