Sharing favorite finds from across the archipelago
I've only been away from Japan for slightly over two years, and even since my last visit to Tokyo a year ago, a lot has changed in the city. Development has ramped up, perhaps in preparation for the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games, and large scale complexes are making appearances in areas of the city that... Continue Reading →
It's been a few days since we arrived back in Japan and settling into life in Tokyo once more is like slipping back into your favorite pajamas - familiar and comfortable. With cheek numbingly brisk weather this week, it seemed a good time to head out and reacquaint myself with some of the city's (well-heated)... Continue Reading →
I came on the blog today with the intent of posting a list of my favorite places to go in Tokyo for foliage - at least those that aren't usually mobbed by crowds. Then a quick search made me realize that I'd written that post three years ago … and I still stand by the... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago, Stonebridge Press sent me an advance copy of My Year of Dirt and Water: The Journal of a Zen Monk's Wife in Japan by Tracy Franz. I've been fortunate to review a good many Japan-themed books on this blog over the years but never before have I been privileged to review the book... Continue Reading →
Iris gardens seem to be a dime a dozen in the Tokyo area but that doesn't mean I love them any less. Purple being one of my favorite colors, I get a particular thrill to see these delicate-stalked blooms begin to appear in late May and throughout the month of June. One of my favorite... Continue Reading →
For many, February is a frigid month, a month to just grit your teeth, zip up your jacket and trudge your way through a slog of icy, sleety days and cold weather. But February in Japan makes my heart sing. From bean throwing and daruma burning at the beginning of the month to the gorgeous... Continue Reading →
Hello all and a very belated happy new year! It's sadly been a few months since I last wrote on this blog and I fear that pattern may not change much this year. Although I made several trips back to Japan in 2017, at the moment there are no planned trips on the schedule for 2018. It's... Continue Reading →
October is here and the past weeks have flown - the start of school, a flurry of traveler itineraries, plans for the autumn pilgrimage "home" to Japan. (I can't miss foliage season!) Meanwhile, the pile of books by my bedside table has continued to grow. This week, the stack finally reached a guilt-inducing height and... Continue Reading →
I haven't done a Manhole Monday post in quite some time, so I took a cruise through my photo archives today to try to find a unique one. I stumbled across this colorful one from a trip to Niigata a few winters ago: I usually do a little write-up on the scene that graces each... Continue Reading →
I've long been neglecting the blog and for those of you who may still be reading, I deeply apologize. Part of the summer was spent back in Japan, visiting friends in each of the locations we called home over our eight years. Loose plans are in the works to hopefully be able to return to... Continue Reading →
Uncover Japan 