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 →
Great Gardens: Otaguro Park (Tokyo)
It's foliage season, my favorite time of year, and I am stuck in 87*F southern California. Not that palm trees aren't pretty mind you ... 😉 I'm just very excited to head back to Japan in two weeks to catch the autumn leaves in their splendor. (I'm hoping at least. It's been a bit colder... Continue Reading →
What’s On in September
Ahhhh ... that hiatus felt all too long and all too short! For those of you reading this, welcome back! Thanks for letting me take some time off. We've safely arrived in California, have even moved into a new (rental) home, and even started getting accustomed to driving on the right side of the road... Continue Reading →
Top 5 Photos of 2015
It's the end of 2015 and in a few hours, the year will wrap up and roll over into another one. Such is the way of time, and there's no stopping it. (Much as I want to. Can we roll back to autumn? 🙂 ) This year has ZOOMED, more so for the fact that... Continue Reading →
Review: The Beauty of Autumn in Japan
Sorry for the rather sporadic posting on here the past few weeks. Since moving to Tokyo, I feel like life is moving at warp speed. Especially since it's foliage season, I hate to spend my days in front of the computer. I'd like to think that when winter really rolls around, I'll be happier to... Continue Reading →
Friday Photo: November 2015
I am sure that it comes as no surprise to anyone that my photo from this month is one of foliage. What IS it about that season that just makes my heart sing? Even from the time I was young, I always felt an affinity towards the months of fall and the idea of anything... Continue Reading →
Top 5 Hidden Foliage Spots in Kyoto
Oh. my. goodness. What an insane week. If you've been following me on facebook, you'll know that I just wrapped up a nearly week-long trip to Kyoto to see the fall foliage. Normally, Kyoto is one of my absolute favorite places to see the changing leaves but this year ... man, this year was something... Continue Reading →
Top 5 Hidden Tokyo Foliage Spots
Tokyo may not be as popular a destination as Kyoto for its autumn colors, but the city's trees do deck themselves out in some pretty striking colors from mid-November to mid-December. Ask any Tokyoite where to go however, and the answers remain mostly the same: the ginkgo avenue near Jingu Gaien, the traditional garden of... Continue Reading →
Trip Tips: Koyo (Leaf Viewing) in Japan
Ack, it's mid-November! I swear, we just celebrated Halloween yesterday, right? Right ....? I'd meant to post this about a month ago, but for those of you in the Kansai and Tokyo regions, you'll still find some of the information relevant. I've just done my first leaf-peeping here in Tokyo (Showa Kinen park is a... Continue Reading →
Festival Focus: Karatsu Kunchi
Most people rave about Japan's summer festivals (and admittedly, there are some spectacular ones) but being rather partial to the cooler weather, I am a fan of the nation's autumn festivals. Both Kumamoto and Okinawa had some exciting ones (massive tug of war, anyone?) but my favorite will always be the Karatsu Kunchi in Karatsu,... Continue Reading →