English Nikko is one of Tochigi prefecture most famous places, known for its huge cultural history, temples, waterfalls and scenery. Among Nikko’s wonders both the lake Yuno-ko and the Senjogahara Marshland are a ‘must-see’ all year long. A good friend of mine (http://blog.benoa.net/) who also happens to be a professional photographer decided to make the […]
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English By far our favorite shopping spot in Tokyo, Daikanyama is also one of the trendiest spot that many tourists ignore when visiting Japan. With respect to Omotesando, Daikanyama offers a far better shopping experience with trendier shops and restaurants than the mythical and usually overcrowded Japanese avenue. Granted Daikanyama may look like a maze […]
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English Jigokudani Yaen-koen, known for its many onsen (hot spring baths), is located in the Yokoyu valley of Nagano prefecture. Like the humans that come to bathe, there is a large population of Japanese Macaques (“snow monkeys”) that also bathe in the hot springs. First opened in 1964, Jigokudani Yaen-koen and more precisely Jigokudani Onsen […]
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English Best known as the senior’s version of Harajuku, Sugamo and its Jizo-Dori shopping district give you a unique perspective on Japan and it’s senior citizens daily lives. On this 800m long street you will find no less than 200 shops that sell pretty much everything that a Japanese senior citizen needs and loves. Of […]
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English Like any culture, dolls or ningyō, have been and are still very popular in Japan. Today we had the chance to share with you some of these gorgeous creations made by Fukuda-sensei, a Japanese doll master we had the chance to meet while exploring their creations and private collection in Tokyo. Unlike Europe for […]
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English Autumn in Shiba Kōen is a beautiful time of year. The trees surrounding the Zōjō-ji temple change into brilliant yellow, orange, and red hues. We will revisit the Shiba Kōen and Zōjō-ji temple with a video presentation soon, but couldn’t help but share the beautiful, colorful leaves with you in the meantime. We hope […]
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English Before it became a museum, this place was in fact a private property owned by Nezu Kaichiro (1860-1940) president of the Tobu Railway in Japan. Nezu Kaichiro left provision in his will to establish a foundation, to preserve his personal collection and make sure that future generations could share his love of the tea […]
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English The Icho Namiki Avenue in Gaienmae is a rather typical large avenue in Tokyo all year long with the exception of few weeks a year (Mid November ! Mid December) when all the ginkgo trees lined up on each side the avenue turn to gold. This turns a rather banal place into a magical […]
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English Happo-en is far from your average gorgeous hidden Japanese garden in central Tokyo. While its history still eludes me, it is said that Happo-en was the cherished mansion of Ōkubo Tadataka throughout his life 1560~1639 (also known as Ōkubo Hikozaemon). It is however after 1951 that Happo-en became what it is today and took […]
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English It seems that Tokyo comes with an endless list of parks to visit, and to be fair we have yet to finish covering them all. Among them you may stumble upon Rikugien, another gorgeous park close to Ikebukuro. What’s interesting here is that Rikugien is a beautiful garden to visit all year long, offering […]
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English Like Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown is another very famous urban center that includes a residential section, business offices, a huge shopping mall, a luxury hotel and other leisure areas. Completed in 2007 Midtown is popular among Japanese for its park as well as its many seasonal activities including a beer festa, the Sakura Sparkle […]
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English Another gorgeous temple hidden in plain sight! According to the temple’s history, the Nezu Temple or Nezu-Jinha Shrine was founded 1900 years ago by the legendary priest Yamato Takeru no Mikoto in Sendagi (Near Nippori). It was only during the Edo era that the temple was relocated to its current location. Like the Toshogu […]
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