Discoveries from around the archipelago
Twenty-five years ago, a new superhero debuted on Japanese television. His name was Anpanman, his motto was "love and courage" and his head ... was a jam-filled bun. Yes, in the pantheon of Japanese anime characters, Anpanman and his food-related cohorts are certainly ... unique. But they have stunning staying power and are just as... Continue Reading →
I had a bit of an unscheduled trip to Tokyo last week, tacked on right before a weekend in Kyoto from which I am just now returning as this posts. I'm not complaining, mind you. I love my former hometown of Tokyo as much as a girl can and will take any excuse to go... Continue Reading →
If you're headed north to the island of Hokkaido with kids and are swinging through the Asahikawa area, you might want to put the Asahiyama Zoo on your list. Asahiyama Zoo is considered Japan's top zoo (at least, from what I discovered, it attracts more annual visitors than Tokyo's Ueno Zoo). It's well-known for its... Continue Reading →
When I first saw Odori Park, it was covered in a blanket of snow. A thick blanket of snow. Enough snow to make the huge snow sculptures for which Sapporo is famous in the winter. Sapporo in the summertime is a wholly different affair. That icy covering in winter actually hides a host of activities for... Continue Reading →
I'm working on an itinerary this week for a family with teenagers heading to my old stomping grounds on Okinawa. It's been quite the walk down memory lane for me as I select the activities I think they'll like. I didn't always enjoy my three years on what I considered Japan's subtropical "rock" but there... Continue Reading →
Most people on the JR Keiyo line from Tokyo Station get off at the Maihama stop for Tokyo Disneyland. But if you're not up for another day of Mickey and the gang, join other Tokyo families at the Tokyo Sea Life Park just one stop sooner on the train line. While not on the same... Continue Reading →
The network of national museums in Japan is quite impressive. Of the four branches, three are located on the main island of Honshu - in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara. It wasn't until recently that a fourth branch opened in the leafy town of Dazaifu, a short drive or train ride from Fukuoka. The museum exhibits... Continue Reading →
A few miles outside of the mountain town of Takayama, the Hida Folk Village (or Hida no Sato) provides an excellent example of how the area's residents lived in years past. Alright, a bit of a boring intro (my creative juices just aren't flowing today) but this place is anything but. Over 30 houses from... Continue Reading →
Happy holidays to all of my readers! It was a wonderful, quiet holiday with my family this year, and such a joy to watch my almost two-year old start to really understand the traditions of Christmas. (Sort of. She was more taken with the dog in the DVD of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" than the story... Continue Reading →
When I was young, my best friend's mother owned an educational toy store. It was the antithesis of Toys 'R Us, with carefully chosen cerebral games and handcrafted wooden toys. I spent loads of time there, even working stints over the busy holiday periods, wrapping and bagging tons of carved trains and individually painted stacking... Continue Reading →
