Sharing favorite finds from across the archipelago
Update March 1, 2014 - Sadly, Vegetable Sushi Potager has closed. I'll now be on the lookout for other unique sushi and vegetarian options. This eatery will be missed! _________________________________________________________________ At first glance, the meals on offer at Tokyo's Potager seem like any other top-quality sushi restaurant. Look a bit closer, however, and you'll discover there's nothing... Continue Reading →
Fifty minutes south of central Tokyo lies one of my favorite places in Japan. In truth, there's a host of things that could bring you to the town of Kamakura - the Daibustsu (Big Buddha), the second largest Buddha statue in Japan; the beautiful pageantry of archers on horseback at the Hachiman Shrine's autumn festival; the hiking... Continue Reading →
Temple? Shrine? Shrine? Temple? There are few greater perplexing questions for travelers to Japan than how on earth (or in heaven 🙂 ) to refer to the myriad religious structures dotting the landscape. The word Shinto, when translated poetically, means "the way of the gods". It's Japan's native religion, though not an exclusive one. Many Japanese claim... Continue Reading →
Have a kid (or spouse) who can't get enough of Japan's shadowy warriors? Then make tracks to Iga City, the ancestral home of one of the country's prominent ninja clans. Iga City isn't on the beaten tourist trail - it's a good two hour journey from either Kyoto or Nagoya. But the Iga Ninja experience... Continue Reading →
I must confess, I am a guidebook junkie. Some people smoke, some people imbibe their daily Starbucks. Me? I line my shelves with the likes of Lonely Planet and her kin. If you want to get under a country's skin, however, you'll need to look beyond the general guidebook market (Frommers, Fodors, Rough Guides, etc) and... Continue Reading →
Uncover Japan 