You won’t see samurai with topknots, silk kimono and razor-sharp katana: for these you’d either need to travel back in time, visit a theme park or go to a koryu budo demonstration. But you’ll get to visit the Nippon Budokan (and if you have time …
For most visitors to Japan the word “ryokan” (or traditional Japanese inn) evokes images of really old, really expensive lodgings in idyllic rural settings with kimono-clad staff, classic kaiseki meals and prices that can be easily compared to …
Few would argue that—together with geisha, Mt. Fuji and cherry trees—samurai (well, and ninja) are the longest-lasting export of Japan. These members of the warrior (and then administrator) class that ran the country for about 800 years (from …
Everyone’s heard about Tokyo’s big gardens—the Kiyosumi Teien in Fukagawa, the Hamarikyu near Sumida River in Chuo Ward, the Rikugien near Komagome or those around the Imperial Palace and in the Meiji Jingu park. But if you happen to be in Tokyo …
Sadly, Jakotsuyu is permanently closed. I admit it: (a) I’m biased towards the Jakotsuyu Sento because it’s the closest public bath to my home and (b) it’s not really a “cheapo” choice since the prices are fixed by the Tokyo Sento Association at …
Who needs a camera in this day and age, right? Weeeeell sort of: there are still some things that normal cameras (you know, the ones that can’t be used as phones) can do and if you happen to be in Yokohama this weekend, the best place to see all …
It may be the global capital of modern cool these days, but even back in the Edo period, Tokyo was home to some of the most fascinating culture in the world. Forget samurai and their stylized and ritualistic life you see in those period films: …
