The Tokyo Traveler

Katsushika-ku is home to over 400 thousand people in a little less than 35 square kilometers.  The ward was the setting for a famous Japanese movie “Otoko wa Tsuraiyo”, in English “It Is Hard To Be A Man”, and a statue of the lead character, Tora-san can bee seen near the Shimabata Station.
Also near Shimabata Station is Taishakuten Temple where you can browse a 200 meter long strip of shops selling dumplings, candy and traditional toys on your way the temple.

Mizumoto Park (PDF) is home to over 600 cherry trees, the largest concentration of Japanese Irises in Tokyo and …read more

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Itabashi-ku is home to over 500 thousand people in a little more than 32 square kilometers.  In English, Itabashi means “plank bridge” which recalls an early, innovative bridge, that spanned one of the rivers flowing through the ward in the Heian Period (794-1185).
The area is home to a number of sights and attractions including the Itabashi Art Museum and the Itabashi Historical Museum (pictured below).

The Itabashi City website offers information for foreigners and visitors including seasonal events and traditional arts & crafts from the area. The sightseeing guide around ITABASHI ART MUSEUM provides some great options when planning a visit …read more

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Kendama is a game that came to Japan in the Edo period and was a popular form of entertainment.  Kendama is also know as Nichi Getsu Ball, or Sun Moon Ball, in Japan and is based upon the French game ‘Bilboquet’ meaning ‘cup and ball’ which has roots that can be traced back to the 11th century.  Yep, it’s an old game and it was one of the first real toy crazes in the early 1700’s according to the British Kendama Association. 
A kendama (pictured on the right) is a traditional wooden toy that consists of a ball connected …read more

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Fugu poisoning strikes a licensed chef in Shibuya – maybe he’ll be more careful next time?
Geisha, Interrupted, a fellow Japan blogger and writer of the book “Bar Flower: My Decadently Destructive Days and Nights as a Tokyo Nightclub Hostess” was featured in the Japan Times.  Read the Geisha, Interrupted interview and check out some of the other bloggers who have been included in the Japan Times Blogroll.
Tracing the roots and of “The Tale of Genji”, the epic novel about Japan that celebrates its 1,000th anniversary this year.
An editorial on Japan as a tourist destination from The Japan Times talks about …read more

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This shot of Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa captures the view that can be seen as you approach the temple from Nakamase Dori.  It’s a hard view to photograph if you don’t own a wide angle lens and this HDR image does a great job of doing just that.
As you leave bustling shops and crowds of Nakamise Dori behind, you pass though an impressive gate on your approach to the Senso-ji Temple, which sits in essentially the same spot and in the same configuration that is has for hundreds of years.
Shops on either side sell religious tokens and incense and pamphlets …read more

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Tokyo is in focus at CNN.  The city is currently featured in their My City_My Life series which offers some insights from  people who call the city home.
Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007, has allowed cameras to follow her from her home in Shizuoka to the big city of Tokyo and talks about her love of shopping in Ginza and along Takeshita Dori in Harajuku.  Read an interview with Riyo Mori or watch the her video tour of the city. (Riyo Mori video tour Part 1 and Part 2)
Jean Snow is a Canadian who blogs about design and pop culture in …read more

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Edogawa, founded in 1937, is one of the more populated wards of Tokyo with over 600 thousand people making their home in just over 49 square kilometers.  Tokyo Bay is the southern border of Edogawa and it is bordered by Chiba Prefecture to the west.
Events
In March and April, see the Cherry Blossom Festival along Komatsugawa Promenade or at Komatsugawa-Sakaigawa Shinsui Park.
In June visit the Koiwa Iris Garden to see over 50 thousand flowers in full bloom.
One of the largest fireworks shows in Tokyo is held on the banks of the Edogawa river in early August each year.
Blow your own …read more

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Held in beautiful and spacious Hamarikyu Gardens, the Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony offers a unique opportunity to experience a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.  Demonstrations and lectures will be held in an effort to familiarize both citizens and international visitors with the ancient history and rituals associated with tea in Japan.
In October 1587, the feudal warlord, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, hosted a tea ceremony occasion at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto, serving tea to his guests whether or not they were interested in tea. It is said that he created over 800 place settings and brought a golden tea room into the shrine …read more

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